Britain extended its nationwide lockdown on Thursday, as stand-in leader Dominic Raab ordered Britons to stay at home for at least another three weeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which has already claimed over 139,000 lives globally. 

"We have just come too far, we've lost too many loved ones, we've already sacrificed far too much to ease up now, especially when we are beginning to see the evidence that our efforts are starting to pay off," he told reporters. 

Foreign Secretary Raab is in charge while Prime Minister Boris Johnson recuperates from COVID-19 complications. Raab chaired an emergency meeting on Thursday to review scientific evidence on the impact of the existing lockdown. 

"Based on this advice ... the government has decided that the current measures must remain in place for at least the next three weeks," he said. "Relaxing any of the measures currently in place would risk damage to both public health and the economy." 

The United Kingdom has the fifth-highest official death toll from COVID-19 in the world, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France, though British figures only cover hospital fatalities and the real number is probably much higher.

Johnson ordered the initial three-week lockdown on March 23, shutting "non-essential" shops and services, banning gatherings of more than two people and giving police powers to fine those flouting the rules.   

Since then, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths has climbed dramatically, with more than 100,000 people now infected and nearly 14,000 fatalities among those hospitalized. 

The daily death toll from the virus hit nearly 1,000 over the Easter weekend and, after falling for several days this week, spiked back up to 861 on Thursday, according to health ministry figures. 

The latest announcement, which had been widely expected, means Britons must stay at home unless they are shopping for basic necessities, or meeting medical needs. Citizens are allowed to exercise in public once a day, and can travel to work if they are unable to work from home. 

Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the virus would "run rampant" if restrictions were lifted too soon.

The government has insisted the lockdown is working and there are signs the pandemic is peaking in Britain, with Raab noting the infection rate is thought to have markedly reduced. But he would not be drawn on when and how the country might eventually begin to relax the lockdown.  

"We will only do it when the evidence demonstrates that it is safe to do it," Raab said. "Now is not the moment to give the coronavirus a second chance." 

Opposition Labour Party leader Kier Starmer said he supported the extended restrictions, but added: "We also need clarity about what plans are being put in place to lift the lockdown when the time is right." 

A YouGov poll conducted before Thursday's announcement showed 91 percent of Britons supported a three-week extension to the lockdown. 

(With input from Reuters, AFP)

(Cover: British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab speaks at the daily coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, April 16, 2020. /Reuters)