Raab says testing capacity at 40K a day, denies slow response to pandemic

UK's foreign minister Raab said on Wednesday the country now has a testing capacity of 40,000 a day for the new coronavirus while denying the government has been slow in its response to the pandemic.

He also said he would not commit to holding a public inquiry into the government's handling, in response to a question raised by MP Edward Davey.

"I have to say I won't take up his offer of committing to a public inquiry. I think that there are definitely lessons to be learned, and when we get through this crisis, it will be important that we take stock," Raab told parliament in the first-ever semi-virtually PMQs.

But he admitted the challenge to get hold of enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers, adding government needs to "strive even harder" to source equipment.

The British government has been criticized lately for a shortage of PPE. On Wednesday, a delayed delivery of PPE from Turkey, which was expected to arrive on Sunday, landed in the UK. The reason for the delay was not given.

Speaking to the Parliament, Raab also revealed that 69 health care workers have died from coronavirus in the UK.

Except for the shortage of medical equipment, concerns have also been given to medical workers as Health Minister Helen Whately earlier admitted to Sky News on Wednesday that some of the "early tests" used by the NHS were "not effective enough" and a re-testing has been asked.

So far, there are over 130,000 COVID-19 cases in the UK, and over 17,000 deaths have been registered. But the death toll is widely believed higher than the government data, which doesn't include fatalities outside hospitals.