The UK could be a "hidden" hotspot for Covid-19.

At an emergency meeting on March 12 in London with the government's medical and scientific advisors, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the Covid-19 pandemic as "the worst health crisis in a generation".

"Some people compare it to seasonal flu. That's not true. Due to a lack of immunity, this disease is more dangerous. It will spread even further, and I need to warn the British public that many families could lose loved ones to this disease," the British Prime Minister emphasized.

Meanwhile, Dr. Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser to the UK government, suggested that the actual number of people infected with the coronavirus in the country could range from 5,000 to 10,000, and that the situation in the UK is only four weeks behind Italy – the country with the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.

Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer and chief adviser to the government, said the country needs to prepare for a worst-case scenario where around 80% of the population is infected with the coronavirus, with a 1% mortality rate, meaning more than 500,000 deaths.

Currently, Mr. Johnson has implemented a series of measures to respond to Covid-19, including banning schoolchildren from traveling abroad and preventing the elderly and vulnerable from boarding cruise ships. He has requested families to self-isolate if a family member is found to be ill. Prime Minister Johnson also stated that schools will not close, and events with more than 500 people will not be banned, although large events may be canceled. Healthcare workers will not conduct home testing for the coronavirus, but will instead test patients upon arrival at hospitals.

The British Prime Minister also stated that the next few weeks could be the most dangerous period of Covid-19 in the country, while explaining that the government's immediate "delay" measures are aimed at strengthening its ability to respond to the pandemic.

This information comes as the UK has recorded 590 cases of Covid-19 with 12 deaths (including 2 deaths abroad). In Vietnam, many international tourists recently found to be infected with Covid-19 also hold British citizenship. Vietnam's Patient No. 17 and her sister both experienced their first symptoms while in the UK. Patient No. 45, a flight attendant, was found to be infected after returning from the UK capital on flight VN54. On March 12, the father of the Canadian Prime Minister also tested positive for Covid-19 after attending an event in the UK on March 9.

Lan Oanh