LONDON, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Britain reported another 7,738 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,558,494, according to official figures released Saturday.
The country also recorded another 12 coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain to 127,896. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.
Under the British government's roadmap, all legal limits on social contact could be removed on June 21 if the situation goes well. It is understood that a final decision on the planned easing of lockdown will not be made until June 14.
On Saturday, Sky News quoted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as saying that it is clear the Delta variant (first identified in India) is "more transmissible" and that coronavirus cases and the number of people in hospital are increasing.
"What we're looking at is, yes absolutely, an increase in cases, we're seeing an increase in hospitalizations," said Johnson.
"But the context has radically changed because of the sheer number of people who have been vaccinated and particularly the elderly and vulnerable," he said.
More than 55.4 percent of people in Britain have been vaccinated with both doses for the fullest possible protection, the country's Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement released on Friday.
A recent study by Public Health England (PHE) showed that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the Delta variant.
To ensure people have the strongest possible protection against COVID-19, appointments for second doses have been brought forward from 12 to eight weeks for the remaining people in the top nine priority groups who have yet to receive both doses, according to the department.
To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem
