UK COVID-19 Death Toll Comparison With Italy

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government sought on Sunday to deflect questions over a coronavirus death toll that is Europe’s second worst after Italy, with officials saying it would take a long time before the full picture became clear.

Deaths rose to 28,446 as of May 2 - just short of Italy - increasing pressure on the government which has been accused of acting too slowly in the early stages of the outbreak.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove, leading a daily coronavirus briefing, sidestepped a question on whether many lives could have been saved if mass testing had been rolled out earlier.