Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
UK coronavirus death toll rises to 233
The death toll in the UK rose to 233 on Saturday after NHS England said a further 53 Covid-19 patients had died. The people who died were aged 41 to 94 and all had underlying health conditions. Two further deaths were announced in Wales and the third in Scotland on Saturday.
John Lewis and Pret a Manger close all UK stores
High street coffee chain Pret a Manger announced it will be closing 400 UK stores from Saturday evening, while John Lewis will be closing all 50 of its shops temporarily from Monday, the first time in the 155-year history of the business that it will not open its shop doors for customers. The online site will continue to operate as normal, alongside Waitrose’s physical and online shops.
Italy sees biggest daily increase in coronavirus deaths
The death toll in Italy rose by 793 to 4,825 on Saturday, officials said. It is the largest daily rise in absolute terms since the contagion emerged a month ago. On Thursday, Italy overtook China as the country to register most deaths from Covid-19. The total number of cases in Italy rose to 53,578 from a previous 47,021, an increase of 13.9%, the Civil Protection Agency said.
US vice-president to be tested for coronavirus
At a White House press briefing, vice-president Mike Pence confirmed that an aide in his office had tested positive for coronavirus. “Both I and my wife will be tested later this afternoon,” he says, despite the fact they are asymptomatic. “Neither the president or I had direct contact” with the staffer, he added.
Albania enlists help of army to enforce curfew
Albania has resorted to deploying the army to enforce a curfew that began at 1pm local time on Saturday in the country’s latest bid to stem the spread of coronavirus. The measure, set to last 40 hours, was implemented after citizens continued to openly flout orders to stay at home. To date, 76 people in the country have contracted the virus. Two deaths have been recorded.
Jair Bolsonaro comes under fire for coronavirus response
Brazil’s far-right president is facing fierce criticism for what is widely seen as his chaotic and cavalier response to the crisis. Despite this, governors of some of Brazil’s key states are taking drastic action amid warnings that the country’s health service could collapse in the coming weeks. The governor of São Paulo state, João Doria, has just announced that it will begin a 15-day quarantine from this Tuesday.
