Britain's National Health Service (NHS) could be "overwhelmed" by the coronavirus like the Italian health system in just two weeks, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Sunday in the face of rising numbers of deaths.
The death toll in Italy — the world's worst-hitcountry — reached almost 5,000 on Saturday, while in Britain it hit 233.
In a statement released by his office, Johnsonagain urged Britons to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus.
"The numbers are very stark, and they areaccelerating. We are only a matter of weeks — two or three — behind Italy," hesaid.
"Unless we act together, unless we make theheroic and collective national effort to slow the spread — then it is all toolikely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed."
Italy overtook China as the country worstaffected by the highly contagious virus on Thursday. The Italian government hasordered that all businesses must close until April 3 in its latest desperateeffort to halt the epidemic.
