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Australian state of NSW records no new locally acquired Covid cases
New South Wales recorded no new cases of locally acquired Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, meaning the state has now gone 22 days without any local transmission.
Four cases were reported in overseas travellers. This brings the total number of cases in NSW to 4,379 since the start of the pandemic.
Health officials said there still may be transmission among people who have unrecognised infections with mild or no symptoms, and that anyone with symptoms was encouraged to come forwards for testing.
There were 10,256 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with 12,106 in the previous 24 hours.
As large parts of the state swelter in 40C temperatures, NSW Health urged people who can cool their homes to stay there so as not to overcrowd public indoor spaces where people seek respite from the heat.
Those heading to the beach or pool were also urged to keep 1.5 metres from people, and to swim and leave.
Updated
That is all from me tonight. I am handing over to my colleague Rebecca Ratcliffe, from the Australian team, now.
Summary
Here is a quick recap of recent events:
From the UK...
- Another two million doses of a coronavirus vaccine which trials suggest is 95% effective have been secured by the government, bringing the total number of jabs on order from the US firm Moderna to seven million.
- In the UK, a further 479 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Saturday, down from 521 the previous day.
- 155 people were arrested at anti-lockdown protests in central London, with offences including breaching coronavirus regulations, assaulting a police officer and possession of drugs.
and around the world...
- Victoria, in south-east Australia, recorded its 30th consecutive day without a new Covid-19 case, with no lives lost on Saturday from just under 6,000 tests.
- Greece reported 121 coronavirus-related deaths, a daily record, with hospitals in the north of the country under pressure as intensive care beds fill up.
- Turkey’s daily Covid-19 death toll hit a record high for a sixth consecutive day, with the health ministry recording 182 fatalities within the last 24 hours.
Updated
Labour has urged the British government to suspend peak rail fares and provide mass Covid testing for transport staff to avoid travel “chaos” and ensure families are “kept safe” over the festive period.
The party is calling on transport secretary Grant Shapps to present a “comprehensive travel plan”, covering the lifting of travel restrictions from December 23 to 27, to parliament on Monday.
Updated
Around 1,000 protesters gathered outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem on Saturday night, pressing ahead with their months-long campaign demanding his resignation.
Demonstrators say Netanyahu should step down while he is on trial for corruption and because of his handling of the coronavirus in Israel.
After two lockdowns this year, the nation’s economy is struggling, and hundreds of thousands of Israelis remain unemployed.
Updated
UK government secures 2m more Covid vaccine doses
Another two million doses of a Covid vaccine, which trials suggest is 95% effective, have been secured by the government.
It brings the total number of jabs on order from the US firm Moderna to seven million - enough for around 3.5 million people in the UK.
Doses of the vaccine- which has yet to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency- could start being delivered next spring if it meets the standards.
Updated
Australian state of Victoria hits 30 days without new Covid cases
From Australian Associated Press:
The Australian state of Victoria has recorded its 30th consecutive day without a new Covid-19 case, having last week reached the benchmark for eliminating the virus.
The state recorded no new cases, no active cases and no lives lost on Saturday from just under 6,000 tests.
The last Covid-19 patient in a Victorian hospital was discharged on Monday.
Health authorities say 28 days with no new infections means the virus has been eliminated from the community, given that period represents two 14-day incubation periods.
New South Wales lifted restrictions for Victorian travellers on Monday, while Queensland and South Australia will reopen their borders from 1 December.
Updated
The UK’s largest academic union has told of its “grave concerns” over plans for mass coronavirus testing for students, warning that “flaws” in the government’s approach are a “recipe for chaos”.
Updated
Croatia’s prime minister, Andrej Plenković, has been ordered to isolate at home after his wife tested positive for Covid-19, the government’s spokesman has confirmed.
“Prime minister Plenković was tested on Saturday and the result is negative. He was ordered to remain in isolation at home for the next 10 days. He will continue performing his duties from home,” the spokesman said.
Updated
Boris Johnson has written to Conservative MPs offering them a second vote on the coronavirus tier system early next year, as he seeks to quell a backbench rebellion in the Commons on Tuesday.
In a letter to colleagues on Saturday evening, the prime minister said stringent regulations planned across much of England from 2 December would contain an expiry date of 3 February, with MPs offered the chance to vote to extend them.
In a further olive branch to MPs, Johnson said he would publish more data and outline what circumstances need to change for an area to move down a tier.
Updated
Update: Police have arrested 155 people for offences including breaching coronavirus regulations, assaulting a police officer and possession of drugs following anti-lockdown protests in central London.
The Metropolitan Police said it used early intervention methods to disperse the illegal gatherings, including intercepting coachloads of demonstrators as they came into the capital.
Ch Supt Stuart Bell, policing commander for the event, said:
On Friday, we made it very clear how we would police this event, warning those looking to attend that they risked facing enforcement action if they attended a gathering in London. Today’s enforcement action is a direct result of those individuals deliberately breaking the law and at times, targeting our officers with aggression and causing disruption to the road network. Our policing plan will continue well into the evening and I would urge anyone who hasn’t already dispersed to go home.
Updated
Police have stopped 110 drivers for Covid-19 offences during the first 24 hours of random checks in Cardiff, PA media reports.
Officers in the Welsh capital were granted powers to stop and fine drivers from 9am on Friday in an effort to prevent people from outside the nation travelling into Cardiff.
South Wales Police said they handed out 12 fixed penalty notices in the first day, and warned a further 15 people, instructing them to leave Cardiff.
Those found breaching the legislation included a couple travelling from Essex heading to Cardiff to give family Christmas presents.
Road checks made by @SWP_Roads on Cardiff's main arterial routes today ensuring those visiting the city are doing so within the confines of coronavirus legislation:
— South Wales P😷lice (@swpolice) November 28, 2020
In 24hrs:
✅ 110 checks
✅ 12 fines issued
✅ 15 people warned#SWPCovidActionhttps://t.co/HDltTncQuh
^ag
Updated
Greece reported 121 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, a daily record, bringing the death toll to 2,223.
Hospitals in the north of the country are under increasing pressure as intensive care beds are filled by Covid patients.
Health authorities reported 1,747 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total since the first case was detected in February to 103,034.
“This year’s Christmas will be very different,” prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
Updated
Responding to the anti-lockdown protests, Priti Patel, the home secretary, said:
We’ve seen our police officers yet again do incredible work to ensure that they help to stop the spread of this awful virus. The people that are protesting today have been protesting for many months, and we’ve seen this over successive weekends ... We ask everybody to be conscientious - we all know the regulations and the guidance, we have brought these measures in to save lives and to prevent preventable deaths.
Updated
Turkey’s daily Covid-19 death toll hit a record high for a sixth consecutive day today, with 182 fatalities in the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 13,373, data from the health ministry showed.
Turkey also recorded a new high of 30,103 coronavirus infections in the space of 24 hours, including asymptomatic cases.
For four months, the country only reported symptomatic cases, but since Wednesday it has reported all cases.
Updated
Here is some footage from the anti-lockdown rally in central London:
Italy reported 686 Covid-19-related deaths on Saturday, against 827 the day before, the health ministry confirmed.
There were also 26,323 new infections, down from 28,352 on Friday.
Italy was the first western country to be hit by coronavirus and has had 54,363 Covid-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February, the second highest toll in Europe after Britain.
Updated
479 further Covid-linked deaths registered in the UK
In the UK, 479 more people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.
This number is down from 521 the previous day, according to government data.
There were 15,871 people in the UK that tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, down from 16,022 on Friday.
See the official release here.
Updated
Hi everyone, this is Yohannes Lowe. I’ll be running the live blog for the rest of the evening. As always, feel free to get in touch on Twitter if you have any story tips.
That’s all from me today, I’m going to be handing over to my colleague Yohannes Lowe shortly. Thanks to everyone for following live – I hope you’re all safe and well, wherever you’re reading from.
Updated
A further 289 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, NHS England has said. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths in hospitals to 40,197.
The patients were all aged between 27 and 100, and all bar 16 - aged between 45 and 92 - had known underlying health conditions. The deaths occurred between 14 October and 27 November.
Updated
More than 60 arrests at London anti-lockdown demo
More than 60 people have been arrested at anti-lockdown demonstrations in London, the Met police have said.
They were arrested for a number of offences, including breaking lockdown restrictions. The force said it expected the number of arrests to rise.
Earlier, we reported on scuffles between police and protesters at the demonstration.
Here are some striking pieces of photojournalism from the scene:
Updated
There have been more than 61m confirmed cases of coronavirus around the world, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.
The global death toll stands at 1,429,602.
You can follow updates with our interactive coronavirus world map, which illustrates how different locations around the world are impacted, and has tallies of daily cases and deaths.
For UK figures, you can also use our interactive map of the UK, which breaks down figures in the four nations and shows regional hotspots.
Updated
Here’s some more information on earlier news that South Australia and New South Wales have recorded new Covid-19 cases.
In better news, Victoria has passed the benchmark for eliminating coronavirus, recording a 29th straight day without a single new infection.
Updated
A further nine deaths from coronavirus have been reported in Northern Ireland, eight of which occurred in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 983.
A further 315 individuals have also tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 51,824.
At present, there are 410 coronavirus patients in hospital, 33 of whom are currently in intensive care.
Updated
Summary of key events
Hello everyone. Here’s an update of key events so far today:
In the UK …
- Police and protesters have clashed at anti-lockdown demonstrations in central London, after authorities urged protesters not to join the event.
- Boris Johnson has appointed a minister for coronavirus vaccine deployment.
- More than 2.5 million people in England will be given free vitamin D supplements by the government.
- Around 1,700 people in the UK were wrongly told they had coronavirus by the NHS test-and-trace system.
- Michael Gove has warned that every hospital in England could be overwhelmed with coronavirus cases if new tier restrictions are not introduced, in an attempt to head off a rebellion from Conservative backbenchers.
- Avanti West Coast has axed its peak travel restrictions over the festive period, slashing the cost of many journeys.
… and around the world
- In Greece, the government has decided to lower the cost of screening tests for Covid-19, which can cost up to €95, in a move which has widely been welcomed.
- Deaths from coronavirus in Europe have passed more than 400,000.
- Russia has reported 27,100 new coronavirus cases, including 7,320 in Moscow.
- The lockdown in Germany could last until spring if case numbers do not drop, the economy minister, Peter Altmaier, has said.
If you spot something we should be reporting on in this blog, please feel free to drop me a message on Twitter. Tips and pointers always appreciated!
Updated
Plans for an emergency multimillion-pound loan to save Arcadia Group, which owns Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton brands, have reportedly been drawn up by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group.
It comes just a day after Sir Philip Green’s retail empire was revealed to be on the brink of collapse, putting 15,000 jobs at risk. The group has more than 500 stores across the UK - the majority of which are currently shut as a result of England’s second national lockdown.
Arcadia Group is expected to appoint Deloitte as administrators in the coming days.
The offer from Frasers Group, which runs Sports Direct and House of Fraser, would be around £50m and probably be in the form of a secured loan, Sky News reported.
However, it is unclear if a formal approach from Frasers Group to Arcadia Group has been made.
Retail has suffered extensively during the pandemic, with forced closures of shops causing dramatic profit losses and mass job losses.
Earlier this year, Arcadia revealed plans to cut around 500 of its 2,500 head office jobs amid a restructure in the face of the crisis.
Updated
Police and protesters have clashed at demonstrations in central London against lockdown restrictions, with at least three people arrested.
Police have been attempting to disperse the protesters, arguing the demonstration is unlawful under bans on gatherings because of coronavirus.
One protester told Sky News they were demonstrating because they believed there was “no future for our children” as a result of lockdown restrictions. Others described the measures as “fascist”.
Police faced booing from demonstrators and chants of “shame on you”, and some officers were pelted with bottles, as they intervened in the protest.
Traffic was temporarily blocked on Regent Street as officers attempted to handcuff people on the ground in the middle of the road.
Updated
People eager to get a haircut have been queuing outside barber shops in Paris as France partially reopened after a month-long lockdown.
Department stores selling gifts and Christmas decorations have also been busy today after shops selling non-essential goods such as shoes, clothes and toys reopened in the first easing of a nationwide lockdown that started on 30 October and will remain in place until 15 December. Bars and restaurants remain closed until 20 January.
“Today we have people who had been waiting for weeks while others are coming now so they can look good for Christmas, as one never know what happens next,” Remi Thor, a barber in central Paris, told Reuters.
A barber at J-Coiffeur in western Paris said that despite his online reservation system, people were showing up anyway without booking and were queuing up outside.
“Under current rules, they cannot wait inside,” he said.
Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said on FranceInfo Radio that the mayor, Anne Hidalgo, would hold talks with retail organisations about allowing them to open on Sundays to catch up on lost sales. “2020 will be a catastrophic year for everyone, but in order to limit the damage, December will be crucial,” he said.
The government has already allowed shops to open till 9pm so they could receive more customers despite limits on numbers in stores.
Updated
Moscow’s biggest outdoor rink has opened for winter, with residents taking to the ice late on Friday.
On Saturday, officials in Russia said 510 people had died in the last 24 hours across the country from coronavirus.
However, people out skating said they felt safe as they had worn masks and gloves in the indoor part of the rink, while their temperatures were measured upon arrival. Most people were not wearing masks on the rink itself, which in total measures over 20,000 square metres Reuters reported.
“We went through all the changing rooms in masks. It’s not scary at all,” said resident Olga Glazunova.
“It’s really good to be skating. You can feel the coming winter and New Year,” said Svetlana Makarova.
Others like Mikhail Merzlyakov said they couldn’t resist taking to the ice. “It’s scary, but we wanted to skate,” he said.
Updated
The UK government has been attempting to alleviate fears around a coronavirus vaccine, publishing an explainer which debunks myths around the virus and offers information about what goes in to it.
They shared the video explainer, featuring deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, today:
"Nothing, but nothing, goes into a vaccine unless it is absolutely needed."
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) November 27, 2020
Learn more about vaccine ingredients from Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam ⬇️
Read more:https://t.co/6ePOXYDfmG pic.twitter.com/whz0PPk08G
The Metropolitan police has warned people against joining a mass anti-lockdown protest due to take place on Saturday in central London, saying that such gathering sare banned under current coronavirus legislation.
A Met statement said: “Protest is not currently a permitted exemption to the prohibition on gatherings under the current coronavirus regulations.
“Strict regulations have been introduced by the government nationally to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. This means that anyone gathering for protest risks enforcement action by officers.”
You can read the full report here:
Updated
The Labour party in the UK has demanded greater support for businesses placed under tier 3 restrictions when the national lockdown in England ends on 2 December.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said it was completely irresponsible to leave tier 3 areas in the lurch, suggesting that tier 3 businesses had also been left in the cold during the restrictions before the lockdown.
It's completely irresponsible for the government to leave Tier 3 areas in the lurch like this again.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) November 28, 2020
The Chancellor must make the responsible choice and come forward with a clear, fair system of business support.https://t.co/bt1M8sXHsJ
Updated
Gibraltar requires minimum bureaucracy to get married and there are fewer border restrictions than other places, which has helped turn it into a wedding hotspot during the pandemic.
Couples just need to present their passports and birth certificates, and stay in the territory overnight either before or after their wedding. They then need to have their marriage registered by the authorities in their home country.
Wedding planners have reported huge demand from couples from outside the territory.
“It is absolutely insane. We just can’t get enough slots and spaces,” said Leanne Hindle, the director of wedding events company Marry Abroad Simply.
Read more about the unlikely transformation of Gibraltar into a wedding hotspot:
Iran has reported a reduction in coronavirus infection rates, revealing that that 89 of 160 cities were out of the designated high risk category.
The health ministry also said that public adherence to coronavirus guidelines was at about 90%.
“I thank our dear people for taking the appropriate precautions and tolerating the restrictions,” deputy health minister Alireza Raisi said on state TV.
Despite the progress, the government announced the closure of most non-essential government offices, to continue curbing the spread of the virus.
A health ministry spokeswoman reported a further 13,402 coronavirus cases on Saturday, pushing the national tally to 935,799. The death toll rose by a further 391 in the past 24 hours, to an official total of 7,486.
Iran has been the worst hit country in the Middle East.
UK PM appoints minister responsible for coronavirus vaccine
Boris Johnson has appointed Nadhim Zahawi as a health minister responsible for the deployment of the coronavirus vaccine, Downing Street has announced.
The new arrangement is temporary, and due to last until at least next summer. Zahawi will focus on distribution of the vaccine, and report to health secretary Matt Hancock.
The news marks the latest sign of progress on a vaccine against Covid-19.
Zahawi, Conservative MP for Stratford-on-Avon since May 2010, was appointed as parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in July 2019. He also served as parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department for Education from January 2018 to July 2019.
“The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Nadhim Zahawi MP as a parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care,” Downing Street said in a statement, adding that he will stay in his role at BEIS.
Updated
Ten months into the pandemic, and with a difficult winter ahead, the Greek government has decided to lower the cost of screening tests for Covid-19. For most, the move, announced last night, is not a moment too soon.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted at private clinics are the fastest way of being tested and have price tags of up to €95 (£85) although most hover around €75. Announcing the decision, Panagiotis Stampoulidis, secretary general of trade and consumer protection at the Ministry of Development, said PCR tests would be set at a flat fee of €40.
Rapid antigen tests would cost €10 once the decision is tabled in parliament in the coming days.
The move follows the announcement that the lockdown imposed on Greece on 6 November will be extended through to 7 December. Today, health officials said even that sounded optimistic, with a growing consensus that with restrictions failing to reign in infection rates as fast as had been hoped, 14 December may be the date when curbs finally begin to be relaxed before the festive season. Any relaxation will start with schools, the government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Saturday.
Greece broke two benchmarks this week: crossing the milestone of more than 2,000 deaths as a result of Covid-19, and more than 100,000 infections. Although the country has fared comparatively better than other European states, it has experienced a surge in cases since the autumn.
Updated
Coronavirus deaths passed the grim milestone of 400,000 in Europe today, the world’s second worst-hit region, according to an AFP tally.
The UK claims the unenviable title of the highest death toll in Europe, followed by Italy, then France.
However, shops across Europe are preparing to open ahead of Christmas. Shutters rose in France today, with Poland opening shopping centres, and Belgium following on 1 December.
It is worth noting that different trackers may record marginally different numbers for cases and deaths across the world. This is due to variation in sources, criteria, and reporting methods.
Russia has reported 27,100 new coronavirus cases, including 7,320 in Moscow.
This takes the national total since the start of the pandemic to 2,242,633.
A further 510 deaths related to coronavirus were confirmed in the last 24 hours, pushing the official national death toll to 39,068.
Avanti West Coast has axed its peak travel restrictions over the festive period, slashing the cost of many journeys.
Passengers travelling on weekdays with off-peak tickets are usually prohibited from boarding trains before around 9.30am or between 3pm and 7pm, but this will not apply from December 18 until the end of the year.
This will mean significant price reductions for travel during periods where off-peak tickets are usually invalid. For example, passengers buying a fully-flexible fare for a trip from Manchester to London during the period will be charged £64.40 instead of £180.
Free vitamin D for more than 2.5m people in England
More than 2.5 million at-risk people in England will be offered a free supply of vitamin D, the government has said today.
Care homes in England will automatically receive supplies of the supplement for their residents, and people who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus will be offered the chance to opt in for a supply to their homes.
The free deliveries will start in January, and provide four months worth of vitamin D to up to 2.7 million people.
Public Health England advises everyone to take 10 microgrammes of vitamin D per day between October and early March, particularly elderly people, people who do not go outside and those with dark skin.
Research is ongoing to investigate the link between vitamin D and Covid-19 protection.
Updated
More than 1,300 people wrongly told they have Covid
More than 1,300 people were wrongly told they had coronavirus because of a lab error with the government’s test and trace service.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said 1,311 people who took a test from 19-23 November across the UK were incorrectly told they received a positive result. It said there was an issue with a batch of testing chemicals that meant their results were void.
A DHSC spokesman said: “Swift action is being taken to notify those affected and they are being asked to take another test, and to continue to self-isolate if they have symptoms. This laboratory error was an isolated incident and is being fully investigated to ensure this does not happen again.”
Updated
The first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, has urged people to “play our part by showing compassion for our most vulnerable,” amid high coronavirus hospital case rates in the country.
NHS figures show there are over 1,700 people with coronavirus in our hospitals. At the end of September this was under 400.
— Mark Drakeford (@fmwales) November 28, 2020
Winter brings extra pressures. We must play our part by showing compassion for our most vulnerable and acting together to stem the flow of this cruel virus.
Updated
A Christmas travel tsar has been appointed in an effort to avoid transport chaos during the festive period.
Sir Peter Hendy, the chairman of Network Rail, will scrutinise whether train, air and road networks are ready for millions of people making trips during the five-day window when coronavirus restrictions are eased, the Department for Transport said.
There are concerns that transport systems could be overwhelmed as people travel for Christmas, with services reduced because of social distancing measures.
You can read the full report here:
Updated
A petition calling for the government to reverse a pay freeze on civil servants has gathered more than 100,000 signatures.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union called for a parliamentary debate in the light of the public support, demanding that civil servants receive a decent wage rise after a “decade of pay restraint”. According to the union, civil service pay has fallen in value by about 20% over 10 years, while government workers have been “overpaying” to their pension contributions.
The calls follow an announcement from Rishi Sunak that there would be a pay freeze across the public sector, except for doctors and nurses, because of the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the number of signatures was “a fantastic achievement” and showed there was “real appetite amongst the public to see the pay freeze lifted.”
He said: “Civil servants and government workers deserve to be rewarded properly for all their professionalism and dedication throughout Covid-19. Government attempts to play private sector and public sector staff against one another is doomed to failure and we demand they reverse their pay freeze immediately.”
Updated
Hospitals have been told to prepare for the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine in as little as 10 days’ time, with NHS workers expected to be at the front of the queue, the Guardian has learned.
NHS bosses said hospitals in England could expect to receive their first deliveries of a vaccine produced by Pfizer/BioNTech as soon as 7 December, with regulatory approval anticipated within days.
According to sources at several hospitals across the country, NHS England said they should expect to get stocks of vaccine on 7, 8 or 9 December.
Read the full story here from the Guardian’s health editor, Denis Campbell:
Updated
Prof Neil Ferguson, whose modelling led to the original lockdown in the UK back in March, said “individual judgment” would be important in deciding whether to see elderly relatives this Christmas.
While Ferguson said that celebrating with family would “increase transmission compared with everyone staying at home not mixing at all”, he said the real question was that if everyone was told to stay home, “what proportion of the population would actually go along with it?”
“I think you have to bring the population with you,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today.
“I think the measures at Christmas, they do pose some risks and I think individual judgment is important in deciding whether to see elderly relatives. But I think they strike a balance - expanding the bubble system limits the extent to which if people adhere to that transmission can really take off,” he said.
“Then what happens in January will depend on what the data is showing, and we don’t have the ability to predict precisely what the impact of both the tier system which will start next week and activity over Christmas.”
Updated
The University of Surrey has announced that it will reduce its entry requirements by one grade for most undergraduate courses next year, in recognition of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on education.
The university said the lowering of grade requirements aimed to help “relieve the pressure and anxiety”, faced by young people whose learning has been disrupted by the pandemic across two academic years.
The reduction in grade requirements will not apply to applicants for Veterinary Medicine, foundation year courses, four-year integrated masters programmes and audition-based performance courses.
Earlier this month, the University of Birmingham also revealed it planned to reduce entry requirements for 2021 by one grade in recognition of the impact of Covid-19 on A-level students.
One of the rebel Conservative MPs that Michael Gove was trying to pacify on Saturday is Craig Mackinlay, who said he will vote against the tiered system on Tuesday.
Mackinlay, MP for South Thanet, questioned whether the measures were working: “given that we’ve been through this before, we have to ask ourselves, is this the cure, is this actually working?”
He told BBC Breakfast that instead of tiered restrictions, he would favour natural “self-regulation” which he claimed happens when people see the R-rate in their local area starting to rise.
“There was a report out on Friday that was suggesting there were 40,000 less cancer diagnoses this year than there were last year,” he said. “I don’t suppose for one minute there’s less cancer out there, but what it means is we are building up in the system, a lot of people who are too fearful to go into a medical arena, possibly struggling to see their GP for the first appointment.”
“These are going to be built up for the future, with more intensive treatment required... or indeed death,” he added.
Mackinlay has previously voted to block coronavirus legislation including the 10pm curfew for the hospitality industry in October and England’s second lockdown in November.
Updated
Germany’s partial lockdown measures could go on until early Spring if infections do not reduce, economy minister Peter Altmaier has said, warning that the country had “three to four long winter months ahead of us.”
Altmaier told Die Welt newspaper that it was not possible to end the measures while there were incidences of more than 50 infections per 100,000 inhabitants in large parts of Germany.
Germany imposed a “lockdown light” in early November, which closed bars and restaurants but saw schools and shops stay open. While the measures have stopped exponential growth in cases and the number of infections has stabilised, this is at a high rate.
On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed with leaders of Germany’s 16 federal states on to extend and tighten measures against the coronavirus until at least Dec. 20.
The chief executive of NHS Providers has urged the government to “take precautions now” to ensure hospitals are not overwhelmed in January, which is the busiest time of the year for the healthcare service.
Chris Hopson said that “winter emergencies” like slipping on ice and breaking bones caused massive demand on the NHS in January, and that if there is “a cold snap, there will be a danger that the NHS gets overwhelmed.”
“So what we’d say to MPs is, just think forward, think what it might be like in January, and you need to take the precautions now to ensure that the NHS doesn’t get overwhelmed at what is always it’s busiest time of year,” Hopson said.
He also urged people to follow coronavirus regulations over Christmas, saying that if “people go beyond the rules”, “we could trigger a third phase” of coronavirus.
However, there was some cause for hope.
Hopson said that while the NHS was still under heavy strain, infection rates were “definitely dropping” in areas like Manchester and Liverpool, which had been under sustained and strict lockdown measures.
He also said he expected the Pfizer vaccine to reach regulatory approval by “early to mid December”.
“This a huge logistical task that we’re doing at real pace, so I can’t believe there won’t be some bumps in the road,” he said. “But look how brilliant the NHS is in terms of being innovative and adapting to ensure it can fight this coronavirus, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing to ensure that we can deliver the vaccine.”
Updated
'Every hospital in England' could be overwhelmed without tier measures, says minister
Every hospital in England could be overwhelmed with coronavirus cases if new tier restrictions are not introduced, Michael Gove has said.
Gove said the decision to impose the restrictions was necessary to “pull the handbrake” and avoid the “disaster” of NHS hospitals reaching capacity with coronavirus patients.
The move was an apparent attempt to prevent a Tory backbench rebellion, amid a backlash from some Conservative MPs against the stringent measures introduced in parts of the country. Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly will be the only areas under Tier 1 restrictions when the national lockdown in England ends on 2 December, with the rest of the country under stricter tier 2 and 3 restrictions.
The chairman of the backbench Conservative 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, was among the critics. He accused the government of infringing people’s “fundamental human rights”.
But Gove urged MPs to “take responsibility for difficult decisions”.
“Keeping our hospitals open, available and effective was not just crucial to dealing with Covid-19. It was imperative for the health of the whole nation,” Gove wrote in an article for the Times. “But the only way to ensure we can take care of cancer patients, administer radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and help stroke victims and treat heart attacks is by protecting the NHS.
“And just as we want to reduce Covid-19 infections to save lives, so reducing them is the key to saving the economy. Think for a moment what would happen to our economy if we allowed infections to reach such a level that our NHS was overwhelmed.”
Updated
Summary of recent events
Hello everyone, I’m Molly Blackall, I’m taking over the blog for the next few hours.
If you see something we should be reporting on in this blog, you can drop me a message on Twitter.
For the moment, here’s quick summary of recent updates:
- The UK currently has the 7th highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, and has recorded 57,648, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.
- Coronavirus rates in India have dropped yet again on Saturday. Single-day cases have remained below the 50,000-mark for three weeks.
- South Korea has reported more than 500 cases for a third day in a row.
- The government in Hungary has come under fire over suggestions it might source its vaccine from Russia, despite having a go-it-alone policy.
- Germany has recorded more than 21,000 infections in one day.
This coronavirus blog has been paused for the time being. You can read all our latest coverage of the pandemic here.
Updated
Coronavirus infections in India dipped further on Saturday with 41,322 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, and apparently there are no signs of a resurgence as a result of a major festival two weeks ago.
The highest case count in the country this week was 44,739 on Wednesday. Single-day cases have remained below the 50,000-mark for three weeks.
The Indian capital also saw a drop in daily cases with 5,482 after recording an all-time high on 11 November.
The federal government blamed state authorities’ inability to ramp up testing and enforce social distancing for the surge in New Delhi. On Saturday, India’s death toll rose to 136,200 with 485 additional fatalities.
In an effort to stop the virus from spreading, the home ministry has allowed states to impose local restrictions like night curfews but has asked them to consult before imposing lockdowns at state, district or city levels.
South Korea reports more than 500 cases for a third day
South Korea has reported more than 500 new coronavirus cases for the third straight day, the speed of viral spread unseen since the worst wave of the outbreak in spring.
The 504 cases reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday brought the national caseload to 33,375, including 522 deaths.
Around 330 of the new cases came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, home to about half of the country’s 51 million population, where health workers are struggling to stem transmissions linked to hospitals, schools, saunas, gyms and army units.
Infections were also reported in other major cities including Daegu, which was the epicentre of the country’s previous major outbreak in late February and March.
The recent spike in infections came after the government eased social distancing restrictions to the lowest levels in October to support a weak economy, allowing high-risk venues such as nightclubs and karaoke bars to reopen and spectators to return to sports.
In NYC outdoor dining has become indoor dining on the sidewalk. pic.twitter.com/PpOskTKjqF
— Haitham Ahmed, MD, MPH 🇺🇸 (@haithamahmedmd) November 28, 2020
Hungary may source Covid-19 vaccines from Russia sparking new criticism at home and abroad of the prime minister Viktor Orban’s go-it-alone policies, AFP reports.
“We are the first European country to receive such a sample,” the foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, said in a video showing the plane touching down at Budapest airport.
An initial 10 doses were handed over for local testing, with large-scale deliveries and potentially mass production by a Hungarian firm possible next year if it proves safe and effective, according to Budapest.
Hungarian doctors and experts will soon study the production of Sputnik V in Russia, Szijjarto told a press conference with the Russian health minister, Mikhail Murashko, in Budapest on Friday.
Their visit would allow a speedier decision on approval of the vaccine in Hungary, Szijjarto said.
While Hungary has reserved potential future vaccines from both Europe and the United States, it is also in contact with Chinese and Israeli developers, according to Budapest.
“No one can say for certain when we’ll get a vaccine or when it’ll be mass-produced, (hence) Hungary should also look to the east and cooperate with Russia and China,” a foreign ministry official, Tamas Menczer, said this week.
Menczer accused critics of the procurement plans of representing the interests of pharmaceutical multinationals and “the Brussels lobby scene”.
Updated
The US president-elect, Joe Biden, has put out a message on Twitter today asking Americans to follow Covid-19 restrictions:
Each of us has a responsibility in our own lives to do what we can to slow the virus.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 28, 2020
Every decision we make matters. Every decision we make can save a life. pic.twitter.com/Rm0bYqh6eH
A recount in Wisconsin’s largest county demanded by President Donald Trump’s election campaign ended on earlier today with Biden gaining votes.
After the recount in Milwaukee county, Biden made a net gain of 132 votes, out of nearly 460,000 cast. Overall, the Democrat gained 257 votes to Trump’s 125.
Trump’s campaign had demanded recounts in two of Wisconsin’s most populous and Democratic-leaning counties, after he lost Wisconsin to Biden by more than 20,000 votes. The two recounts will cost the Trump campaign $3m. Dane county is expected to finish its recount on Sunday.
You can read more here:
Updated
Germany's infections rise by 21,000 in a day
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 21,695 to 1,028,089, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Saturday.
The reported death toll rose by 379 to 15,965, the tally showed.
Updated
One new case in the Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory has recorded one new Covid-19 case in a returned traveller.
Health authorities say the woman in her 20s contracted the virus more than a month ago while overseas.
She returned a low positive result during routine testing on day one of mandatory quarantine. We believe this represents her old overseas-acquired infection.
She is not considered infectious and contract tracing will not be required.
The woman returned to Australia on a government-facilitated charter flight that arrived on 26 November.
Updated
People at very high risk of contracting coronavirus due to health problems, who were made to shield during the pandemic, have been given the same priority as the over-70s to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in the UK.
People aged 18 or older deemed “clinically extremely vulnerable” are in the same priority group as those aged 70 and over, according to the provisional vaccine priority list published by Public Health England.
It means people with conditions such as blood, bone or lung cancer, chronic kidney disease and Down’s syndrome have been placed in priority group four of nine.
The updated list, which is subject to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approving a vaccine supply, also lists the conditions that fall in priority group six for at-risk adults aged 18 to 65.
You can read the full story below:
Updated
Health officials in South Australia are concerned by the lack of testing in the state as cases associated with the Parafield cluster continue to trickle in.
Only 3,840 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, despite the state being plunged into a brief lockdown less than two weeks ago.
“In terms of testing, it has been quite a drop and I was a little bit disappointed when I saw this number this morning,” the state’s chief health officer, Nicola Spurrier, said in a press conference today:
I want to see that go higher ... I think it was the weather – it was so hot, most people stayed inside, which was a sensible thing to do. Let’s see what the numbers are today.
She again urged anyone with even the mildest symptoms to get tested, saying the cluster remained “a really significant concern for me and also for most of South Australians I am sure”.
Updated
Just a bit more from Reuters on the news of new lockdowns in Los Angeles:
The Los Angeles county measures, affecting 20 million people living in and around the nation’s second-largest city, go beyond a curfew imposed last week by the California governor, Gavin Newsom – barring social gatherings and other non-essential activities across most of the state between 10pm and 5am.
Taken together, they represent the most stringent Covid-19 measures imposed on the Los Angeles area since California’s first-in-the-nation statewide lockdown in March, early in the pandemic. They also are among the most restrictive in effect nationwide.
State and local authorities have instituted - or reimposed - a wide range of limitations on social and economic activity in hopes of blunting a wave of coronavirus infections raging out of control across the country after a late-summer lull.
Political leaders and health officials have also escalated public appeals to pandemic-weary Americans in recent days urging them to stay home, avoid gatherings and curtail Christmas shopping as they wait for promised vaccines.
In announcing the latest temporary constraints, LA county health officials said the daily tally of newly documented infections had exceeded 4,500 cases for five straight days, crossing a threshold previously set for additional measures to curb the contagion.
Under the new LA county order, which runs until at least 20 December, residents are advised – but not required – to stay home as much as possible and to always wear face coverings when outside their homes and around others.
But any social gatherings of people from more than one household are prohibited, whether in public or private, and whether indoors or outside. The latest order still permits some measure of commercial activity, albeit at reduced levels.
It lowers the maximum occupancy levels for “essential” retail businesses, including grocery stores, to 35% of capacity, while non-essential retail locations such as indoor shopping malls and personal care services such as nail salons can remain open at 20% of capacity.
Beaches, trails and parks remain open too, so long as individuals keep their distance from others outside their households and wear a mask. The same applies to golf courses, tennis courts, skate parks and other outdoor recreational venues.
All indoor and outdoor service at bars, restaurants, wineries and breweries remains prohibited under an earlier county order that restricted them to takeout and delivery only.
Health officials around the country have said the holiday travel season and onset of colder weather – leading to greater social mixing and people congregating indoors – is fuelling a Covid-19 surge that has sent infections, hospital cases and deaths to record levels.
Nearly 388,000 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed across LA county to date, including more than 7,600 deaths, with 10% of all diagnostic tests coming back positive – twice the rate considered concerning by health authorities.
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Hundreds of delegates from Germany’s far-right political party AfD will gather on Saturday for a congress that authorities have said could become a coronavirus hotspot, AFP reports.
This comes as the group increasingly aligns itself with militants protesting against coronavirus restrictions.
Six hundred members of the party are due to meet at an unused nuclear plant in the western German city of Kalkar to draw up their first concept on pensions.
Currently, Germans have been asked to limit their contacts to just two households at a time. The AfD had signed up to stringent rules including compulsory mask-wearing and distancing in the huge hall and the party’s own security officers are due to ensure that the rules are met, alongside Kalkar officials.
Hundreds of police officers will be deployed to ward off any unruly scenes, as anti-AfD protesters have also announced plans to demonstrate outside.
The event could become a hotspot, said Kalkar’s mayor, Britta Schulz, adding that while it was irresponsible to hold such a big event, the political gathering could not be prohibited.
Germany has recorded more than a million coronavirus infections. A total of 15,586 people have died from the illness, according to official data.
Updated
So just a little bit more on those Covid-19 cases in South Australia.
The infected casual contact, a man in his 30s, is believed to have contracted the virus while attending an English language school adjacent to Flinders University. He was already in quarantine with his family and they have all since been moved to a medi-hotel.
The infected child was already in quarantine and poses no risk to the public, the state’s chief public health officer, Nicola Spurrier, says.
Spurrier says the man’s infection validates the decision to ask some casual contacts to self-isolate.
“The information I’m giving you today, it shows how contagious this virus is,” she said. “This person was considered a casual contact rather than a close contact and again it absolutely backs up the information we were already giving to people.
“We’re seeing people that have got infected through fairly brief contacts.”
The total number of cases associated with the Parafield cluster now sits at 33.
Updated
South Australia records two new cases in quarantine
South Australia has recorded two new cases linked to the Parafield cluster overnight, which takes the total number of cases to 33.
The two new cases are a child linked to a family at the centre of the cluster and a man in his 30s, who has been described as a casual contact of a previous case.
Prof Nicola Spurrier, the state’s chief public health officer, said both cases were already in quarantine and there was no risk to the public.
Updated
The chief health officer of Victoria, Brett Sutton, says a further 9,403 coronavirus tests were received in the Australian state since yesterday.
He says:
Following the detection of coronavirus fragments in wastewater at the Northern Water Reclamation Plant in Corio this week, residents and visitors to Geelong’s northern suburbs and Lara from Saturday 21 to Tuesday 23 November are urged to get tested if they are showing symptoms of Covid-19, no matter how mild.
Obtaining test results from these areas is vital to our surveillance of Victoria’s Covid-19 situation. The more people who present for testing, the more confident we can be in our current virus-free status.
Updated
China has reported six new coronavirus cases in the mainland on Friday and five the day before, the country’s health authority says.
All of the new infections were from international travellers, the National Health Commission said in a statement, and there were no new deaths.
China has also reported four new asymptomatic patients, compared with eight a day earlier.
Updated
Mexico records 104,873 deaths
The health ministry of Mexico has confirmed the country’s Covid-19 death toll has risen to 104,873.
The country recorded 12,081 additional cases of Covid-91 on Friday and 631 more deaths in the country. This brings the official number of infections to 1,090,675.
Health authorities say the true number of infections and fatalities is likely to be significantly higher.
Updated
Just a bit more on those Los Angeles lockdown measures.
The lockdown will last for three weeks and is not quite as strict as those imposed back in the US spring.
“Residents are advised to stay home as much as possible and always wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth when they are outside their household and around others,” the county health department told the Los Angeles Times.
New occupancy limits on businesses will also be imposed, including on personal care service and retail, but they have not been ordered to close.
Beaches, trails and parks can stay open but LA residents are not allowed to use those areas to meet with people from outside their home.
Updated
New lockdown measures for Los Angeles
All public and private social gatherings of individuals from different households will be banned in Los Angeles county for at least three weeks starting Monday under new restrictions local health officials unveiled on Friday, citing a continued surge in Covid-19 infections.
The latest public health order, affecting 20 million people living in and around the US’s second largest city, specifically exempts religious services and protests as constitutionally protected rights.
Updated
The education minister of Australia, Dan Tehan, is speaking now in relation to a fraud operation that involved childcare operators allegedly registering “phantom” children in order to gain millions of dollars of additional government funding.
Raids across Melbourne and Sydney have led to multiple arrests, including a 42-year-old woman identified as the company owner.
The government is absolutely determined to make sure that it continues to crack down on any fraud that is occurring against the Australian taxpayer.
We have now seen savings of $3.1bn made as a result of activity against fraud of the childcare system. We will continue to crack down on anyone who seeks to defraud the taxpayer ...
This investigation was against fraud but, as you would know, for people who are pretending to run a legitimate family daycare business and at the same time seeking to defraud the commonwealth, then there would be concerns around the early childhood educators that are being used and the type of care that children are getting.
So obviously the number one target was the defrauding of the commonwealth, but there would be concerns around what type of education and care is being provided to children while these alleged criminal networks are seeking to defraud the commonwealth.
More than $15m in Covid-19 stimulus payments has allegedly been defrauded from taxpayers by the operators of a daycare centre, police say.
“Five members of the alleged network, accused of conspiring with family daycare providers, were arrested,” federal police said on Saturday. Among those arrested were women aged 28 and 31, both named as daycare centre “educators”.
Updated
No local case in NSW for three weeks
The Australian state of New South Wales has recorded another day of no new locally acquired cases, bringing its virus-free streak to 21 days.
The state recorded eight new cases, but all from returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
Sydney and much of the south-east of Australia will be subjected to a scorching heatwave this weekend, with the health department urging people not to forget Covid-19 safe measures in the heat.
People who can cool their home through a combination of fans, air-conditioning and closed blinds are asked to do so and stay at home. This is so physical distancing in other indoor spaces where people may seek respite from the heat is not compromised.
People going to the beach or pool should keep 1.5 metres from anyone other than those in their own household ...
While NSW has had 21 days without a locally acquired case of Covid-19, there still may be transmission among people who have unrecognised infections with mild or no symptoms.
NSW recorded no new cases of locally acquired #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 28, 2020
Eight cases were reported in overseas travellers. This brings the total number of cases in NSW to 4,375 since the start of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/RlLeVNdta5
Updated
Just a bit more on that news out of Victoria, Australia from AAP:
Yesterday there were 0 new cases and 0 deaths reported. There are no active cases. #EveryTestHelps and thank you to all who came forward for testing – there were 9,403 results received. https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz #StaySafeStayOpen #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/EoF59atenS
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) November 27, 2020
Victoria has now surpassed the benchmark for eliminating coronavirus, recording a 29th straight day without a single new case.
No positive results were returned from more than 9,000 tests in the past 24 hours.
At the peak of the second wave, on August 11, Victoria reached 7,880 active cases and more than 700 per day.
The last Covid-19 patient in a Victorian hospital was discharged on Monday, leaving the state without an active case, and Friday marked four weeks since the last new case was diagnosed.
Health authorities say 28 days with no new infections means the virus has been eliminated from the community, given that period represents two 14-day incubation periods.
Victoria’s milestone means other states will begin welcoming travellers from the state once more.
NSW lifted restrictions for Victorian travellers on Monday, while Queensland and South Australia will reopen their borders from 1 December.
Western Australia is now the only state or territory with closed borders to Victoria and no plan to reopen them.
Updated
The Australian state of Queensland has recorded no locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Saturday.
The state, which has been virus-free for a considerable amount of time, is set to finally reopen its borders to NSW and Victoria on 1 December.
Saturday, November 28 – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 27, 2020
• 0 locally acquired
• 1 acquired overseas
• 13 active cases
• 1,199 total confirmed cases
• 1,348,906 tests conducted
Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,180 patients have recovered.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/hJY3EJ47wA
Updated
The coronavirus testing numbers that have guided much of the US response to the pandemic are likely to be erratic over the next week or so, experts said on Friday, as fewer people get tested during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and testing sites observe shorter hours.
The AP reports the result could be potential dips in reported infections that offer the illusion that the spread of the virus is easing when, in fact, the numbers say little about where the nation stands in fighting Covid-19.
The number of Americans who have tested positive passed 13 million on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“I just hope that people don’t misinterpret the numbers and think that there wasn’t a major surge as a result of Thanksgiving, and then end up making Christmas and Hanukkah and other travel plans,” said Dr Leana Wen, a professor at George Washington University and an emergency physician.
A similar pattern unfolds on many weekends. Because some testing centres, labs and state offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, Covid case numbers often drop each Sunday and Monday, only to peak on Tuesday.
Dr Mark Rupp, professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, said the effect of Thanksgiving is likely to be a magnified version of the weekend figures.
Updated
Between 100,000 and 150,000 people will be able to return to work in Ireland over the next week or so as all shops, restaurants, gyms and pubs serving food reopen, business minister Leo Varadkar said on Friday.
The number of people claiming temporary coronavirus-related jobless benefits has risen by almost 150,000 since Ireland began to tighten Covid-19 curbs in September, two-thirds of them since the highest level of constraints were put in place on 21 October.
Varadkar, who is also deputy prime minister, encouraged people considering returning from abroad for Christmas not to travel unless it was essential, but said that if they did travel, they must follow the quarantine rules.
Updated
Germany records 1 million coronavirus cases
Germany, once a beacon of hope in Europe’s coronavirus nightmare, logged more than 1 million cases on Friday.
Until recently, Germany’s relative success in containing the virus had offered some sense of hope, with authorities putting in place some precautions that still allowed life to carry on almost as normal.
However, its measured approach has failed during the second wave, endangering the health of Europe’s biggest economy and weighing on the mood as the northern hemisphere heads into the winter holidays.
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute recorded more than 22,000 new daily cases on Friday, pushing the overall total beyond the 1 million mark.
The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care has soared from around 360 in early October to more than 3,500 last week.
Updated
More than 1,300 people were wrongly told they had coronavirus due to a lab error with the UK government’s Test and Trace service.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said 1,311 people who took a test from 19-23 November across the UK were incorrectly told they received a positive result. It said there was an issue with a batch of testing chemicals which meant their results were void.
A DHSC spokesman said: “Swift action is being taken to notify those affected and they are being asked to take another test, and to continue to self-isolate if they have symptoms. This laboratory error was an isolated incident and is being fully investigated to ensure this does not happen again.”
The DHSC did not comment on whether the error affected regional infection rate figures.
You can read the full story below:
Updated
In Victoria, Australia, it’s still mandatory to wear a mask while inside stores and other publicly accessible buildings and when social distancing is impossible. The state’s premier, Daniel Andrews, has published this reminder ahead of citizens weekend shop:
Good morning to everyone except those wearing their mask under their nose at the supermarket.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 27, 2020
Updated
Hello, Matilda Boseley here with our ongoing coverage of Covid-19 news from around the world.
If you see anything Covid-19 related in your corner of the world that you think I should know about, make sure you send it through to me on Twitter @MatildaBoseley, or email me on matilda.boseley@theguardian.com
This is the big news so far from today:
- Europe remains the centre of the pandemic, with an average of 236,900 new cases daily – far ahead of the US and Canada’s 174,000 a day. But the rise in infections has slowed for the second week in a row, falling back 10% with many countries in lockdown.
- The number of Covid-19 patients being treated in hospitals across the US nearly doubled in the past month, reaching 90,000 on Friday. The rate of hospitalisations – now at the highest level since the pandemic began – has reportedly pushed some hospitals beyond capacity.
- Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said he expected more than half of Canadians to receive a Covid-19 vaccine by next September after he came under criticism for saying the country would not be among the first to get doses.
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Belgium will allow shops to reopen from Tuesday, prime minister Alexander De Croo said, but the country’s semi-lockdown will remain in place to bring down coronavirus infections. “The situation in our country is improving ... but it’s important to keep a lid on things,” De Croo said, warning that the Christmas and new year holidays would be “different” this year.
- Hospitals in England have been told to prepare for the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine in as little as 10 days’ time, with NHS workers expected to be at the front of the queue, the Guardian has learned.
- In Australia, the once Covid-19 ravaged state of Victoria has now recorded its 29th day of no Covid-19 infections or deaths. There are now no active cases in the state and the threshold for effective elimination has been met.
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Italy will ease coronavirus restrictions in five regions, including Lombardy, the country’s richest and most populous region, from Sunday. Lombardy, Piedmont and Calabria will be downgraded from red to orange zones, while Sicily and Liguria will be designated as yellow rather than orange zones.
- Another 827 Covid 19-related deaths were reported by Italy on Friday, the highest number so far of its second-wave coronavirus outbreak, and 28,352 new infections, the health ministry said. The rise in hospital admissions and intensive care occupancy has slowed.
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Russia reported a record high of 27,543 new coronavirus infections, including 7,918 in the capital Moscow, bringing the national tally to 2,215,533. Authorities also reported 496 deaths related to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 38,558.
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Iran reported a new daily record in coronavirus infections, as the country tightened its pandemic measures even further by all but closing government offices for an indefinite period. Iran recorded 14,051 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 922,397, and 406 deaths.
- In Cyprus, authorities in the war-divided island’s south have announced new curbs on movement including a nationwide nighttime curfew. While the government had decided to end local lockdowns across the island’s entire south-west, it will introduce a nationwide nighttime curfew as of 30 November.
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Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro said he will not take a coronavirus vaccine, the latest in a series of statements he has made expressing scepticism toward coronavirus vaccination programs. “I’m telling you, I’m not going to take it. It’s my right.” The country registered 34,130 coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours and 514 new deaths.
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AstraZeneca may begin another trial of its vaccine. The company, which is developing a treatment with Oxford University, is working with regulators to investigate a lower dosage of its vaccine that performed better than a full dosage.
- Public health authorities in Switzerland have advised the public against oom-pah brass bands this Christmas. “Singing together and playing wind instruments can increase the risk of infection,” the federal office of public health said. Bands are usually a common sight at Christmas events and parties across Switzerland.
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Denmark plans to exhume and burn 17 million mink slaughtered to curb the spread of a mutant strain of coronavirus. The decision comes after hundreds of dead mink, tipped into trenches at a military site in western Denmark, began rising from the grave as a result of gases from their decomposition.
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