The coronavirus epidemic in the United Kingdom is showing signs of slowing and antibody tests could be ready in days, said a professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson.

“We think the epidemic is just about slowing in the UK right now,” Ferguson told BBC radio.

Britain, which has the world’s fifth largest economy, initially took an approach to containing the spread of the disease that was modest in comparison to European countries such as Italy.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed stringent controls after projections showed a quarter of a million people could die. Johnson on Friday became the first leader of a major power to announce a positive test result for coronavirus. He is self isolating in Downing Street.

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