London, Oct 29 (AFP/APP):Coronavirus cases in England are now doubling every nine days, official figures showed Thursday, with the sharply increasing death toll piling pressure on the government to take national action. Another 310 deaths of those testing positive for the virus were reported Wednesday — the second consecutive day of more than 300 fatalities. The upward trajectory of cases is now presenting a serious challenge to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s strategy of localised restrictions on the worst-hit areas. On October 25, 128 people per 10,000 were infected in England, up from 60 on October 16, according to an ongoing study by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI. The national R rate — which indicates the number of people one person with the virus is likely to infect — rose to 1.6. Prevalence was highest in northern England, although rates were climbing across all age groups and all regions, according to the study. Earlier this year, Johnson was criticised for his initial relaxed approach to the outbreak, even as the number of positive cases and deaths spiralled elsewhere in Europe. He eventually imposed a national lockdown in late March, shutting all non-essential shops and schools, and forcing millions to work … Continue reading Virus case and death surge raises calls for UK lockdown