Javid becomes UK health minister as COVID-19 cases soar

British former finance minister Sajid Javid will replace Matt Hancock as the country’s health minister.

Javid’s appointment was announced Saturday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office, shortly after Hancock’s resignation.

Javid resigned as finance minister last year after he refused to fire his political advisers as demanded by Johnson.

His appointment comes as the country recorded soaring COVID-19 cases.

On Saturday, 18,270 new cases were recorded, the highest daily rise since Feb. 5.

The death toll for the day was 23, official data showed.

Daily fatalities remain around 20 or lower.

On Friday, 15,810 new cases were reported.

Daily positive cases have been rising in Britain for a month but a rapid vaccination programme appears to have largely broken the link between infections and deaths.

The data also showed that 83.7% of adults had had a first dose of the vaccine and 61.2% had had two.