Coronavirus: London to go onto watchlist

Capital’s entry on list ‘stark reminder that now is time for all Londoners to pull together’

London is being placed on the government’s coronavirus watchlist, said a cross-party organisation representing all 32 boroughs and the City of London.

London Councils said in a statement that no additional measures are being brought into the city at this stage but its entry on the list was “a stark reminder that now is time for all Londoners to pull together”.

It comes as the Office for National Statistics released new figures showing the estimated number of Covid-19 cases across England jumped by 60 per cent in one week, adding that higher rates of infection have been found in the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, London and North East."

“There are no additional measures at this stage but it is welcome that the city’s testing capacity is boosted so that Londoners have timely access to Covid-19 tests and the government must ensure that this is sustained from now on,” said London Councils.

“London boroughs are working with their communities, business and the police to engage, educate, explain and, if necessary, enforce the new restrictions and regulations, and the government must ensure that it funds these so resources do not need to be drawn from other services.

“We ask all Londoners to work together and abide by the national restrictions announced on Tuesday.”

Residents in the capital with symptoms of coronavirus should apply for a test or call 119, added the organisation.

London mayor Sadiq Khan blamed a lack of testing capacity in the capital as the reason why it had become an area of concern, calling it “totally unacceptable”.

“London is at a very worrying tipping point right now. We’re seeing a sharp rise in 111 calls, hospital admissions and patients in ICU,” he said.

“The near collapse of test and trace and the resurgence of the virus means new measures to slow its spread were absolutely necessary.

“Testing capacity was diverted away from London in the last two weeks to other national hotspots and weekly testing numbers are now down 43 per cent in the capital since mid-August.

“Ministers simply have to get a grip,” added Mr Khan. “It’s vital that testing capacity is increased immediately in London and focused in the areas it is needed most. Any delay will mean letting the city down and will cost lives.”

An infection survey by the ONS, which tests thousands of people in English homes whether they have symptoms or not, found an estimated 103,600 people had Covid-19 from 13 September to 19 Septembers, equivalent to around one in 500 people.

The increase in positive coronavirus cases was taking place across all age groups, with the current rates highest in the 17 to 24 age group.

London’s entry to the list comes as Leeds prepares to become the latest city to impose restrictions on its residents from midnight on Friday, banning people from socialising in one another’s homes.