UK Government Faces Criticism For Rising COVID-19 Death Toll

The British government is under fire for its response to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Reuters, the UK could hit the grim milestone of 20,000 COVID-19 deaths later on Saturday.

That's when the daily count is added to the current toll of 19,506 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus and died in hospital.

Britain was slower to impose a lockdown than other European countries, and is struggling to increase its testing rate.

In mid-March, the government’s chief scientific adviser said that keeping the death toll below 20,000 would be a “good outcome”.