Londoners applaud virus health workers

The sound of applause and pots and pans being banged reverberated across London on Thursday evening as residents thanked key workers on the frontline against the new coronavirus.

The UK is currently in lockdown, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 and decrease the strain on its public health system.

Government figures on Thursday showed the country had 33,718 confirmed cases and 2,921 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.