Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Over-70s in Britain to be asked to self-isolate
People over 70 will soon be asked to self-isolate for up to four months to protect themselves from the risk of contracting coronavirus, the UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed, adding that police will be given powers to ensure those infected observe self-quarantine.
UK pleas for ventilator production
Hancock said the British government was working to buy all available ventilators and he urged manufacturing companies to switch production to the machines. The British Medical Association blamed the shortage on NHS underfunding.
100m Europeans on lockdown as countries battle coronavirus
Spain joined Italy in imposing a national quarantine to combat coronavirus, with a wave of further restrictions on travel and movement elsewhere in the world set to come into effect over the next 48 hours.
Iran death toll rises 113 in a day
Iran’s death toll reached 724, with 113 new deaths in the past 24 hours, an official said, with around 14,000 cases confirmed as the government acknowledged the pandemic could overwhelm its health facilities – blaming severe US sanctions.
Two more deaths confirmed in Australia
Australian health authorities confirmed two more deaths in the past three days, two women in New South Wales, aged 77 and 90. According to AAP, the 77-year-old developed symptoms on the plane, was taken to hospital and died the same day.
Trump sought exclusive rights to vaccine, according to report
Germany newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported that the US president, Donald Trump, tried to poach virologists working on a coronavirus vaccine and offered large sums of money for exclusivity.
Norwegians told to return home from countryside
People in Norway have been ordered to leave their countryside cabins and return to their homes, due to fears rural hospitals could be overwhelmed, according to local media. Civil defence members could be deployed to ensure people respect the order.
Austrian freedom of movement to be limited
Freedom of movement will be “massively limited” in Austria as part of drastic measures which the chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, said would include closing playgrounds, sports grounds, and non-essential shops, restaurants and bars from Tuesday.
Travel reduced in France as elections go ahead
France will start reducing plane, train and coach services between cities from Sunday, as local elections went ahead across the country. Meanwhile, Parisians observed social distancing measures but the streets of the capital were relatively empty.
Airlines face meltdown as global travel bans multiply
Travel businesses were hit with multiple doses of bad news on Saturday and Sunday, with the US expanding its Europe travel ban to include the UK and Ireland, a number of South American countries bringing in flight restrictions and Australia joining New Zealand in requiring all people entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days
Ireland could use powers to stop large pub gatherings
Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, warned he may seek enforcement powers to stop large gatherings in pubs after drunken scenes in Dublin’s city centre last night caused alarm with cabinet colleagues.
