London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a “major incident” in the UK capital on Friday due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, warning that the state-run National Health Service is in danger of being overwhelmed.
Khan’s announcement represents an absolute verdict on the threat of the virus to London’s 9 million residents, as pressure on hospitals and ambulance services increases. A major incident is officially defined as “likely to involve serious harm, damage, disturbance or risk to human life or well-being, essential services, the environment or national security.”
The mayor’s decision to declare a major incident in the capital will mean that special arrangements must now be made by the emergency services to deal with the secret crisis across the city.
“The situation in London is now critical, with the spread of the virus out of control,” said Khan. “The number of cases in London has increased rapidly, with more than a third more patients being treated in our hospitals compared to the peak of the pandemic last April.”