UK PM Boris Johnson on coronavirus roadmap, delta variant

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday said the decision on whether to delay England's roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be coming on Monday, and that the government was "looking at the data".

The U.K. on Friday recorded its highest coronavirus infections since late February, the majority from the delta variant.

The delta variant, which is considered about 40% more transmissible than the previous dominant strain, accounts for more than 90% of all new infections in the U.K.

Hospitalisations and deaths remain relatively low, but are rising slowly.

Speaking during th G-7 summit on Saturday, Johnson said "you've got to be cautious in order to deliver what we want to see, which is an irreversible roadmap."

"There are grounds for precaution. That doesn't mean that this country hasn't made enormous progress with vaccination," he said.