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Updated
Scott Morrison, the Australian PM, has struck a stern tone in saying that the turnout of huge crowds at Bondi beach on Friday in contravention of social distancing rules was “not ok”. He said people had to be more responsible and said the government was considering localised suburban lockdowns.
What that means is, what may be necessary in a part of Sydney may not be necessary at all in rural NSW or in Perth or other parts of the country but please be assured that what we are working on is to ensure there is a consistent, as far as possible, set of measures and tools that state premiers and chief ministers can use to apply in each of the cases so if you see it happening in one part of the country, that does not necessarily mean it has to apply in your part of the country.There are parts of the country, particularly in Sydney, where these outbreaks have been more severe and I know the Premier of NSW has been focusing on these very, very keenly, particularly over the course of recent days as we have seen the increase of the number of cases in NSW.
Updated
Australia bans all non-essential domestic travel
The Australian government is banning all non-essential domestic travel as it unveils a A$66bn stimulus program to deal with the virus impact.
It has warned of more draconian measures to come.
More in a minute on this but for all the details follow our Australia-focused live blog here:
Summary
- UK military planners drafted in to help feed vulnerable. Key military officials are to help ensure food and medicines reach vulnerable people isolated at home during the coronavirus crisis, as part of a nationwide campaign to protect more than a million people most at risk of being hospitalised.
- Italian PM orders businesses to close all operations. Italy’s government announced the closure of all “non-essential production activities” across the country, after the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 793 to 4,825 on Saturday. “Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open,” said the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte. “But all the rest of the non-essential production activities, including plants and offices, will close down.”
- Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz dies of Covid-19. The former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz has died of coronavirus aged 76, La Liga announced on Saturday. Sanz, Real’s president from 1995 to 2000, had been admitted to hospital with a fever and tested positive for the virus.
- Rihanna pledges $5m to curb coronavirus. Rihanna has become the latest celebrity to join the effort to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The singer’s Clara Lionel Foundation announced on Saturday that it has donated $5million to a number of organisations responding to the outbreak.
- Bolivian presidential elections postponed amid coronavirus outbreak. Bolivia’s interim government announced on Saturday it would postpone presidential elections originally slated for May 3 and institute a mandatory countrywide quarantine for 14 days as coronavirus spread across the Andean nation. The country’s electoral authority said in a statement it would “suspend the elections calendar” for 14 days to match the quarantine, but did not set a new date for the vote.
- Britons stranded in Peru could be flown home early next week. Hundreds of Britons stranded in Peru due to the coronavirus pandemic could be flown home early next week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said. More than 400 British and Irish citizens are believed to be in the Andean nation and have been unable to leave following a 15-day government lockdown imposed since Monday.
- First coronavirus cases in Gaza Strip. The first two cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the densely-populated Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials said.
That’s it from me (Aaron Walawalkar), in London, this evening.
My colleague Helen Davidson, in Hong Kong, will be taking over.
‘Disaster waiting to happen’: visitors flock to UK seaside towns
A dentist has warned of a “disaster waiting to happen” as thousands of people flocked to his seaside town in spite of official guidance to stay at home to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Hundreds of thousands of people were reported to have visited Skegness, in Lincolnshire, on Saturday, flouting the advice to maintain “social distancing”.
Marc Jones, Lincolnshire’s police and crime commissioner, has called for the town’s caravan sites and arcades to be closed, “and quickly”.
Time for everyone to be socially responsible or be made to be. These caravan sites & arcades must be closed and quickly. Lincolnshire’s health and 999 services cannot and should not be facing 100s of thousands visitors on top of residents to support. I will be raising urgently. https://t.co/3fFiVAHtcF
— Marc Jones PCC (@MarcJonesLincs) March 21, 2020
In a video that has been viewed almost 25,000 times, Skegness dentist Dr Mitchell Clark also urged local businesses to shutter their shops and called for caravan parks to be closed.
“I view these actions as massively, massively socially irresponsible. I personally think that those involved should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. “Now is the time for us all to come together, to stay at home bar essential trips, to look after people and to do the right thing.”
Here’s the full story:
UK military planners drafted in to help feed vulnerable
Key military officials are to help ensure food and medicines reach vulnerable people isolated at home during the coronavirus crisis, as part of a nationwide campaign to protect more than a million people most at risk of being hospitalised.
My colleagues Michael Savage and Lisa Bachelor have the full report:
Panama’s government has said that two more people have died from coronavirus, bringing the nation’s death toll to three.
First coronavirus cases in Gaza strip
The first two cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the densely populated Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials have said.
Two Palestinians who had travelled from Pakistan and entered Gaza through Egypt had tested positive for the virus late on Saturday and have been in quarantine in Rafah, a town near the Egyptian border, since their arrival on Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said.
Schools, public markets and event halls in Gaza have all been shut over the past two weeks to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission.
The coastal enclave, measuring 375 square kilometres (145 square miles), is home to around two million Palestinians, and poverty and unemployment rates are high.
An Israeli-led blockade has put restrictions on the movement of people and goods for years, amid security concerns following the 2007 takeover of Gaza by the Islamist militant group Hamas, three subsequent wars and frequent rounds of violence.
Last week Hamas said it would allow only patients requiring urgent medical treatment outside Gaza to cross into Egypt or Israel.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, 53 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the occupied West Bank.
Updated
‘The worst is yet to come’ – Spanish PM
The Spanish government said on Saturday it would do whatever was needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic and warned that “the worst is yet to come” after the national toll surpassed 1,300 deaths and reached close to 25,000 cases.
The second-worst outbreak in Europe showed no sign of slowing as the death toll jumped by more than 300 from the previous day.
“We have yet to receive the impact of the strongest, most damaging wave, which will test our material and moral capacities to the limit, as well as our spirit as a society,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told a news briefing.
Sanchez said Spain had not lived through such a dramatic situation since its 1936-39 civil war, in which around half a million people died.
Drawing parallels to a war economy, he said his government was working on plans to produce in Spain the equipment needed to battle coronavirus, such as masks.
His leftist government a week ago declared a 15-day state of emergency nationwide barring people from all but essential outings. Sanchez praised the “exemplary” response and said he had no plans to strengthen the restrictions, which he called the toughest in Europe.
The prime minister also made no mention of extending the state of emergency, though he warned of tough weeks ahead.
My colleague Lorenzo Tondo has more on the latest in Italy:
Italy’s government has just announced the closure of all “non-essential production activities” across the country, after the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 793 to 4,825 on Saturday.
“Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open,” said the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte. “But all the rest of the non-essential production activities, including plants and offices, will close down. This is Italy’s most difficult challenge after WWII. If we stick together, we’ll get through this.”
Rumours of closures of all non-essential commercial activities, including plants and offices, have circulated in the last few days, following complaints by workers who were still having to leave their houses. Several regional governors have already ordered the closure of supermarkets at the weekend.
Authorities in northern Italy ordered the deployment of hundreds of soldiers to oversee containment measures in the coronavirus crisis.
Italian police have so far pressed charges against more than 60,000 people for violating the lockdown, according to figures from the interior ministry.
Updated
Prime minister Conte has said that supermarkets, pharmacies, postal and banking services will continue to remain open. Essential public services and transport will also remain in place, he added.
Italian PM orders businesses to close all operations
Italian prime minister Guiseppe Conte has said businesses should close all operations apart from essential supply chains, according to Reuters.
Updated
In Argentina’s nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, one magical being has been handed a presidential exemption: the tooth fairy.
President Alberto Fernandez earlier this week ordered all but essential workers to stay home and off the streets. But he was forced to amend the list of exceptions after receiving a message from the mother of a seven-year old boy who had recently lost his first tooth.
Querido @alferdez necesito consultarte si entre las excepciones de cuarentena se encuentra el Ratón Pérez.
— Cecilita (@littlekbz) March 21, 2020
A Joaquín se le cayó su primer diente y no sabemos si dejar la carta (el diente no lo encontramos) y no queremos poner al ratón en un brete y que la policia lo detenga.
“Dear @alferdez, I need to ask if the tooth fairy is among those exempted from quarantine? Joaquin has lost his first tooth and we don’t know if we should leave him a letter (we can’t find the tooth). We don’t want to cause the tooth fairy problems or for the police to detain him.”
Fernandez reassured the boy an hour later that the tooth fairy was indeed on the official list of exceptions.
“@littlekbz Cecilita! The tooth fairy can leave rewards for fallen teeth because he is not under quarantine. But the rest of us are... Joaquin should leave the tooth beneath his pillow and enjoy the prize,” Fernandez wrote on Twitter.
Aside from the tooth fairy, Argentina has also exempted key agricultural and export industry workers from the lockdown, and allows people on the streets to buy groceries and medicine, and for urgent medical needs.
The country thus far has confirmed 158 cases of coronavirus and four deaths from the disease.
Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc (RAM) suspended its domestic flights until further notice to fight the coronavirus outbreak, the state news agency said on Saturday.
The Kingdom has reported 96 cases of the flu-like disease.
Boris Johnson urges against visiting parents on Mothers’ Day
Boris Johnson has warned the coronavirus outbreak is “accelerating”, as he urged people not to visit their parents on Mothers’ Day.
In stark message to the country, he said the NHS was in danger of being “overwhelmed” in the same way as the Italian healthcare system unless people heeded government advice on “social distancing”.
It came as ministers urged the 1.5 million people in England considered to be most at risk from the disease due to their health conditions to begin “shielding” themselves by staying at home.
Letters will go out this week to those concerned, “strongly advising” them not to go out for at least 12 weeks from Monday.
At the same time, the government announced a new local support system to ensure people self-isolating at home without the support of family or friends can get basic groceries delivered.
Military planners, already helping councils and local resilience forums in their responses to the outbreak, have been centrally involved in setting up the new network.
It follows the dramatic announcement on Friday that all pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres are to shut in the latest move to combat the disease.
Mr Johnson said that while “everyone’s strongest instinct” was to visit their mother on Mother’s Day, the best single present they could give her was to stay away and spare her the risk of becoming infected.
He added:
This time the best thing is to ring her, video call her, Skype her, but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity
And why? Because if your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus, or Covid-19. We cannot disguise or sugar coat the threat.
Updated
The Scottish government has issued a travel warning and criticised the “irresponsible behaviour” of those travelling to the Highlands in a bid to isolate themselves from coronavirus.
People with second homes and camper vans have reportedly been travelling to the area in recent days despite warnings to stay at home.
The SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, posted on social media saying he had been contacted by the Nevis Range Centre in Fort William who “had to turn away around 30 camper vans”.
I have been contacted by the Nevis Range Centre in Fort William who tell me that they have had to turn away around 30 camper vans, which had travelled from various parts of the UK, who were intending to use their car park as a refuge.
— Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) March 21, 2020
He added: “I urge everyone to do the right thing; follow the government advice and please do not travel here.
“If these warnings are not heeded and people need to be stopped from travelling, then I am afraid that is what will have to happen. Those in camper vans, please go home.”
It comes a day after Scottish finance secretary, Kate Forbes – MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch – said the continuing flow of traffic which appears to be “escaping the cities is not helping”.
If you live elsewhere, please don’t use the Highlands as your means of self-isolation. People live here who are trying to follow government guidance and the continuing flow of campervans and other traffic who appear to be escaping the cities is not helping. https://t.co/85sdtdyS3w
— Kate Forbes MSP (@KateForbesMSP) March 20, 2020
Rural economy and tourism secretary Fergus Ewing is now urging people to stop travelling to the area, and indeed at all, in a bid to avoid the outbreak.
Updated
Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz dies of coronavirus
The former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz has died of coronavirus aged 76, La Liga has announced.
Sanz, Real’s president from 1995 to 2000, had been admitted to hospital with a fever and tested positive for the virus.
Here is the full report:
Rihanna pledges $5m to curb coronavirus
Rihanna has become the latest celebrity to join the effort to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The singer’s Clara Lionel Foundation announced on Saturday that it has donated $5million to a number of organisations responding to the outbreak.
The organisations include Direct Relief, Feeding America, Partners in Health, The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the International Rescue Committee.
According to a statement, the funds will support:
- Local food banks serving at-risk communities and the elderly in the United States;
- Acceleration of testing and care in countries like Haiti and Malawi, as well as the mobilisation of resources and additional capacity and support for Native communities;
- Protective equipment for frontline health workers and diagnostic labs, the establishment and maintenance of intensive care units, and acceleration of the development of vaccines and other therapies across the globe;
- Healthcare worker training, virus prevention and containment in countries that will be on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response; and,
- Distribution of critical respiratory supplies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that he was nearing a power-sharing deal with his centrist political rivals, but they swiftly denied it.
The goal, according to the veteran conservative leader, was a government empowered to confront the coronavirus crisis and end an unprecedented political deadlock that has seen Israel hold three inconclusive elections in less than a year.
He would head the government for 18 months, Netanyahu said, after which former general Benny Gantz would take over.
“The details have all been agreed,” Netanyahu said in an interview to Israel’s Channel 12 News. “I will evacuate (office) on the date we decide, there will be no tricks, no shticks. Millions of citizens are waiting for us to save Israel.”
“This is the last call for unity,” Netanyahu added.
Gantz’s Blue and White Party immediately cast doubt on the sincerity of Netanyahu’s offer.
“Netanyahu, anyone who wants unity doesn’t impose ultimatums, use partial leaks and most certainly does not hurt democracy or the citizens and does not paralyse parliament,” Gantz said on Twitter.
Netanyahu’s critics have accused him of compromising democracy while spearheading the country’s fight against the coronavirus.
Last week Netanyahu bypassed parliament and enacted emergency regulations to allow Israel’s security forces to use anti-terrorist cyber-tracking of coronavirus patients in an effort to fight the epidemic’s spread.
Netanyahu’s Likud and Blue and White have also been at loggerheads over the formation of legislative committees, including one that would address the phone-tracking issue.
At least 883 coronavirus cases and one fatality have so far been confirmed in Israel. Netanyahu tightened a national stay-at-home policy this week which also limits any gatherings to 10 people.
Netanyahu floated a proposal on Saturday to have mass blood tests to check people for antibodies of the virus, so that they can go back to work.
Coronavirus: how Asian countries acted while the west dithered
The first coronavirus cases in Taiwan and Italy came only 10 days apart. On Sunday Taiwan, which has deep cultural and economic ties to China, has recorded just 153 cases and two deaths. Italy has more than 47,000 cases and 4,032 people have died.
My colleague Emma Graham-Harrison has the full report:
Bolivian presidential elections postponed amid coronavirus outbreak
Bolivia’s interim government announced on Saturday it would postpone presidential elections originally slated for May 3 and institute a mandatory countrywide quarantine for 14 days as coronavirus spread across the Andean nation.
The country’s electoral authority said in a statement it would “suspend the elections calendar” for 14 days to match the quarantine, but did not set a new date for the vote.
The tribunal said it would work together with all of the country’s political parties and organisations to determine when to hold the election.
Interim president Jeanine Anez earlier in the day told reporters the quarantine measure would begin Sunday and extend until April 4.
Bolivia earlier this week closed its borders and canceled all international flights.
Anez said supermarkets, hospitals, banks and pharmacies would continue to operate as normal during the quarantine. The government would provide cash payments to needy families with children beginning in April, she said.
Bolivia has confirmed 19 cases of coronavirus.
Updated
The Costa Rican president Carlos Alvarado has announced that only four new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours in the Central American country, urging people not to “drop their guard”.
Saturday’s announcement comes during an almost total lockdown across the country following a steady rise in confirmed cases throughout the week and the first deaths from the virus.
President Alvarado said the lull in new cases, which centre around the capital San Jose, means measures to control the virus should be intensified and Costa Ricans should stay at home.
Costa Rica solo ha tenido cuatro nuevos casos de #COVID19 en las últimas 24 horas. Eso no significa que debemos bajar la guardia, al contrario debemos intensificar medidas. Sigamos en la casa y acatando las órdenes del Ministerio de Salud.
— Carlos Alvarado Quesada (@CarlosAlvQ) March 21, 2020
Costa Rica has the second largest outbreak in Central America with 117 confirmed cases, behind Panama which has 200 after 63 new cases were recorded on Friday.
There are concerns that healthcare systems in the region are unprepared to deal with a major outbreak and Central America countries have taken dramatic measures to contain the virus at an early stage.
On Sunday, an eight-day curfew will begin in Guatemala as part of efforts to contain the virus after 17 people were infected, President Alejandro Giammattei announced on Saturday.
Updated
The father of British actress Sophia Myles has died after being treated for coronavirus.
Myles, best known for roles in Underworld, Doctor Who and Moonlight, confirmed the news in a tweet on Saturday.
RIP Peter Myles. ❤️
— Sophia Myles (@SophiaMyles) March 21, 2020
My dear Dad died only a few hours ago. It was the Corona Virus that finally took him.
The 40-year-old, from London, had posted messages and videos on Twitter updating her followers about her father’s illness and subsequent treatment in hospital.
Earlier on Saturday, she shared a photo of her father on a respirator, along with the caption:
Yesterday I went on a journey to see my father. This is the harsh reality of the Coronavirus.”
And in a video message, she thanked people for their support, saying:
I just wanted to send a really short message to say thank you all so, so, so much for all your lovely, lovely tweets to me.
Uganda has confirmed its first coronavirus case, the country’s health minister has said.
Kuwait has imposed a 12-hour nationwide curfew to fight the coronavirus outbreak, according to the country’s state news agency.
Donald Trump has sent a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as part of efforts to “engage global leaders during the ongoing pandemic,” a senior official in the president’s administration told Reuters.
Six footballers – including the Juventus forward Paulo Dybala – tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday.
Here is the full report:
‘We have a responsibility to confront Covid-19’ – London mayor
The responsibility to tackle Covid-19 has fallen to Britain and Europe, with Donald Trump “rejecting the traditional leadership role of the US”, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said.
In a column for the Guardian, Khan urges the UK public to adhere to the expert advice on social distancing and self-isolation.
He writes:
We have a huge responsibility to look out for the elderly and vulnerable. That means Mother’s Day this year will be like no other. If you know someone who needs help, reach out. Set up a regular call. Ask if you can pick up their shopping and leave it on their doorstep. Please don’t buy any more food than you need. There is no shortage and there will always be enough to go around – if we only take our share.
Read the full article here:
Updated
Allergy UK, the patient charity for millions of people living with allergic conditions, is urging shoppers who are panic buying to think about those who rely on “free from” foods.
The charity said it is receiving reports that shoppers are stripping “free from” fixtures bare as they buy up alternatives such as oat milk and gluten-free bread, pasta and biscuits when standard products are sold out.
A mother of a young child with an allergy to cow’s milk has told the charity that she could not buy the oat milk her child needed because the shelves had been emptied.
Allergy UK said such families did not have the luxury of an alternative; a food allergy means complete avoidance of the allergen and they rely on certain “free from” products to keep their children safe from reactions that can be serious and even fatal.
Carla Jones, chief executive of Allergy UK, said: “Of course we understand how anxious people are in the current circumstances.
“We are all living through unprecedented times with a high degree of uncertainty, but we are asking people to please consider the needs of a large group of people who do not have the luxury of choice.”
UK prisons ‘could see 800 deaths’ from coronavirus without protective measures
Failure to protect the most vulnerable inmates in the UK prison system from coronavirus could result in more than 800 deaths, experts have warned.
Prisons have been a flashpoint in many countries’ battles against the virus, with several, including Spain, the US and Iran, ordering the release of many inmates to lessen the risk of transmission among detainees and jail staff.
My colleagues Mark Townsend and Jamie Doward have the full report:
Updated
Angola has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, as the outbreak spreads in Africa.
Hundreds of UK British nationals stranded in Peru due to the coronavirus pandemic could be flown home early next week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said.
More than 400 British and Irish citizens are believed to be in the South American country, with some fearing they would be unable to leave following a Government lockdown.
But the FCO said on Saturday that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had secured permission for a UK-organised flight to leave Peru for “early next week” following a call with his Peruvian counterpart.
In a Twitter post, Mr Raab said: “Amidst all the challenges of tackling Coronavirus, we committed to working together in the coming days to enable UK nationals in Peru and Peruvian nationals in the UK to return home.”
I spoke to my counterpart in Peru today, @GMeza_Cuadra and we committed to work together in the coming days, so Britons in Peru and Peruvian nationals in UK can return home, amidst the challenges of tackling Covid-19.
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) March 21, 2020
The FCO said it would continue to work with the Peruvian government to arrange further flights in coming days.
UK nationals in Peru earlier said they felt “let down” by the government’s efforts to help them return home.
The coronavirus death toll in Turkey has increased by 12 to 21, the country’s health ministry has said.
The UK’s National Trust has announced that it will close its parks and gardens from midnight on Saturday, to help “restrict the spread of the coronavirus”.
The decision has been taken ahead of Mother’s Day, which the Trust predicts will attract more people to its parks despite government advice on social distancing.
Houses, cafes and shops belonging to the charity were closed earlier this week.
But following Boris Johnson’s announcement on Friday that all pubs, clubs and restaurants would be closed, the Trust has ramped up precautions.
Director general Hilary McGrady said:
Despite our desire to keep our outdoor spaces open, the health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and visitors has to be our top priority.
Having observed the numbers visiting our properties today, I am no longer convinced we can maintain social distancing over Mother’s Day, when numbers are likely to grow, and beyond.
McGrady added that the Trust would be taking measures to ensure that people did not lose their connection with nature, and that sites of natural beauty remained open “virtually”.
Updated
Jeremy Corbyn is urging the UK government to go further to ensure the economic security of everyone affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Labour leader welcomed plans set out by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to underwrite the wages of millions of workers who otherwise stood to be laid off as economic activity dried up.
But in a letter to Boris Johnson, he said the government needed to extend that support to cover the five million self-employed.
He also called for protection for workers from losing their jobs, more support for renters, improved social security, and an increase in statutory sick pay.
Mr Corbyn said Labour would continue to work “constructively” with the Government and that its proposals were intended to strengthen its response to the crisis.
He wrote:
We welcome the direction of the Chancellor’s announcements yesterday. But we continue to have concerns that the plans do not provide the economic security that everyone needs to be able to take precautionary measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
A doctor who spent nine hours moving critically ill Covid-19 patients around London has issued a plea to the British public.
This is the face of someone who just spent 9 hours in personal protective equipment moving critically ill Covid19 patients around London.
— Natalie Silvey (@silv24) March 21, 2020
I feel broken - and we are only at the start. I am begging people, please please do social distancing and self isolation #covid19 pic.twitter.com/hs0RQdvsn3
Anaesthetic registrar Natalie Silvey posted the image of her face – reddened after hours spent wearing personal protective equipment – to Twitter on Saturday.
She said: “Those red/purple marks across my face are from my mask and are deeper than you think. Today I have seen just what Covid-19 is doing and now I just want to scream at people to listen to us.
“I volunteered to do this. The consultant anaesthetist I was with volunteered. This is bringing out the best of us. Now can the rest of the country please bring out their best and listen! #covid19”
Updated
Spain could use robots to boost coronavirus testing
Spain has said it considering enlisting the help of robots to boost its coronavirus testing as the country’s toll surpassed 1,300 deaths.
Europe’s second-worst outbreak showed no sign of improvement as the single-day death toll jumped to 1,326 from 1,002 the day before, according to Health Ministry data released on Saturday.
The number of cases rose to 24,926 from 19,980.
Last week the government imposed a 15-day state of emergency nationwide – barring all but essential outings.
The government announced on Saturday that testing is set to increase. It has acquired over 640,000 testing devices and said that number could quickly reach a million.
Raquel Yotti, director of Carlos III Public Health Institute, said the first devices were being distributed on Saturday and added the government was working on acquiring four robots that could bring the daily number of daily tests to 80,000. That would be up from 15,000-20,000 a day at the moment.
Robots are helpful as they can conduct automated testing, she said.
Disney+ follows Netflix in downgrading its quality
Disney+ has become the latest streaming service to downgrade its quality, just a day ahead of its UK launch on Monday.
The Walt Disney Company’s chairman of direct-to-consumer and international, Kevin Mayer, said the decision had been taken in response to a request from the European Commission.
Disney+ will be home to films and shows from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, as well as Disney, when it launches in the UK on Tuesday.
It comes after Netflix said it would temporarily reduce the quality of videos on its platform to ease pressure on internet service providers during the coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Mayer said:
In line with Disney’s longstanding commitment to act responsibly, we are responding to the request of European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton to work together to ensure the smooth functioning of the broadband infrastructure.
In anticipation of high consumer demand for Disney+, we are proactively instituting measures to lower our overall bandwidth utilisation by at least 25% in all of the markets launching Disney+ on March 24.
In the coming days, we will be monitoring internet congestion and working closely with internet service providers to further reduce bitrates as necessary to ensure they are not overwhelmed by consumer demand.
We look forward to the launch of Disney+ and hope it will provide a much-needed respite for families in these challenging and trying times.
Updated
My colleague Helena Smith has the latest from Greece:
Greek authorities are increasingly raising the prospect of a curfew being imposed amid reports of citizens failing to adhere to restrictive measures to curb the novel virus.
A lockdown that has limited movement and social interaction drastically may not be enough, the government spokesman Stelios Petsas warned tonight.
Speaking shortly after the latest rise in coronavirus cases was officially announced – at 530 confirmed cases, an increase of 35 in the space of 24 hours – Petsas said officials wouldn’t hesitate, if needed, to apply the measure to ensure that Greece remained “on a better path than other European countries.” To date, 13 people, the vast majority men, have died from Covid-19.
The government has expressed alarm at the exodus from Athens and other urban centres to villages in the countryside – seen in the dramatic jump in traffic through toll stations. The sight of packed ferries departing the port of Piraeus en route to islands has also raised concern.
“Unfortunately, yesterday, we saw extreme anti-social behaviour,” the spokesman told local TV. “We are living in an emergency situation and again we appeal to everyone: if they have chosen to leave Athens and other urban centres to go to their villages, they must stay in their homes. They must not come in contact with local communities, they must not transmit the virus to regions that, until now, have had no cases. It would be catastrophic.”
While the centre right government had not “until now” entertained the notion of total lockdown – denying people the right to circulate at all – “if required, we will do that as well,” he said.
Police have been arresting those violating measures, On Saturday the Bishop of Kythera, Serafeim, was arrested for conducting a church service on the island despite prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis demanding that all liturgies stop and the government banning gatherings of more than ten people.
The average age of those who have tested positive for coronavirus is aged 76 with the vast majority of cases being reported in the Greek capital, professor Sotiris Tsiodras, heath’s ministry spokesman on coronavirus told reporters this evening.
Of the total number one hundred have been hospitalised and 18 are in intensive care, although those requiring life support is expected to rise.
Greece was among the first EU countries to close schools and restrict movement to contain transmissions. From the outset, officials have voiced fears over the ability of a health system still reeling from years of budget cuts – the legacy of the country’s long-running debt crisis - to cope with large numbers falling seriously sick.
The deputy civil protection minister Nikos Hardalias, who updates reporters alongside Tsiodras, said Greeks should be mindful that, 24 days ago, Italy had the same number of confirmed cases and deaths that Greece has today.
Updated
Trump dismisses report on early coronavirus warnings as ‘inaccurate’
Donald Trump has dismissed a report that he ignored early warnings from US intelligence agencies about the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak in China and repeated recent attacks on the press.
My colleague in Washington, David Smith, has the full report on today’s White House briefing:
Rainbow paintings are adorning windows across the UK as schools encourage their pupils to spread cheer under the cloud of Covid-19.
From North Lanarkshire to Swinton, children have been busy painting pictures after school closures came into effect on Friday.
Here is a selection of images shared on Twitter:
@eastfieldschool we decided to colour in rainbows to put on the window to make people smile and remind them to stay safe. Stay safe everyone xx pic.twitter.com/BvsDGpJm5h
— Karen Still (@karenstill84) March 21, 2020
Mrs Stribling has both Alba and Nora’s positivity rainbows in the window!!! 🌈🌈❤️💫 pic.twitter.com/OU2xutp2Om
— Class 1S and 1H (@Broadoak_Year1) March 21, 2020
One of our P1s is preparing her rainbow to put up in her window so that people can have a rainbow spotting walk whilst respecting social distancing. Wouldn’t it be lovely for everyone in Ladybank to see a sea of rainbows.🌈 #aftereverystorm #LPSstillconnected #connectedbyrainbows pic.twitter.com/BRusRcBSkG
— Ladybank PS (@LadybankPS) March 21, 2020
@rosewell_ps Martha and Jennifer’s rainbows of hope 🌈 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sX6fDpsiuF
— lucy Hall (@lucyHal78265967) March 21, 2020
I can paint a rainbow 🌈☀️@rosewell_ps pic.twitter.com/tExwY7GdVq
— Kirsty Hall (@kirstyahall) March 21, 2020
Updated
The Dutch government on Saturday said it would halt all passenger flights from Spain to the Netherlands until at least April 4 in an effort to limit the coronavirus outbreak.
The government said it would only make an exception for flights to repatriate Dutch people from Spain and for medical staff.
A temporary halt on flights arriving at New York City airports and Philadelphia on Saturday has been lifted.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it issued a ground stop after a trainee at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center tested positive for Covid-19.
That forced the FAA to close some air space sectors and reroute flights.
The order cited staffing issues at the New York Air Traffic Control Center before allowing flights to resume.
Amazon.com will stop shipping non-essential products to consumers in Italy and France, according to an announcement the company published in Chinese on the WeChat social media platform on Saturday.
The world’s largest online retailer said merchants on Amazon were open to sell and ship directly to customers in the region.
“Effective immediately, Amazon will stop receiving FBA (fulfilment by Amazon) orders from customers on non-essential products on its Italy (Amazon.it) and France (Amazon.fr) site, so that operations employees can focus on fulfilling and delivering on the orders that consumers need the most now,” Amazon.com said in a statement translated from Chinese.
Updated
Ireland has reported 102 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 785, the country’s health department has said.
Updated
In England, poultry producer Bernard Matthews is seeking an extra 200 new staff to fill jobs at its processing plants after demand for its turkey meat products soared by 35% since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The company is hiring temporary staff - predominantly to fill roles in its factories - at its sites in Great Witchingham in Norfolk and Holton in Suffolk - and will extend contracts on a week-by-week basis as needed.
HR director Andrew Sherwood said demand for its turkey had soared due to consumers eating more at home as a result of the restrictions on going and dining out, and amid stockpiling of frozen and fresh chicken.
“You don’t need any prior experience in factory work to apply” he said. “We know there are a lot of people in the hospitality sector who may be looking for a job, and this could provide a stop-gap for them.”
Eritrea has confirmed its first coronavirus case, the country’s information minister, Yemane Meskel, said on Saturday.
The patient is a traveller who arrived in the country from Norway.
The Ministry of Health announced this evening the first confirmed case of a Coronavirus patient who arrived at Asmara International Airport from Norway with Fly Dubai at 7:00 a.m. LT this morning. The 39-year old patient is an Eritrean national with permanent residence in Norway
— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) March 21, 2020
He added that the 39-year-old was an Eritrean national with permanent residence in Norway and was undergoing treatment.
Updated
If you’re only tuning in just now, here’s is a round-up of some of the biggest coronavirus developments as of 6pm on Saturday.
I am Aaron Walawalkar – bringing you the latest updates.
If there’s anything I’ve missed, please DM me on Twitter @AaronWala. I’ll try to read everything but due to overwhelming interest I may not be able to reply.
The number of people to test positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Saturday is 5,018, up from 3,983 at 9am on Friday, the Department of Health said.
A total of 72,818 people have been tested, with 67,800 negative results.
UPDATE on coronavirus (#COVID19) testing in the UK:
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) March 21, 2020
As of 9am on 21 March, a total of 72,818 have been tested:
67,800 negative.
5,018 positive.
As of 9am, 233 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died.
The digital dashboard will be updated later today. pic.twitter.com/BqIBXZrOQW
Updated
New York’s airspace has been partially closed after a trainee at an air traffic control tower tested positive for coronavirus.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a ground stop for New York airports as it adjusts its staffing to reopen the airspace.
The coronavirus death toll in France has jumped by 112 in 24 hours to 562, the health ministry has confirmed.
The country now has 14,459 confirmed cases, while 525 people are in intensive care – half of whom are under 60 years old.
The true number of people who are thought to have contracted Covid-19 is estimated at 30,000–90,000.
Updated
My colleague Lorenzo Tondo has the latest from Italy:
Italy’s government is evaluating whether to close all “non-essential’’ offices and plants, after the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 793 to 4,825 on Saturday.
Rumours of closures of all non-essential commercial activities have circulated in the last few days, following complaints by workers who are still forced to leave their houses. Several regional governors have already ordered the closure of supermarkets at the weekend.
Mayors and governors throughout the country have been demanding even stricter measures in recent days. Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, is widely expected to respond soon.
Authorities in northern Italy ordered the deployment of hundreds of soldiers to oversee containment measures in the coronavirus crisis. The move came after a request from Lombardy’s governor, Attilio Fontana, for the army to help police enforce the lockdown.
While millions of Italians have been staying at home since 9 March, a minority of the population have violated rules requiring citizens to venture out only if strictly necessary, such as for work, health-related reasons or grocery shopping.
Italian police have so far pressed charges against more than 60,000 people for violating the lockdown, according to figures from the interior ministry.
Updated
Prince Harry has announced this year’s Invictus games will be postponed until 2021.
In a recorded statement posted online, he urged viewers to “look out for each other”.
In the UK, supermarket giant Asda is the latest retailer to announce measures to help the most vulnerable, saying it will donate £5m to FareShare and the Trussell Trust to bolster provision at food banks.
The chain said the package would help provide over 4m meals to families in poverty impacted by coronavirus, as well as giving more than 3,000 charities and community groups access to free food over the next three months.
Asda will also be giving priority to NHS workers in larger stores every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 9am.
Like Tesco, and following government advice on hygiene, Asda is asking that wherever possible customers use card and contactless in order to reduce the volume of cash handled by staff.
Updated
Writer and comedian Sandi Toksvig has launched a new initiative to help prevent loneliness as people across the UK maintain social distancing in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.
I'm lucky enough to have lots of books, so I thought I'd share some interesting things with you, for those who need a bit of company. Do join me, and please spread the word. #AmReading #SandiToksvig #SocialDistancing https://t.co/oNeVEkYDvK
— Sandi Toksvig (@sanditoksvig) March 21, 2020
Man charged with making fake coronavirus treatment kits
A man has appeared in court charged with making counterfeit coronavirus treatment kits and sending them across the world, City of London police have said.
Officers from the force’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) arrested Frank Ludlow, 59, of West Sussex, in a post office near his home address on Friday and he appeared at Brighton magistrates court on Saturday charged with one count each of fraud by false representation, possession of articles for use in fraud, and unlawfully manufacturing a medicinal product. He was remanded in custody until April 20.
Police said his arrest followed a joint investigation with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the US Food and Drug Administration which was triggered when US customs officers intercepted a package on March 18 containing 60 fake kits labelled as “anti-pathogenic treatment” that had been sent from the UK.
Updated
US vice-president Mike Pence has said he will be tested for coronavirus after his aide tested positive for Covid-19.
Pret a Manger closes UK stores
High street coffee chain Pret a Manger has just announced that it will be closing all its 400 UK stores from this evening.
On Wednesday, it switched to a takeaway model and closed seating areas, later telling staff it was cutting working hours and pay by a quarter as customers followed government advice to stay at home to dampen the spread of coronavirus.
In a message to customers today, Pret’s chief executive, Pano Christou, said:
My priority is always to protect our teams as much as we can. For this reason, we will be closing all our UK shops temporarily from this evening.
We will of course ensure any excess food goes to those who need it most. We look forward to being a part of your daily lives again soon. Until then, stay healthy and look after each other.
Updated
On the UK’s coronavirus death toll, NHS England said in a statement:
A further 53 people, who tested positive for the Coronavirus (Covid-19), have died – bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 220.
Patients were aged between 41 and 94 years old and all had underlying health conditions.
Updated
UK coronavirus death toll rises to 233
The coronavirus death toll in the UK has reached 233 after NHS England said a further 53 people had died in England after testing positive.
Italy sees biggest daily increase in coronavirus deaths
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak 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 the virus.
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.
The hardest-hit northern region of Lombardy remains in a critical situation, with 3,095 deaths and 25,515 cases.
Of those originally infected nationwide, 6,072 had fully recovered on Saturday compared to 5,129 the day before.
There were 2,857 people in intensive care against a previous 2,655.
Updated
President Trump introduces vice-president Mike Pence who has been leading the US’ coronavirus taskforce.
“He has not slept much. Maybe a tiny bit ... maybe a little. But not much,” Trump said.
White House press briefing begins
Donald Trump has begun providing an update on the coronavirus at a White House press conference.
A Guardian correspondent is at the briefing. Follow the latest developments on our US coronavirus blog:
Updated
Leaders of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered as the site of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial, urged worshippers on Saturday to maintain social distancing to help fight the coronavirus.
Church leaders at the ancient holy site in Jerusalem’s walled Old City called on visitors to “avoid any act of devotion that might include physical contact such as touching and kissing the stones, touching icons, vestments and the personne”.
In a statement, the church said worshippers should not enter in groups of more than 10 and maintain a distance of at least 2 metres between each other.
“The Holy Sepulchre is the ultimate place of hope. Hope that faith will defeat doubt, light will defeat darkness and life will triumph over death,” it added.
With the usually busy Easter holiday approaching, the coronavirus crisis has led to a sharp decline in the number of visitors to the Holy Land. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a particular favourite among pilgrims and tourists.
Other sacred sites have ordered similar precautions, including the Church of the Annunciation, in Nazareth, and in Bethlehem, revered as Jesus’s birthplace, the Church of the Nativity has shut down entirely.
Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, has limited Friday prayers to the open outdoor areas of the mosque compound – one of the most sensitive spots in the Middle East – which Muslims refer to as the Noble Sanctuary and Jews call the Temple Mount.
At the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism where Jews are allowed to pray, religious authorities have instructed the faithful to refrain from holding mass prayers and from kissing the stones of the ancient wall which abuts the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary complex.
Israel has reported 883 confirmed cases of coronavirus to date and one death.
The Palestinians have confirmed 52 cases in the occupied West Bank and none in the Gaza Strip.
Updated
Alejandro Giammattei, the president of Guatemala, has ordered an eight-day curfew from Sunday to stem the spread of coronavirus in the Central American country.
My colleague Helena Smith has this update on the coronavirus response in Albania:
Albania has resorted to deploying the army to enforce a curfew that began at 1pm local time on Saturday – 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 former Stalinist state have contracted the virus. Two deaths have also been recorded.
With some 120,000 people having returned from Italy – like Greece, host to a large Albanian community – prior to the country cutting air and sea links with its neighbour on 9 March, there are mounting fears over the ability of the nation’s health system to cope in the event of a sudden surge in confirmed coronavirus cases.
The prime minister, Edi Rama said authorities wouldn’t hesitate to use force if the curfew was violated. “Everyone will stay inside after 13:00,” he said. “Police and armed forces will use force against whoever breaks the law, including pensioners, and will use water canons and teargas if need be.”
Prior to the lockdown, Albanians had failed to uphold the appeals of authorities to social distance with news agencies in Tirana, the capital, describing joggers going out in groups to exercise, the elderly playing dominoes in the street and people converging on supermarkets with scant attention to those next to them.
Updated
First coronavirus death in Bosnia
A woman has became the first to die of the coronavirus in Bosnia, the manager of a hospital in the north-western town of Bihać said on Saturday.
“The first victim is an elderly woman who died in the hospital even before her test for coronavirus showed positive. She had a history of chronic diseases,” Hajrudin Havic said.
Bosnia has declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak.
It has so far reported 90 infections.
Updated
Algeria said on Saturday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had risen to 139 from 95.
The country has stopped international and domestic travel, closed mosques, cafes and restaurants and told half of state employees to stay at home to try to limit the spread of the virus.
Updated
Turkey imposed a partial curfew on Saturday for citizens over the age of 65 and those with chronic diseases, effective as of midnight, as part of measures against the coronavirus outbreak.
Details of the curfew would be announced later, the interior ministry said in a statement.
Earlier on Saturday, Turkey suspended flights with 46 more countries and banned picnics and barbecues, after the number of cases roughly doubled every day for a week.
Updated
Wales coronavirus death toll rises to five
A further two people have died in Wales after contracting coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths there to five, health officials have said.
In a statement, Dr Frank Atherton, the chief medical officer for Wales, said:
It is with sadness I report that a further two people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died.
This takes the number of deaths in Wales to five.
I offer my sincere condolences to their families and friends, and ask that their privacy is respected at this sad time.
The patients were a 75-year-old, who died at Singleton hospital, and a 98-year-old, who died at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
Both patients had underlying health conditions.
Updated
Brazil’s far-right president is facing fierce criticism for what is widely seen as his chaotic and cavalier response to the coronavirus 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 because of coronavirus 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.
“This will mean the order to close all non-essential commerce and services,” João Doria told reporters according to the Folha de São Paulo newspaper.
São Paulo is Brazil’s most economically important and populous state - home to more than 44 million of the country’s 209 million citizens. Its capital is the megacity of São Paulo with somewhere in the region of 20 million residents.
Updated
An Irish naval vessel is being transformed into a Covid-19 testing centre.
The LE Samuel Beckett is berthed at Sir John Rogerson’s quay on the Liffey River in Dublin city centre.
Hundreds of cases of the virus have been recorded in Ireland.
Army engineers provided power and lighting for the vessel, while others erected tents along the quayside close to the central bank.
It is part of a major effort by the defence forces to support the health service’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Updated
Canada’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 13 from 12 the previous day, with confirmed cases rising to 1,099, a government official said on Saturday.
The government has tested around 83,000 people for Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, the official said.
In the past 24 hours the coronavirus death toll in Lombardy, Italy’s worst-affected region, has risen by more than by 546 to 3,095, according to official figures.
Good afternoon, it’s Aaron Walawalkar here taking over on the live blog from my colleague Aamna Mohdin.
I’ll be bringing you all the latest coronavirus developments. If there’s anything I miss, please message me on Twitter @AaronWala. I’ll try to read everything but may not be able to respond to all messages given the overwhelming interest.
Updated
There is deep concern among hospitality industry workers on zero-hours contracts who are unable to work now that bars have been closed, a representative of bar workers in the capital has said.
Drew Mallins, founder of the London Bartenders’ Association, says measures announced yesterday to ensure 80% of employees’ wages will be paid by the government were welcome but there is still a lack of clarity for those on zero-hours contracts, which is causing anxiety.
The Facebook group for the LBA, which has more than 30,000 members, has been awash with worried bar workers over the last two weeks, Mallins said. The association is calling for the government to provide clarity for those not covered by the measures.
Mallins has also been working with the Drinks Trust, the UK charity for the drinks industry, which is working to provide mental health resources for workers.
“We think it’s highly likely there will be people in the industry whose mental health problems will be exacerbated by the crisis,” he said. “They have also got a HR expert on board and they will be answering questions from the membership.”
On a positive note, he said some bars are finding ways to continue operating in London by providing food and drink to take away.
“Lots of bartenders are really creative so they are doing things like bottled cocktails for delivery. There has been a rush to get listed on delivery apps and websites,” he said.
Updated
More than 500 travellers from the UK and Ireland are stranded in Peru as the window for repatriation closes.
In a live TV interview on Friday night on Canal N, the main Peruvian national TV channel, defence minister Walter Martos stated that Peru’s borders would close completely and they will “close all airports” from Saturday night 21 March.
When asked if there will continue to be flights available throughout the state of emergency, Martos’s response caused alarm. He said:
No, the day of tomorrow is the last day that we will be giving the facility for the foreigners to leave and for our compatriot Peruvians to return. We had made it flexible due to some problems that Peruvian compatriots in foreign countries had in repatriating themselves. From Sunday, they will close all airports.
There are fears this will leave more than 500 UK and Irish nationals stranded throughout Peru in a desperate situation.
“The government squandered their window of opportunity with inaction,” says Anwen Greenaway from Oxford.
In a letter to the British embassy in Peru, Fred Fransis, a stranded traveller in Peru, said: “It seems that a big opportunity has been missed. A week has passed with no solution regarding repatriation while other countries have succeeded. The situation has developed into a crisis. Reports here are that all borders will be strictly closed tomorrow, Sunday, and no more repatriation flights afterwards. There is only one day left for action on your part!”
Updated
John Lewis to close its shops for first time in 155-year history
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 company confirmed it will be closing the shops as a result of the impact of the coronavirus.
The online site will continue to operate as normal, alongside Waitrose’s physical and online shops.
Chairman Sharon White said:
The Partnership has traded for over 155 years, during which time we have faced many difficult periods, including two world wars and the 2008 financial crisis. On every occasion, thanks to our customers and Partners, and the long standing relationships with our suppliers and stakeholders, we have emerged stronger.
We all need to continue to support each other and our strength and resilience will be tested. But they will not be broken.
Updated
NHS to get thousands more beds, ventilators and extra healthcare staff
The NHS has struck a deal with private hospitals to provide thousands more beds, ventilators and extra healthcare staff from next week to aid in the fight against coronavirus.
The extra resources, which include nearly 20,000 staff, will also help the NHS deliver other urgent operations and cancer treatments.
The deal with independent hospitals is thought to be the first of its kind and will include the provision of 8,000 hospital beds across England, nearly 1,200 more ventilators, more than 10,000 nurses, over 700 doctors and over 8,000 other clinical staff.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said:
This is great news for the hospitals and staff doing everything they can to combat coronavirus.
Under the agreement, the independent sector will reallocate almost its entire national hospital capacity to the NHS and will be reimbursed at cost.
Sir Simon Stevens, the NHS’s chief executive, hailed the deal with the private sector, saying:
We’re dealing with an unprecedented global health threat and are taking immediate and exceptional action to gear up.
The NHS is doing everything in its power to expand treatment capacity and is working with partners right across the country to do so.
David Hare, the chief executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said:
We have worked hand-in-hand with the NHS for decades and will do whatever it takes to support the NHS in responding to this pandemic.
This significant additional capacity across the country will be a major boost to the NHS’s efforts to treat those patients that need hospital care over the coming period and the independent sector stands ready to maintain that support for as long as needed.
Updated
A Bosnian man became the first to die of the coronavirus in the Balkan country, Reuters reports.
The death was confirmed by the manager of a hospital in the north-western town of Bihac.
Bosnia has declared a nationwide state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak. The country has so far reported 90 cases.
Updated
Leading peers call on government to do more for self-employed
A number of peers including Floella Benjamin, Melvyn Bragg, Joan Bakewell, John Birt, Rowan Williams and Lola Young have written a letter calling on the chancellor to put in place emergency funds to support the self-employed during the coronavirus pandemic.
The letter notes:
The current welfare system is just not devised for a situation where the government is strongly advising that the creative industries cease to work. Much of the workforce is not entitled to any notice or redundancy pay. It is entirely dependent on one-off engagements such as concerts, gigs, theatre shows and in the case of musicians, peripatetic teaching. If they do not work, they do not get paid. The welfare system is just not structured in a way that will support the vast number of musicians and creatives who are immediately out of work overnight.
Other countries, such as Italy and Canada, have put in place emergency funds to support the self-employed in these uncertain times. The Chancellor last night announced a funding grant for small businesses of up to £25,000 to cover costs due to COVID-19 –the self-employed also operate in a similar way to these small businesses. If the government could consider a similar grant or emergency fund to assist the self-employed and those on zero-hour contracts with the loss of earnings, that would go some way in making up for the income that has been and will continue to be lost.
The government must also extend statutory sick pay to all workers who are affected by COVID-19.
Updated
Tesco has today announced that it will be giving a 10% bonus to its workers in stores, distribution centres and customer engagement centres across the country.
The bonus will be backdated to Monday 9 March for all permanent colleagues, who will receive the increased hourly pay rate till 1 May, when the company will review the situation.
Jason Tarry, Tesco’s UK and ROI chief executive, said:
It’s been an extraordinary couple of weeks and despite the enormous challenges, it’s been incredible to see how colleagues have stepped up and responded, doing an outstanding job during this uncertain and difficult time. This pay bonus is just one way we are saying thank you to our colleagues and recognising that they are on the frontline, helping to feed the nation.
Updated
Africa's coronavirus cases rise above 1,000
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa rose above 1,000 on Saturday, AP reports, as two heads of state appeared to defy their own travel restrictions.
As of Saturday, 40 of Africa’s 54 countries were impacted by the outbreak after Angola confirmed its first cases. Congo reported its first death, while Burkina Faso reported two new ones.
Several government ministers in Burkina Faso have tested positive, including the minister of foreign affairs. The West African nation has one of the highest confirmed cases on the continent with 64. On Friday, the president, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, announced the country’s two international airports would close for two weeks with the exception for military and cargo.
Though Angola also closed its air, land and sea borders this week, Namibian media showed the president, João Lourenço, at the inauguration of Namibian president, Hage Geingob. Also in attendance was Mokgweetsi Masisi, the president of neighbouring Botswana, which this week suspended international travel by all government employees.
Updated
A hearing has been ordered by the high court after Detention Action launched a landmark legal challenge following the government’s written response to the claim. The challenge is thought to be the first Covid-19-related case listed in England and Wales.
Updated
The death toll from patients who tested positive for the coronavirus in Scotland has increased to seven.
A total of 373 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, new figures from the Scottish government show. The number of cases has increased by 51 in the last 24 hours.
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS area has the largest number of confirmed cases, with 110 people in the area diagnosed as having it. There are 49 cases in Lanarkshire, 44 in Lothian and 34 in Tayside.
Updated
At the end of the briefing, Eustice reiterated that supermarkets were best placed to judge what stock item limits should be put in place.
“There’s no shortage of food. As I said, food manufacturing has geared up to meet an increase in demand and it is up by 50%.”
Asked about possible military involvement in the supply chain, Eustice said:“We are obviously giving increasing thought within government over how we will protect those who may be self-isolating because they are vulnerable and I know more will be said about this in due course.”
Updated
Eustice said supermarkets had experienced a surge in demand similar to the Christmas period.
“And food manufacturers have responded by increasing their production by up to about 50%,” he explained, “so there’s no risk of food running out. The challenge we have is getting food to the shelves and keeping it there.”
Updated
Asked about possible government intervention restricting food purchases, Eustice said: “The reality is that most of the supermarkets are already, of their own accord, putting limits on certain items so I don’t think it is necessary or appropriate for the government to dictate this.”
Updated
Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said at the daily Downing Street briefing that there was plenty of food in the supply chain. The issue is around people and lorries.
She added there was £1bn more food in people’s houses than there was three weeks ago. “So we should make sure we eat some of it.”
Updated
NHS England’s national medical director, Stephen Powis, mentions the video posted of a NHS critical care nurse who was in tears because she was unable to buy food in her local supermarket after a 48-hour shift.
“Frankly we should all be ashamed that has had to happen. It’s unacceptable. These are the very people we will all need to look after perhaps us or our loved ones in the weeks ahead,” he said.
Updated
Speaking during the daily Downing Street briefing on Saturday afternoon, the environment secretary, George Eustice, urged people to be responsible and not to panic-buy.
He said: “We recognise that this is a challenging time and there are many things the government is asking the nation to do differently as we work together to fight this pandemic.
“Be responsible when you shop and think of others. Buying more than you need means others may be left without.”
Updated
Welsh MP Liz Saville Roberts has released a video advising people against travelling to rural parts of the country to self-isolate.
📹 WATCH:
— Liz Saville Roberts AS/MP 🏴 (@LSRPlaid) March 21, 2020
I appeal to those thinking of coming to rural north #Wales to self-isolate to please think again. Our hard-pressed #NHS services will find it difficult as it is. Please self-isolate at home where you will be closer to your family and support networks. Thank you. 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/2ZPQVn6YkI
In the video, Roberts said: “To those people who are thinking of coming to rural areas either to stay in caravans or second homes, could I please beg of you, please think again. Is this essential travel?
“Here in North Wales the NHS will be hard pushed to cope as it is in coming weeks. And if you need to self-isolate surely you’ll be better at home with your family and friend networks”
Roberts added she looked forward to welcoming tourists once the pandemic was over.
Updated
Finland confirms first coronavirus death
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has continued to increase across Europe, including the first death in Finland.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare confirmed on Saturday the country’s first coronavirus death, saying that an elderly patient in the capital had died, Reuters reports.
“Finland’s first coronavirus death is very unfortunate, but not surprising,” it said. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country reached 521 on Saturday.
Switzerland reported 6,100 coronavirus infections on Saturday, 25% more than a day earlier, and 56 deaths, the Swiss health ministry said. There were reports that hospitals in the canton of Ticino that borders hard-hit Italy were under intense pressure.
“The situation in Ticino is very tense,” said Daniel Koch, the head of the federal office of health’s communicable diseases division. The Swiss military took delivery of 50 additional ventilators and deployed them in Ticino on Friday.
In the Netherlands, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus has risen by 637 to a total of 3,631, Dutch health authorities said in their daily update on Saturday, with 30 new deaths. The total death toll in the Netherlands now stands at 136.
Updated
Boris Johnson is speaking to supermarket bosses today about how to overcome the panic buying that is gripping the UK. They will also discuss efforts to keep supplies flowing.
The meetings come ahead of the government’s daily press conference, which will be hosted by the environment secretary, George Eustice, in place of Johnson.
Eustice is expected to be joined by government scientific and medical experts for the briefing, which takes place at 2pm.
Updated
Scotland’s chief constable, Iain Livingstone, has warned the police will enforce the ban on all pubs, clubs and restaurants staying open — a ban he said he fully supported.
In a statement, Livingstone thanked “the overwhelming majority” of people complying with the ban. “To be clear, no public houses or other entertainment venues should be opening for patrons until further notice,” he said.
We are aware of proposed legislation in relation to COVID-19 and are carefully monitoring its progress and considering what the implications for policing will be.
In the meantime, those breaking the law will be dealt with appropriately to ensure the public is kept safe from risk and harm as we continue to police the country.
I am grateful to all our officers and staff who continue to deliver an absolutely first class service in these challenging conditions for their continued dedication, hard work and support.
We will continue to focus on public service and, by working together, we will come through this.
Updated
Ali Milani, the Labour parliamentary candidate who ran against Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election, says his father has passed away after being diagnosed with coronavirus.
In a tweet, Milani said: “In the early hours of this morning, my father tragically passed away after having contracted COVID-19.
“Please keep him in your prayers. This virus is taking millions all across the world. Please ISOLATE and listen to medical advice!”
In a separate tweet, he shared a link for a fundraising effort for Islamic Relief, which his friends had set up in his Dad’s memory.
A few friends have kindly set up a donation page in my Dad’s memory. Please give (only if you can) and help others in need of urgent assistance.
— Ali Milani (@ARMilani_) March 21, 2020
It is only through solidarity, kindness and the strength given to us by Allah SWT that we will get through.https://t.co/bOSxPWxL0s
Updated
The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest are looking to stage an alternative to the cancelled event, in the form of a television show or through its online platforms.
The Eurovision song contest is one of the world’s largest television events and had been scheduled to take place in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on 16 May.
The European Broadcasting Union, which made the decision to cancel the popular event on Wednesday due to the coronavirus crisis, said it was “exploring alternative programming, but not a competition”.
The organisers said:
The EBU is very aware of how much the Eurovision song contest will be missed this year.
It is our intention to honour the songs that have been elected for 2020. To help unite and entertain audiences around Europe during these challenging times.
Eurovision features live musical numbers from each participating country - more than 50 in recent editions — reaching beyond Europe to Israel and Australia.
The contest has been held annually since 1956, and was expected to draw up to 200 million viewers and a live audience of tens of thousands for the final this year.
Summary
- Spain’s death toll surpasses 1,300 people. The latest death toll is an increase from 1,002 on Friday, according to the country’s health ministry. The number of registered cases in the country rose to 24,926 on Saturday from 19,980 in the previous tally announced on Friday
- Pakistan and Vietnam suspend international flights. Pakistan will suspend international flights for two weeks, the civil aviation authority has said. Cargo and diplomatic flights will be exempt. Vietnam said it would be suspending all inbound international flights, but did not give a timeframe.
- European Union commission to suspend budget rules. The executive moved to formalise an agreement reached by EU finance ministers to suspend budget rules that put limits on borrowing so that governments have a free hand in fighting the coronavirus.
- Iran suggests social distancing measures could end in three weeks. The president, Hassan Rouhani, said social distancing measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country will only need to be applied for two to three weeks as he expects the crisis to ease by then.
- Bangkok closes its shopping malls. All shopping centres in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, will be temporarily closed, it was announced on Saturday, as the country reported its biggest rise in cases yet. Shopping centres, except for supermarkets, will be closed from Sunday until 12 April in an attempt to stop the outbreak from spreading further.
- Jeremy Hunt calls for NHS staff to have the protective equipment they need. The former health secretary shared his concerns that not all NHS staff were receiving the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
- Presenter Fiona Phillips tests positive for the coronavirus, while Lewis Hamilton goes into self-isolation. Phillips told her fans not to panic on Twitter. The 59-year-old breakfast TV star was inundated with messages of support after she made the announcement. Lewis Hamilton has revealed he has been in self-isolation but is showing no symptoms of the coronavirus after attending an event with Idris Elba and Sophie Trudeau.
Updated
Major UK supermarkets have been asked to set aside supplies for food banks after a tumultuous few days in which several emergency food aid charities closed and others struggled to meet rocketing demand from people hit by the fallout from coronavirus.
Many food banks said they were finding it impossible to replenish food stocks, even as thousands more people turned to them for help, and others said they had been overwhelmed as hundreds of elderly volunteer regulars were forced to go into self-isolation.
Hungary’s government is seeking to indefinitely extend a coronavirus-related state of emergency that would allow rule by decree, as well as introduce prison sentences of up to five years for those who spread false information about the pandemic.
Hungary’s anti-migration prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has long been accused of democratic backsliding and critics are likely to portray the move as trying to take advantage of a crisis. The government said the measures were necessary in case a large number of MPs became ill and parliament was unable to function. “The government is required to adopt responsible decisions and to introduce, if necessary, unusual and unfamiliar restrictions. Observing these measures, remaining united and maintaining discipline are our most important tasks,” said a government statement.
The bill is due to be put before parliament on Monday. Although Orbán’s Fidesz party has the 2/3 majority required to pass it, bringing it to a vote out of schedule requires a 4/5 majority, Hungarian news outlets reported, meaning the country’s liberal opposition may be able to block it.
So far, central and eastern European countries have moved quickly to implement stricter lockdowns and travel restrictions at an earlier stage than western European nations, with most of the region still reporting relatively low levels of coronavirus infections. Hungary is so far reporting 103 cases and four deaths. However, there is concern that the low numbers could be due to underreporting and low testing levels, with the real figures much higher.
Updated
The mayor of the London borough Newham has written to the government asking for powers to be given to local councils so they can take action against businesses seeking to profit from a national crisis.
Rokhsana Fiaz, the Labour mayor, called on residents to tell the council about a business they think is acting unfairly during the coronavirus outbreak.
I’ve written to government asking for powers for Councils to enforce against some businesses seeking to profit at a time of national crisis. Report via the form below if you think a business in #Newham is acting unfairly during the #coronavirus outbreak https://t.co/4Y6wYr9zOq
— Rokhsana Fiaz OBE (@rokhsanafiaz) March 21, 2020
Updated
Lewis Hamilton has revealed he has been in self-isolation but is showing no symptoms of the coronavirus after attending an event with Idris Elba and Sophie Trudeau.
“There’s been some speculation about my health, after I was at an event where two people later tested positive for coronavirus,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “I wanted to let you know that I’m doing well, feeling healthy and working out twice a day. I have zero symptoms, and it’s now been 17 days since I saw Sophie and Idris. I have been in touch with Idris and happy to hear he is OK.”
He added: “I did speak to my doctor and double checked if I needed to take a test but the truth is, there is a limited amount of tests available and there are people who need it more than I do, especially when I wasn’t showing any symptoms at all. So what I’ve done is keep myself isolated this past week, actually since practice was cancelled last Friday and kept my distance from people.”
The actor Elba and Trudeau, the wife of the Canadian prime minister, have both since tested positive for Covid-19. Hamilton met the pair at an event in London on 4 March before flying out to Melbourne for the first race of the Formula One season, which was called off last Friday morning.
Updated
The coronavirus crisis has sparked a ferocious political row in Brazil, pitting its far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, against a legion of critics from across the political spectrum and sparking nightly protests against what many see as Bolsonaro’s weak response.
There have also been powerful expressions of solidarity and support for the healthcare workers battling the pandemic.
This video was shot last night in one of Latin America’s biggest favelas, Rocinha, in Rio, and shows the level of support for Brazil’s doctors and nurses as the situation worsens.
The vast hillside favela is home to upwards of 100,000 Brazilians and is among the low-income Latin American communities experts fear could be worst affected by coronavirus, given the high population density.
Wow. One of Latin America’s biggest favelas - Rocinha in Rio - pays tribute to the doctors and nurses battling coronavirus https://t.co/sbn8TUZi9C
— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) March 21, 2020
Updated
Spain's death toll surpass 1,300, with close to 25,000 confirmed cases
The death toll now stands at 1,326, while there are 1,612 people in intensive care. A total of 2,125 people have recovered from the virus.
According to the latest figure from Spain’s health ministry, the country now has 24,926 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, up from 19,980 on Friday.
The statistics show that more than a third of all of the country’s cases are in the Madrid region, where there are 8,921 cases and where there have been 804 deaths.
Updated
Hotels in central London will offer beds to rough sleepers to help protect them against coronavirus, PA Media reports.
An initial trial will take place over the weekend, offering 300 rooms to vulnerable people known to homelessness charities. The mayor’s office is working with Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) to block book rooms, at a discounted rate, for the next 12 weeks.
Rough sleepers are significantly more likely to have underlying health conditions, including respiratory problems, than the wider population. They are also far less likely to be able to follow Public Health England advice on self-isolation, social distancing and hand-washing.
On Saturday, national homelessness charity Crisis launched In this together, a campaign to raise funds to support people who are homeless in the outbreak. Money raised will help to keep Crisis’s services running – and those of local grassroots homelessness charities which are struggling in these unprecedented circumstances.
Updated
Pakistan and Vietnam suspend international flights
Pakistan and Vietnam have suspended international flights in a bid to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
Pakistan will suspend international flights for two weeks, the civil aviation authority said. Cargo and diplomatic flights will be exempt.
Vietnam said it would be suspending all inbound international flights, but did not give a timeframe.
The Pakistan civil aviation authority said in a statement:
The government of Pakistan has decided to suspend operation of all international passenger, chartered and private flights to Pakistan, effective from 21st March 2020 (2000 hrs PST) to 4th April 2020 (2000 hrs PST)
Pakistan has reported three deaths and 481 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
“[Vietnam] will suspend all the flights carrying foreign passengers to minimise the number of people coming to the country,” Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in the statement. Vietnam’s coronavirus cases rose to 92 on Saturday, with no death, according to the Ministry of Health.
Updated
The Scottish finance secretary, Kate Forbes, called on the UK government to scrap tax and excise duties on alcohol that is being used to make hand sanitiser.
Distilleries across the country, such as Brewdog and Leith Gin, have been switching production away from their usual products to make hand-cleaning gels.
Forbes said she was “heartened” to see so many companies playing their part to replenish stocks. She added that in these “exceptional” times “where it is clear that alcohol is being provided for the purpose of hygiene, sanitisation and medical use it should not be subject to excise or tax as a default”.
In her letter to the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, Forbes wrote: “I hope you agree the fewest barriers possible should be in place to support the Covid-19 response.
“In this time of uncertainty and national crisis, I am heartened by the many generous offers of support from organisations and industries who believe they can help the NHS.
“There are, for example, offers from the producers of alcoholic drinks, to turn their focus and activities towards the provision of hand sanitiser, and this is my reason for writing to you.”
Forbes added: “Given the exceptional circumstances the country is facing and the need to protect our key workers at this time, we would like to see the greatest flexibility applied - where it is clear that alcohol is being provided for the purpose of hygiene, sanitisation and medical use it should not be subject to excise or tax as a default.”
Updated
Air raid sirens echoed across Amman early on Saturday to mark the start of a nationwide curfew affecting 10 million Jordanian citizens to combat the spread of coronavirus.
In one of the strictest measures yet, Jordan has ordered all shops to close and everyone to stay off the streets until at least Tuesday, when it plans to announce specific times for shopping. The army said anyone violating the curfew, which restricts movement beyond emergencies and essential services, could be jailed for up to a year.
Updated
Wholesale traders at New Covent Garden market in London are launching fruit, veg and essential item boxes for delivery to the public, following a catastrophic collapse in regular orders from restaurant chains and pubs as a result of the closures ordered by the government.
Normally the market’s 150-plus traders supply the capital’s vast food service network, from Michelin-starred establishments through to airlines, cruise ships, hotels, pubs and even food for the animals at London zoo.
Companies such as Nature’s Choice, Fresh Connect, LinkClass, EA Williams, IA Harris and Premier Food Service have refocused their efforts, and are seeking to avoid waste, by offering to deliver the freshest and best quality produce direct to homes in and around London.
The move comes as traditional national veg box services such as Riverford and Abel & Cole have buckled under the strain of exceptional demand.
Updated
An NHS trust in Cambridge has begun to send patients that have recovered from the coronavirus home, Cambridge News reports.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trusts said they had been “inundated” with offers of support and money amid the coronavirus epidemic.
Mike More, the chairman of the Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, thanked the local community in a statement. “The world is changing around us, both inside and outside of our hospital walls. I would like to publicly recognise the immense efforts of our NHS staff and volunteers. Many have offered to work extra hours to help out, and others have been redeployed to where they are most urgently needed.”
More added the trust has starting to send some patients home – with and without underlying health issues – who had been successfully treated for coronavirus.
Updated
Manchester United and Manchester City have donated a combined £100,000 to local food banks in a joint initiative between the clubs to fight the threat of coronavirus to the most vulnerable.
The move comes after Fans Supporting Foodbanks told the Guardian on Thursday it was launching a fund with MUFC Foodbanks to help schemes in the area.
In a joint statement, City and United said: “We are proud of the role our supporters play in helping local food banks and recognise the increased strain likely to be placed on these charities by the impact of coronavirus. We are pleased to come together with our fans to help vulnerable members of society in a City United.”
Updated
Presenter Fiona Philips suspects she has coronavirus and said she is in bed recovering
The 59-year-old told her fans not to panic on Twitter and later clarified she had not been tested, but was in bed with symptoms of the coronavirus.
I am in bed with #coronvirusuk It’s not a very pleasant bedfellow, but nothing more than sore throat, dry cough, headache & tiredness. As long as it stays that way....DON’T panic!
— fiona phillips (@realmissfiona) March 20, 2020
The 59-year-old breakfast TV star was inundated with messages of support after she made the announcement.
This post was changed to clarify Phillips was not tested for the coronavirus.
Updated
John Bird, the founder of the Big Issue magazine, has announced that it will be going digital during the coronavirus pandemic due to fears that street vendors could be put at risk.
In a post on Twitter on Saturday, Bird wrote: “With heavy heart I have had to say to Big Issue vendors “your wellbeing comes first, so no selling on the streets. You have to be indoors. Out of harm’s way.”
He called on people to buy the magazine online to continue to support vendors.
Updated
Jake Knowles-Jenssen, a 27-year-old British freelancer, sent a photo from outside the normally bustling Ostbahnhof as Bavaria’s stricter measures come into effect.
He said that up until midnight last night restaurants could open until 6pm and only non-essential shops were closed, but people were still out in large numbers. Bavarian leader, Markus Söder, responded with stricter restrictions.
“Now we can only go out for essential food or exercise alone. Police will enforce and you have to justify your reasons for being outside your home,” he said.
Knowles-Jenssen moved to Germany in January.
Updated
UK supermarket chain Morrisons has announced a number of measures to support frontline staff responding to the coronavirus epidemic and the most vulnerable groups affected by the crisis.
Morrisons said it would take on staff from Marie Curie and CLIC Sargent charity shops, whose doors may close because of the coronavirus. It announced on Saturday that it would take on up to 500 colleagues to help the elderly and vulnerable in stores across the UK.
Matthew Reed, the chief executive of Marie Curie, said: “Every day and night Marie Curie nurses and doctors continue to care for people at the end of the lives. As we face into this national emergency, communities, business and charities need to work together more than ever.”
It comes as Lidl announced it would be giving away thousands of bunches of Mother’s Day flowers to NHS workers and worthy causes.
Ryan McDonnell, the chief commercial director at Lidl GB, said: “This Mother’s Day, we wanted to redistribute this surplus supply and show our thanks and appreciation to those working tirelessly through these extraordinary times. We hope that our beautiful bunches will help raise the spirits of those who receive them.”
Convenience retailer the Co-op will next week donate £1.5m worth of food to FareShare, to help boost plummeting stocks at food banks which have suffered a huge slump in donations.
FareShare – the UK’s largest hunger fighting charity - supports over 11,000 charities and community groups, including food banks. The Co-op has pledged £1.5m of essential food products which will be split amongst FareShare’s 23 regional centres and then supplied to a network of local community groups across the country.
Food banks remain a lifeline for those who rely on the donations to feed their families and demand is set to grow as the number of people who unexpectedly find themselves out of work increases.
The Co-op has also announced measures to combat holiday hunger in pupils caused by unplanned school closures. Some 6,500 students across 25 Co-op academy schools who currently have free school meals will be given a £20 voucher for every week that schools remain shut.
Updated
The European Union commission moved to formalise an agreement reached by EU finance ministers to suspend budget rules that put limits on borrowing so that governments have a free hand in fighting the coronavirus, Reuters reports.
The European Union executive proposed late on Friday to activate the ‘general escape clause’ in the rules to respond to the pandemic that has caused lockdowns in most EU countries and the closure of Europe’s borders.
“It will allow member states to undertake measures to deal adequately with the crisis, while departing from the budgetary requirements that would normally apply under the European fiscal framework,” the Commission said.
EU rules say that governments have to keep cutting their budget deficits until they reach balance or surplus and have to reduce public debt every year to bring it below 60% of GDP.
Once the Commission proposal is formally accepted by EU finance ministers at their next meeting, government spending to fight the coronavirus will be excluded from Commission calculations of deficit and debt.
UK car parking firm NCP is offering free parking to all NHS staff to help them to get to work at a time when slimmed-down transport networks are offering limited services.
NHS workers can access the offer directly via the NCP website and pre-book their space each time they need to park. The offerapplies to more than 150 locations across the UK and is available to book any time up to an hour before arrival.
The offer will run until the end of April and then be reviewed. NCP currently already offers discounted rates for NHS workers all year round in many car parks located near a hospital.
Updated
Stephen Barclay, the Treasury chief secretary, said that providing protection for the the self-employed during the coronavirus outbreak would be “operationally” difficult to deliver, following criticism that current UK government plans to underwrite the wages of millions of workers did not cover freelancers, contractors and the self-employed.
Barclay said the self-employed would benefit from measures such as the deferral of self-assessment tax requirements, holidays for mortgage payers and the strengthening of the welfare “safety net”.
“We are looking at operationally what we can roll out to people,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “The main thing we have done is twofold: it is to support the economy as a whole, because the best thing for people who are self-employed as for all people is to sustain the economy and ensure that we can return with those viable businesses, and alongside that strengthen the safety net.”
When asked whether the government would come forward with measures specifically for the self-employed, he said: “I come back to this underlying point about operationally what is difficult to do and what can be delivered to the timescales were are working to.”
Updated
For some comic relief, Guardian media editor Jim Waterson has talked to the man behind the WhatsApp audio clip poking fun at coronavirus misinformation.
Billy McLean, a 29-year-old Londoner who works in software sales, is the man responsible for a spoof WhatsApp audio clip that claimed the Ministry of Defence was about to requisition Wembley Stadium to cook the world’s biggest lasagne. He told the Guardian that his “viral” success highlighted the risks of believing everything that gets sent to you on the messaging service.
Updated
Indonesia has confirmed 81 new coronavirus cases and six more deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 450 and deaths to 38, a health ministry official told reporters on Saturday, Reuters reports.
This comes a day after the governor of Jakarta declared a state of emergency in the Indonesian capital for the next two weeks.
While the death toll in the country climbed to the highest in south-east Asia, the region, home to 1.9 billion people, appears to have been less hard hit than elsewhere in the world. The rates of new infections in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka have accelerated, with a total of 869 detected cases and seven deaths.
Bangladesh tightened its border controls while Sri Lanka arrested more than two dozen people for violating a nationwide curfew.
Updated
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said social distancing measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country will only need to be applied for two to three weeks as he expects the crisis to ease by then.
On Saturday, Iran announced 123 more deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the toll to 1,556, with 20,610 confirmed cases.
Iran “has to do everything necessary to return economic production to normal,” Rouhani said in comments broadcast on state TV. He also accused “counter-revolutionaries” of plotting to shut down economic production.
Iran is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic outside of China.
Updated
The Highland hotel that attracted widespread condemnation on Friday after it sacked staff and made them homeless during the coronavirus outbreak has apologised and excused their actions as “an administrative error”.
The Guardian reported yesterday that more than a dozen workers at the Coylumbridge hotel near Aviemore received a letter on Thursday informing them management was “taking the latest government advice” and that staff employment had been terminated, with those who live at the hotel complex asked to leave the premises immediately.
The Britannia Hotels group, which owns the hotel, did not respond to requests from the Guardian for comment, but later told the Liverpool Echo: “Unfortunately, the communication sent to these employees was an administrative error. All affected employees are being immediately contacted. We apologise for any upset caused.”
Updated
The government’s message that there is enough food for everyone still hasn’t stopped large queues forming outside of supermarkets.
A reader sent the following two photos of the long queues of shoppers at 5.45am at Tesco Extra on Sunbury-on-Thames in Middlesex. The store’s opening time was 6am.
Updated
The husband of a British woman who died while on holiday in Bali after contracting coronavirus said he was able to say goodbye to her.
Kimberley Finlayson, who had underlying health conditions, underwent two emergency operations before she died on 11 March.
Her husband, Ken, said the couple had exchanged goodbyes “for a few minutes” before she died. “She said that she loved me and we exchanged that for a few minutes and looked into one another’s eyes,” he told the BBC.
The mother of four was the founder of a dental communication business based in Shenley, Hertfordshire. Her colleagues praised her “passion, creativity and determination”.
“Those fortunate enough to know her will remember a whirlwind of energy and ideas - and an ability to make things happen that few can match,” an online statement said.
Updated
Bangkok closes its shopping malls
All shopping centres in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, will be temporarily closed, it was announced on Saturday, as the country reported its biggest leap in cases yet.
Shopping centres, except for supermarkets, will be closed from Sunday until April 12 in an attempt to stop the outbreak from spreading further.
Despite advice against panic buying, shoppers rushed to supermarkets, it was reported, while others tried unsuccessfully to book online food deliveries.
Panic buy at the supermarket at Central Chidlom. The store staff said the supermarket will stilll operates tomorrow. But many shoppers rushed to the store despite the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration saying mall closure tomorrow will not include supermarket and pharmacies pic.twitter.com/t6vLTHoybV
— Panu Wongcha-um (@panuw) March 21, 2020
Restaurants will be open only for takeaway orders, it was confirmed, while pharmacies will stay open. Boxing stadiums, beauty salons, arcades and other entertainment venues will remain shut.
The measures were announced as Thailand reported 89 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing its tally to 411, with the majority of cases in Bangkok.
The capital will also extend the closure of schools and bars for another 22 days, while both Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air have both suspended international flights.
Updated
Jeremy Hunt called for NHS staff to have the protective equipment they need
Hello, I’m Aamna Mohdin taking over the liveblog from my colleague Rebecca Ratcliffe.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said NHS staff treating coronavirus patients must have the protective equipment they need. He shared his concerns that not all NHS staff were receiving the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
“We must sort this out. We are asking people to put their own lives at risk on the NHS frontline. We have all seen the terrible scenes as to what is happening in Italy,” he said. “It is absolutely heartbreaking when NHS frontline professionals don’t have the equipment that they need.”
He added: “I think thegovernment has done a lot in the last week. I think they have unblocked the supply chains, but there is this question about whether it is the right equipment.”
Lisa Anderson, a consultant cardiologist at St George’s hospital in London, echoed Hunt’s concerns. She said the government had changed the rules so they were no longer compliant with World Health Organization recommendations, which required medics to wear a full gown and visor.
She said that since Monday, staff in the NHS only had to wear a simple face mask, short gloves and a pinafore apron. “This is not just about the risk to ourselves and our families. We are travelling home on the tube, on buses,” she told the Today programme.
“Sainsbury’s this morning has announced that they are opening up the early hours to the frail, elderly and NHS workers. We are cross-infecting everybody at the moment,” she said.
Updated
The tally of global cases has risen to 275,452 on Saturday, as 70 million people across New York, Illinois and California face being largely confined to their homes, and Britain closes its pubs, cafes, gyms and restaurants.
- More than 1,000 infections have now been recorded in each of Japan, Australia and Canada.
- In Sydney, officials have temporarily closed Bondi Beach after thousands flocked there on Friday, defying guidance on social distancing.
- A nationwide curfew has begun in Jordan, limiting the mobility of its 10 million citizens indefinitely.
- Colombia also announced that it will begin a country-wide quarantine from Tuesday night.
- New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern asked citizens to restrict their movements around the country, and cancel all non-essential domestic travel. Those who could work from home should now do so, she said.
- South Korea’s prime minister Chung Sye-kyun strongly recommended religious, sports and entertainment facilities suspend operations, and advised people to avoid socialising
-
Mainland China reported no new locally transmitted cases, but infections involving travellers arriving from other countries continued to rise.
- Singapore reported two coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, marking the city-state’s first fatalities from the infection.
- Fatalities rose to 19 in the Philippines, while Thailand recorded 89 new cases on Saturday, the largest daily increase in infections since the outbreak began.
- Timor-Leste confirmed its first infection, a citizen who had returned from traveling abroad.
You can find a further breakdown of recent developments on our at-a-glance guide.
Updated
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organisation, has given some advice on staying healthy and looking after yourself at this time. You can see his comments in full, posted on Twitter, here.
“Life is changing dramatically for many of us, but it’s important to continue looking after your physical and mental health,” he writes, adding that you can do so by adopting a healthy diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and exercising regularly.
It’s normal to feel stressed, confused and scared during a crisis. Talking to people you know and trust can help. If you’re working at home during #COVID19, make sure you don’t sit in the same position for long periods. Get up and take a 3-minute break every 30 minutes.
Compassion is a medicine. Supporting other people in your community can help you as much as it does them. Check in on neighbours, family and friends.
While we are all #TogetherAtHome: Listen to music, read a book or play a game. Try not to read or watch too much news if it makes you anxious. Get your #COVID19 information from reliable sources once or twice a day.
The Guardian has published this video explainer on coping with anxiety and self-isolation.
Updated
NBC News employee has died after testing positive
A longtime employee of NBC News died on Thursday after testing positive for the coronavirus, NBC News chairman Andy Lack said in an email to staff members.
Larry Edgeworth, 61, worked in an equipment room at NBC News’ headquarters in New York. He had previously spent 25 years at NBC News working as an audio technician, and had traveled the world with many of the network’s correspondents.
“Many of you were fortunate enough to work with Larry over the years, so you know that he was the guy you wanted by your side no matter where you were,” Lack wrote.
“We lost a dear colleague today. I wish you could have known him he brightened our lives and lifted our spirits with his love and kindness,” Andrea Mitchell, NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent, wrote on Twitter.
Timor-Leste confirms first infection
A citizen who had returned from abroad is the first person in Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor, to test positive for the coronavirus, Reuters reports
“He isolated himself immediately after contacting doctors,” the ministry said in an official Facebook post, without giving details of where the patient travelled from.
The former Portuguese colony, with a population less than 1.3 million, was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 before becoming a sovereign state in 2002. It is located east of the Indonesian archipelago.
The governor of Jakarta on Friday declared a state of emergency in the Indonesian capital for the next two weeks over the coronavirus outbreak as the death toll in the country climbed to the highest in south-east Asia.
Updated
South Korea tells venues to shut and public to avoid socialising
South Korea’s prime minister Chung Sye-kyun has strongly recommended religious, sports and entertainment facilities suspend operations, and advised people to avoid socialising for the next 15 days. He added that the government will order any gatherings to disperse.
His comments follow confirmation of 147 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, up from the previous day’s 87.
The country was praised for its quick action and mass testing which helped contain its coronavirus outbreak, but experts have warned that a long battle is ahead.
South Korea has now recorded 8,799 cases. The deathtoll is 104.
Yoon Tae-ho, director general for public health policy, said at a briefing:
You may feel that the current situation has improved a lot compared to the past, but... we continue to see group infection, inflows from foreign countries, mass outbreaks at various workplaces.
Updated
Starbucks will close most of its company operated cafes across north America for two weeks, limiting its services to drive-throughs, reports Reuters.
“Let’s be real. Lattes aren’t ‘essential’,” Rossann Williams, president of U.S. company-operated and Canada businesses, said in a letter. “But in times of crisis, the government asks convenient food and beverage outlets to remain open when possible for pickup, Drive Thru, or delivery.”
Exceptions to the closure would be made for cafes serving in or around hospitals and health care centers, she said.
Updated
Summary
Here’s a breakdown of the latest developments:
- The tally of infections has surpassed 1,000 in Japan, Australia and Canada.
- Across New York, Illinois and California, 70 million people will be largely restricted to their homes, starting this weekend.
- In Britain, pubs, cafes, gyms and restaurants closed for business on Friday night after the government announced an unprecedented wage-support scheme to try to prevent a wave of job losses.
- In Sydney, officials have temporarily closed Bondi Beach after thousands flocked there on Friday. Once it reopens, if more than 500 people are on the beach at any one time, it will be closed.
- A nationwide curfew has begun in Jordan, limiting the mobility of its 10 million citizens indefinitely.
- Colombia also announced that it will begin a country-wide quarantine from Tuesday night.
- New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern asked citizens to restrict their movements around the country, and cancel all non-essential domestic travel. Those who could work from home should now do so, she said.
- Mainland China reported no new locally transmitted cases, but infections involving travellers arriving from other countries continued to rise. Imported cases are also proving a growing concern in South Korea.
- Singapore reported two coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, marking the city-state’s first fatalities from the infection.
- Fatalities rose to 19 in the Philippines, while Thailand recorded 89 new cases on Saturday, the largest daily increase in infections since the outbreak began.
Updated
The Philippines now has 262 coronavirus cases, after 32 new infections were confirmed, the country’s health ministry said on Saturday. The deathtoll has also risen to 19.
More than 57 million people in the island of Luzon, which includes the capital of Manila, were placed under lockdown this week to try to stop the spread of the virus.
Updated
Nationwide curfew begins in Jordan
Jordan blew sirens on Saturday to mark the start of a curfew that will limit the mobility of its 10 million citizens indefinitely.
The new restrictions prevent movement beyond emergencies and essential services. Anyone who flouts the rules can be jailed up to a year, the army has warned.
Thousands of soldiers have been deployed inside cities and on main highways across the country to enforce the restrictions. Jordan has also closed land and sea border crossings with Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Israel, and suspended all incoming and outgoing flights since Tuesday.
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In Italy, balcony singing has spread across the country as people show solidarity with their neighbours. Here is a scene from Lebanon, where residents have been urged to stay at home.
Remember #Italians singing from balconies during #COVID19 lockdown? This is #Lebanon, singing to #Egyptian song Bent el-Giraan. I love that song! btw the song was used to ban this genre of music called Maharaganat in #Egypt. Clearly it’s much lovedpic.twitter.com/1tshCWR899
— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) March 20, 2020
Lebanon temporarily shut its airports, borders and ports on Wednesday in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading. It has also closed non-essential government institutions, and asked private companies to suspend their work. The country has so far recorded 149 cases and four fatalities.
Nationwide quarantine announced in Colombia
Colombia will enter a nationwide quarantine from Tuesday night, President Ivan Duque said late on Friday. The quarantine in the country, which has 158 confirmed cases of the virus, will last for 19 days, reports Reuters.
Duque said the action, which will include strict restrictions on citizens’ movements outside the home, was necessary to fight the disease.
“In the coming weeks we have the opportunity to collectively take away the virus’ speed,” Duque said. A government spokesman said more details would be released about the quarantine before Monday.
Government sources said they will include movement exceptions for medical personnel, security forces and workers at pharmacies and supermarkets.
Colombia’s government has already said it will block incoming international flights from Monday and ordered people aged 70 and over to stay inside until the end of May. It has also closed land and water borders along with schools and bars.
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Thailand reports leap in cases
Thailand reported 89 new cases on Saturday, the largest daily increase in infections since the outbreak began, bringing the national tally to 411.
The Thai government has asked people to avoid going out, but so far rejected calls for a lockdown, saying that the needs of workers who are unable to stay at home must be considered.
Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a Public Health Ministry spokesman, said the new cases were linked to earlier infections from a boxing match, an entertainment complex and a religious gathering in neighbouring Malaysia. Cases have risen over the past week as health officials trace the contacts of confirmed patients.
Of those infected, 366 are currently being treated, while 44 have recovered. One death has been recorded in the country.
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Japan coronavirus infections cross 1,000
Japan has recorded 1,016 cases of domestically transmitted cases of coronavirus as of Saturday, according to public broadcaster NHK, hitting a new milestone as the nation grapples with pressure to avoid a health crisis ahead of Tokyo Olympics.
The tally rises to 1,728 if 712 cases of infections from a cruise ship moored near Tokyo last month are included, according to NHK.
Although the number of cases is still on the rise, Japan has started scaling back some measures to fight the spread of the virus.
On Friday, Japan said it would not extend its request to close schools, setting the stage for classes to resume at the start of the academic year in April.
The Tokyo Olympics, set to start from July 24, have been cast into doubt by the coronavirus pandemic and the cancellation of sporting events and qualifiers around the world.
Olympics organizers have repeatedly said the Games will go on as scheduled.
Singapore confirms first two fatalities
Singapore reported two coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, marking the city-state’s first fatalities from the infection, Reuters reports.
The patients who died were a 75-year-old Singaporean woman and a 64-year-old Indonesian man, the health minstry said in a statement.
Singapore, widely praised for its fastidious onslaught against the virus, has confirmed 385 cases of the infection and had so far managed to avoid any fatalities since the outbreak began in the city-state in late January.
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Here’s some more on the closure of Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach, from Australian Associated Press.
The New South Wales government has temporarily closed Bondi Beach as authorities handed lifesavers unprecedented move-on powers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
NSW Police David Elliott announced the drastic measure on Saturday afternoon after photos of throngs of beachgoers flocking to the iconic Sydney strip drew swift condemnation.
Thousands flocked to Bondi Beach on Friday amid temperatures in the high 30s, ignoring social distancing measures.
Pictures of big crowds were criticised by foreign media and on social media.
The decision comes as the number of coronavirus cases in NSW ballooned to 436 after 83 new cases were identified in the state.
“It’s a significant level of disappointment that we have to move today to not only remove people from Bondi Beach and it’s a significant opportunity to remind people that the Health Act must be complied with,” Mr Elliott said.
“What we saw this morning at Bondi Beach was the most irresponsible behaviour of individuals that we’ve seen so far.
“We cannot have an area where more than 500 people are gathered.”
Under regulations introduced to control the spread of the deadly virus, outdoor gatherings of 500 people or more have been banned.
As part of that, lifesavers will have the power to close beaches and ask people to move on if a crowd of 500 or more is gathered at the same spot.
The minister said that if the crowd does not comply, NSW Police will have the powers to make people leave.
“This is not something we’re doing because we’re the fun police, this is not something that the government is doing because we want to make life easy, this is about saving lives,” Mr Elliott said.
“Tomorrow in NSW we will probably crack 500 cases of coronavirus.
“If the community does not comply with the regulations and the health warnings, this is going to become the new norm.
“We are going to close down the type of activities we’ve grown to love.”
It came as Waverley mayor Paula Masselos on Saturday issued a public plea for people to stay away from Bondi amid the coronavirus pandemic and away from beaches.
“The public must at all times keep a minimum safe distance from each other in public places and if you don’t need to be out in public, please consider staying at home,” Mr Masselos said.
“We all have a role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and I am frustrated that people continue to ignore health advice about social distancing as observed yesterday at Bondi Beach.”
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt also hit out at people who flouted social distancing advice and risked spreading the virus.
“What happened in Bondi was unacceptable and the local council must take steps to stop that occurring,” Mr Hunt said.
“Each of us as individuals, as families, as groups, as councils, as state governments, as a national government has responsibility.
“Where something like this is occurring the local council must step in and that message is absolutely clear.”
Guardian correspondent Justin McCurry has some more detail about the new cases reported in South Korea today:
The 147 new coronavirus cases reported in South Korea on Friday - bringing the country’s total to 8,799 - was the second-highest number of daily positive diagnoses this week, following 152 identified on Wednesday, according to the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The pace of daily new infections had shown signs of slowing since the second week of this month after health authorities finished testing 210,000 followers of a secretive church that was at the centre of the country’s outbreak.
Just over 100 of the new daily cases were from Daegu, the southeastern city where the church is located, and nearby North Gyeongsang province. The two locations account for about 60% of all of South Korea’s Covid-19 infections.
There is concern, however, over a rise in infections in Seoul and among people arriving from overseas, Yonhap news agency said.
Seoul reported 15 additional cases and nearby Gyeonggi Province 12, while the number among people arriving in the country rose by six to 23.
In response, South Korea will require all arrivals from European countries to get tested for the virus and self-isolate for two weeks starting Sunday, Yonhap said, adding that temporary shelters had been set up to accommodate up to 1,000 European travelers while they wait for their test results.
South Korean health authorities have won praise for their mass testing regime, which has enabled them to quickly identify infection clusters. The number of people being checked for the virus and under quarantine came to 15,704 as of Friday, the KCDC said. The country has tested a total of 327,509 suspected cases, with 303,006 coming back negative.
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People living in poorer areas of the Philippine capital, Manila, have begun building makeshift barricades to halt movement along the tight alleyways of their neighbourhoods, as this image, taken by Ezra Acayan for Getty Images shows.
The Philippine island of Luzon, which includes Manila, has been on lockdown since Monday. The government has urged the island’s 55 million residents to quarantine themselves at home, an impossible task for many of its poorer residents who need to leave their houses daily for work.
The number of cases in the Philippines rose to 230 on Friday after an additional 13 cases were recorded. There have 18 fatalities in the country.
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Australian cases surpass 1,000
The latest case numbers announced from the states and territories throughout the day means 1,049 cases of Covid-19 have now been confirmed in Australia, including seven deaths.
It was also announced that Bondi Beach will close if more than 500 people gather.
This is not something we are doing because we are the fun police. This is about saving lives.
If the community does not comply with the regulations and the health warnings well then this is going to become the new norm. We will be closing down the type of iconic activities that unfortunately we’ve come ... to love and adore about our lifestyle,” said New South Wales police minister David Elliot.
Elliot said surf lifesavers would conduct head counts and, if they find more than 500 people, would close the beach and order people to move on. If people do not comply, police would be called.
The announcements comes after photos emerged of people defying social-distancing rules and gathering in thousands at the beach on Friday, when temperatures were unusually hot, reaching 35C.
United Airlines has announced that it will cut its international schedule by 95% for April, after governments worldwide imposed unprecedented travel restrictions to to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
United will suspend all flights to Canada from April 1, and will draw down its remaining trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and Mexico operations, the airline said in a statement, Reuters reported.
The airline this week had announced a 60% reduction in domestic and international schedules for April, citing the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on travel demand.
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Malaysia’s health minister has been criticised for suggesting that drinking warm water can prevent coronavirus, with experts pointing out that his comments are not evidence-based and that people should follow World Health Organisation advice.
Health Minister Dr Adham Baba had told Malaysia’s public broadcaster, RTM, that people should drink warm water because the virus cannot cope with heat. The water would flush the virus into the stomach, he said.
Dr Amalina Bakri, a doctor based in the UK, said the comments were not backed up by science and that people should be wary of such myths.
If you would like some fact-based information about the simple precautions you can take to reduce exposure and transmission from coronavirus, our science correspondent Hannah Devlin has written a very helpful guide.
Following the news that Sydney’s Bondi beach is set to close, here’s a roundup of the latest developments in Australia, from the Guardian’s Melbourne bureau chief, Melissa Davey.
- There are now 969 Covid-19 cases and seven deaths in Australia, and the health minister Greg Hunt says about 115,000 tests have been carried out.
- New South Wales is expected to announce at 2pm Sydney time the closure of Bondi Beach, after photos emerged of people defying social-distancing rules and gathering in thousands at the beach.
- A ban on non-citizens and non-residents entering Australia has taken effect.
- Questions are being asked about why passengers were allowed to disembark the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney. The ship’s 2,700 passengers have been told to self-isolate. Four people on the ship have now tested positive for the virus.
- Meanwhile, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced $1.7bn “economic survival and jobs package”, which will provide full payroll tax refunds for the 2019-20 financial year to small and medium-sized businesses with payroll of less than $3m. Payments will start being made next week.
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Syria bans entry for people from coronavirus-hit countries
Syria will not allow visitors arriving from countries that are dealing with outbreaks to enter the country, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
No cases have been recorded by the government, or in the large parts of the country that fall outside of government control.
The World Health Organization has expressed deep concern about a possible epidemic in the country, which is already shattered by nine years of civil war, and where vast numbers of people are living in cramped camps and slum areas.
The UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned on Friday of the potentially devastating impact of coronavirus in Syria.
Among many meetings held remotely this week, I heard from sources on the ground about the potentially devastating impact of #COVID19 in ##Idlib and elsewhere in Syria. If anyone - incredibly - still needed a reason to stop the fighting there, this is it. pic.twitter.com/08eBct8rYD
— Rosemary A. DiCarlo (@DicarloRosemary) March 21, 2020
Damascus has also closed schools, parks, restaurants and various public institutions.
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Sydney’s Bondi Beach set to close
The New South Wales government is set to announce it will close Sydney’s Bondi Beach, the Guardian’s Ben Smee reports.
The announcement - to be made by NSW and emergency services police minister David Elliot at 2pm AEDT - comes after concerns were raised that large numbers of beachgoers were not abiding by public health advice. Images from Australia’s most iconic beach in recent days have shown large crowds of people.
Guardian Australia understands the closure will affect Bondi Beach alone at this stage, though the NSW government could extend the restriction to other beaches if they find more than 500 people gathered at any time.
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Five US states have either closed, or are set to close, all non-essential businesses account. Here’s some useful background on the likely economic impact of the shutdowns.
California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Connecticut – which are all issuing “stay at home orders” – Account for almost a third of the world’s biggest economy. They rank first, third, fifth, eight and 23rd respectively among all 50 states by GDP, according to Reuters.
California alone has a $3 trillion economy that accounts for 14.5% of the US output, making the state by itself a bigger economic powerhouse than all but four nations.
Together, the five states produced $6.4 trillion in goods and services in 2018, Bureau of Economic Analysis data shows. For reference, President Donald Trump’s administration and congress are currently negotiating a $1 trillion-plus economic stimulus package, which equates to about one-20th of annual US economic output.
About 5.4 million residents across the five states do not have health insurance, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. That is about 19% of the total US uninsured.
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Curfew to be imposed in Nice
The local prefect said the curfew, to be introduced from Saturday, was necessary to enforce the strict confinement measures decided by France.
“A curfew is going to be put in place,” Prefect Bernard Gonzalez told BFM TV. “This decree is essentially aimed at those who find it funny to gather together and defy public authorities.”
The curfew will start at 11 pm local time (2200 GMT) and run until 5 am.
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Mexico reports 203 new cases
Mexico’s health ministry confirmed that the number of infections has risen from 168 to 203. A second death has also been reported. Details of the new cases are not yet clear.
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Zero locally transmitted cases in mainland China
Mainland China reported no new locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus for a third day running, Reuters has reported. The daily log of infections involving travellers arriving from other countries continued to rise.
Mainland China had 41 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Friday, the country’s National Health Commission said, all imported from abroad. That brought the total number of imported cases to 269.
High in the charts was Beijing, with 14 new imported cases. Shanghai and six provinces also identified such cases.
That brought the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to 81,008, the health authority said in a statement on Saturday.
The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China reached 3,255 as of the end of Friday, up by seven from the previous day and all from the central province of Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak in China.
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South Korea reports 147 new coronavirus cases
South Korea has confirmed 147 new cases, brining the total to 8,799, it was reported on Saturday.
The country has been praised for its efforts to contain the virus after it experienced a large outbreak in the city of Daegu. Authorities have remained high alert however, as new clusters have continued to emerge.
I’ll bring you more on today’s cases later.
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Haitians rushed to buy food, gas, soap and face masks on Friday after two cases of the coronavirus were confirmed to have been imported into the country, Associated Press reports.
President Jovenel Moise said Thursday that two patients had been quarantined after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. One was a 31-year-old Haitian who had just returned from Paris and the other was a Belgian volunteering in a Port-au-Prince orphanage.
Moise said the country was closing all airports, schools, factories and seaports. The measure is designed to halt new cases of the virus, but health workers said it could prevent the arrival of important medical supplies and volunteer doctors and nurses if the virus starts to spread inside the densely population nation of roughly 11 million people.
According to the United Nations, some 35% of Haitians lack basic drinking water services and two-thirds have limited or no sanitation services, making it extremely difficult for people to regularly wash their hands as recommended to deter the spread of the coronavirus.
The country just completed its first year free of cholera, a water-borne disease that was imported by U.N. peacekeepers and killed nearly 10,000 people over the last decade.
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New Zeland prime minister Jacinda Ardern has asked citizens to restrict their movements around the country, and cancel all non-essential domestic travel, the Guardian’s Eleanor Ainge Roy reports from Dunedin.
Ardern also asked those aged 70 and over, or with a compromised immune system to stay home for the foreseeable future.
Those who could work from home should now do so, Ardern said, but reassured Kiwis that essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies would remain open.
There are four alert levels in New Zealand, and the country was currently at stage two.
Ardern took a warm and smiley demeanor for her address, in a bid to reassure New Zealanders in “unprecedented times”. 14 new cases of the virus were confirmed today, bringing the total number of cases to 53. Two of the cases show no link to overseas travel, meaning community transmission may now be underway.
“Protecting New Zealanders from the virus is our number one objective, and we must take decisive action to prevent the worst occurring here,” Ardern said.
“New Zealand is fighting an unprecedented global pandemic. We must fight by going hard and going early with new measures to slow the transmission of the virus.
“These measures are being taken in the national interest. We know people, business, and sports events will be impacted, but these are short-term disruptions for the overall health of our people and country.
I know many New Zealanders are anxious. The alert system is designed to offer certainty around future action and the ability for people to plan and prepare for any future eventuality. Please be strong, be kind, and unite against COVID-19,” Jacinda Ardern said.
The number of coronavirus cases keeps rising in Argentina, with 30 new reported cases Friday, brining the tally up to 158, including three deaths so far. The largest number of cases are in the capital city of Buenos Aires and the province of Buenos Aires.
A total of around 200 persons were arrested Friday for violating the nationwide obligatory quarantine announced by President Alberto Fernández Thursday evening. Among them were 13 people arrested at an “hotel alojamiento” (Argentina’s equivalent of a “love motel”), a jogger, a drunk policeman and a doctor who broke her quarantine after testing positive for the virus in the northern province of Chaco.
The hotline for reporting quarantine violators in the city of Buenos Aires alone had already received 116 calls by midday Friday, including 99 cases in which the reported persons resisted the police.
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Turkey records five more deaths
Turkey on Friday recorded five more deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the overall total to nine, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged people not to go out for “non-essential reasons”.
“We have lost five patients who are elderly and with a weak resistance,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.
Koca also said the number of cases has reached 670 after 311 out of 3,656 patients tested positive over the last 24 hours.
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Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of cases reported worldwide has now passed a quarter of a million, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, which show there are now 272,167 infections globally and 11,299 deaths.
Governments are continuing to ramp up restrictions to stop the spread of the virus. On Friday, the UK announced it will close all cafes, bars and restaurants and said that the government would pay 80% of wages of people not working. Meanwhile, Donald Trump invoked new powers to speed up virus supplies. The announcements came as both Italy and Spain reported their biggest single-day death tolls from the coronavirus.
Elsewhere:
- Two people died in the United Arab Emirates; the first deaths suffered by the country. The country’s official news agency, WAM, said each had suffered from previous health conditions.
- Israel also announced its first death. The country’s health ministry has said an 88-year-old man who had been suffering from previous illnesses had died.
- A member of the US vice president’s staff tested positive. The employee, who was not identified, had not come into close contact with either the US president, Donald Trump, or his boss, Mike Pence, who is in charge of the US’s coronavirus response.
- The Chinese doctor who was reprimanded for “spreading rumours” after he sought to warn colleagues about the emergence of Covid-19 has been officially exonerated by an investigation into his death.
- The Tunisian president, Kais Saied, on Friday ordered a general lockdown, restricting public movement to counter the spread of the coronavirus.
- Thousands of British holidaymakers risk becoming stranded abroad, as flight cancellations, travel restrictions and lockdowns due to the global coronavirus pandemic complicate their journeys home. As many as 100,000 tourists may still be in Spain, despite a near-total lockdown and government orders that all hotels be shut down within the week.
You can get up to date with some of other coverage below:
