12月以来，英国新冠疫情日益恶化，据英媒报道，1月2日，英国单日新增确诊病例超过5.7万，再创历史新高。与此同时，英国医疗系统的压力与日俱增，一些伦敦医院中有2/3的床位都用于救治新冠病人。

路透社报道称，目前英国已重启方舱医院，伦敦所有小学停课。


图源：Reuters报道截图

The UK records another 57,000 new cases on Jan 2, the highest daily number since the pandemic began and the fifth day in a row infections have exceeded 50,000. 

Almost two-thirds of beds at some London hospitals are being used to treat Covid-19 patients.

路透社2日消息称，过去4天，英国每日新增确诊病例均超过5万，卫生服务部门表示正在为预期的病人高峰做准备，需要更多的床位。就在几天前，伦敦皇家医院在一封电子邮件中告诉员工，该医院现在处于“灾难模式”，无法提供高标准的重症监护。

图源：央视网

With more than 50,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 for the last four days, the health service said it was preparing for an anticipated rush of patients and needed more beds.

The announcement comes just days after the Royal London Hospital told staff in an email it was now in “disaster medicine mode” and unable to provide high standard critical care.

英国《天空新闻》报道也指出，跨年夜当天，伦敦三所医院的重症监护室已满，患者不得不被转移到其他医院接受治疗。

A Sky News report said intensive care units of three London hospitals were full on New Year’s Eve, forcing patients to be transferred to other hospitals for critical care.

由于英国首都伦敦是新变种病毒疫情最严重的地区之一，该变种病毒传染性增加了70％，因此政府决定关闭伦敦的所有小学。

With the capital one of the areas worst-hit by the new variant, which is up to 70% more infectious, the UK government also decided to close all London primary schools.

英国教育大臣威廉姆森（Gavin Williamson）说：“儿童的教育和福祉仍然是国家的首要任务。”“将伦敦其他更多地区学校转为远程教育确实是最后的应对办法和临时解决方案。”

“Children’s education and wellbeing remains a national priority,” Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said. “Moving further parts of London to remote education really is a last resort and a temporary solution.”

虽然会议中心等地点的方舱医院早已建成，但它们几乎没有使用过，一直处于待命状态。英国国家卫生服务局（NHS）的一位发言人说：“由于新的病毒变异造成的感染蔓延带来了压力，伦敦国民保健服务系统被要求确保方舱医院被重新激活，并准备在需要时接纳患者。”

图源：央视网

The temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals at locations such as convention centres were one success, built by the military in a matter of days. They were barely used but have remained on standby.

“In anticipation of pressures rising from the spread of the new variant infection, the NHS London Region were asked to ensure the Nightingale was reactivated and ready to admit patients should it be needed,” a spokeswoman for the National Health Service (NHS) said.

但是是否有足够的人员管理这些方舱医院仍然存在疑问。英国皇家护理学会警告称，目前英国护士人数不足以支持这些方舱医院运作，尤其是许多人都感染了病毒或者处于隔离之中。

The Royal College of Nursing warned however that the country does not have enough nurses to staff the new sites, especially with many sick with the virus or forced to isolate.

综合来源：Reuters Metro 人民日报海外网