London mayor Sadiq Khan on Friday declared a “major incident” in the British capital over the rapid spread of the coronavirus, warning that the state-run National Health Service was in danger of being overwhelmed.
Khan’s announcement represents a grim judgment about the threat of the virus to London’s 9 million residents as pressure on hospitals and ambulance services mounts. A major incident is officially defined as “likely to cause serious harm, damage, disruption or risk to human life or welfare, essential services, the environment or national security.”
The mayor’s decision to report a major incident in the capital means emergency services must now take special measures to address the city’s covid crisis.
“The situation in London is now critical as the spread of the virus is spiraling out of control,” Khan said. “The number of cases in London has increased rapidly with over a third more patients now being treated in our hospitals compared to the peak of the pandemic last April.”