Pandemic plunges U.K. into "largest recession on record"

• "I've said before that hard times were ahead, and today's figures confirm that hard times are here," he said in a statement.
• "Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will."

Of note: It's the first time the U.K. has been in recession since 2009, as the country was impacted by the global financial crisis.

Driving the news: Jonathan Athow, the ONS deputy national statistician in economic statistics, said in a statement, "The recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the biggest fall in quarterly GDP on record."

• Athow said the U.K. economy "began to bounce back in June with shops reopening, factories beginning to ramp up production and housebuilding continuing to recover."

• However, GDP in June remained one sixth below its level in February, "before the virus struck," he noted.

"Overall, productivity saw its largest fall in the second quarter since the three-day week. Hospitality was worst hit, with productivity in that industry falling by three quarters in recent months."

By the numbers: More than 313,400 people have tested positive for the virus and over 46,600 have died, per Johns Hopkins.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.