PM Johnson says second wave of virus inevitable, new restrictions possible

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that it was inevitable that the country would see a second wave of coronavirus and that while he did not want a second national lockdown, the government may need to introduce new restrictions.

Britain was reported to be considering whether to impose a new lockdown across the country, after new COVID-19 cases almost doubled to 6,000 per day, hospital admissions rose and infection rates soared across parts of northern England and London.

"We are now seeing a second wave coming in...It is absolutely, I'm afraid, inevitable, that we will see it in this country," he said.

The sharp rise in the number of cases in the country meant that the government needed to keep everything under review and he did not rule out further measures being introduced.

"I don't want to get into a second national lockdown at all," he said, but added: "When you look at what is happening, you've got to wonder whether we need to go further."

(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Philippa Fletcher)