Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says

this is moment of maximum risk

The UK is at the moment of maximum risk in the coronavirus
outbreak, Boris Johnson has said, as he urged people not to lose
patience with the lockdown.

Speaking outside No 10 for the first time since recovering from the
virus, Mr Johnson said "we are now beginning to turn the tide" on
the disease.

He said lockdown would not be relaxed too soon but details on any
changes will be set out over the "coming days".

Meanwhile, some paused NHS services, such as cancer care, are

to resume.

It comes as the latest daily figures show a further 360 people died
with the virus in hospitals, taking the total number of deaths to
21,092.

This number includes 82 NHS staff and 16 care workers who have
died in hospital.

Families of front-line NHS and social care staff who die with
coronavirus will receive a £60,000 compensation payment, the
government has announced.

'Invisible mugger'

The prime minister returned to Downing Street on Sunday after

more than three weeks off sick.

Mr Johnson apologised for being "away from my desk for much

longer than I would've liked" and thanked his colleagues who
stood in for him - as well as the public for their "sheer grit and
guts".
In the speech on Monday morning, Mr Johnson said he understood
concerns from business owners who were impatient to end the
lockdown.

But ending it too soon could lead to a second spike in cases and
cause more deaths, "economic disaster" and restrictions being
reintroduced, he said.

"I ask you to contain your impatience," Mr Johnson added.

He said there were "real signs now that we are passing through
the peak" - including with fewer hospital admissions and fewer
Covid-19 patients in intensive care.

And comparing the outbreak to someone being attacked, Mr

Johnson said: "If this virus were a physical assailant, an
unexpected and invisible mugger - which I can tell you from
personal experience, it is - then this is the moment when we have
begun together to wrestle it to the floor.

"And so it follows that this is the moment of opportunity, this is

the moment when we can press home our advantage, it is also the
moment of maximum risk.

"I know there will be many people looking at our apparent

success, and beginning to wonder whether now is the time to go
easy on those social distancing measures."