The government is expected to signal that the UK lockdown will be extended beyond next week, potentially until May, as the country braces for the peak of the coronavirus epidemic over the coming days.
Senior ministers will gather to discuss the next steps for the UK’s response to Covid-19 without prime minister Boris Johnson, who remains in hospital but has been said to be “improving” and responding to treatment.
Meanwhile, The Alzheimer’s Society has warned dementia patients in care homes are being “abandoned” to the virus amid concerns about the number of cases of Covid-19 spreading through homes.
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Taiwan and WHO in row over racial abuse of director-general
Taiwan and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have become embroiled in a row over allegations that officials from the East Asian state racially abused the health agency’s director general.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s head, said he had received death threats and been called a “negro” since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Taiwanese foreign ministry has demanded an apology from Dr Tedros and described the allegations as “baseless”.
“Without having checked the facts, Tedros’s unprovoked and untrue accusations not only differ from reality, they have also seriously harmed our government and our people,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
“This kind of slander is extremely irresponsible.”
Our reporter, Samuel Lovett, has the full story below:
Taiwan rejects ‘baseless’ allegation it subjected WHO chief to campaign of abuse and racism
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claims Taiwanese foreign ministry complicit in personal attacks against him
Public urged to stay home over Easter as people caught breaking lockdown rules
Although millions are following orders to stay at home over Easter, some people have been caught breaking lockdown rules and travelling to tourist hotspots against government guidance this week.
Although millions are following orders to stay at home over Easter, some people have been caught breaking lockdown rules and travelling to tourist hotspots against government guidance this week.
Cumbria Constabulary said it had caught several people travelling to the Lake District from outside the area, including one person who said it was “too nice to stay in Bolton”.
Annie Willey, brand manager of the Suffolk Coast Destination Management Organisation, which represents local tourism companies, said residents had seen an “awful lot” of second home owners coming to the area recently, particularly in Aldeburgh and Southwold.
This was something the tourism industry was “desperate to clamp down on”, Ms Willey told PA.
Meanwhile in Manchester, police have urged people to obey lockdown rules over Easter after officers were forced to break up 660 parties in the city in the space of just a few days.
“Although the majority of the public across Greater Manchester have abided by the guidelines since they came into effect, last weekend saw a sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 breaches reported to police,” Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.
More on that story can be found below:
Greater Manchester Police issue Easter warning after 660 parties shut down
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford joins campaign pleading with people to stay at home over holidayHome Office accused of risking lives by asking passport staff to return to work
Passport Office staff have accused the government of putting their lives at risk after many were asked to return to work, even though the UK is still under lockdown due to Covid-19.
The Independent understands the government has asked up to 2,000 employees at Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) to resume work next week.
A Home Office scientific adviser also reportedly told staff in a conference call that they expected 80 per cent of the population would eventually become infected with the coronavirus and said: “We cannot hide away from it forever.”
Our reporter, Andy Gregory, has more on the story below:
Home Office accused of risking lives after Passport Office staff told to return to work despite lockdown
HMPO accused of treating employees like ‘guinea pigs to test herd immunity on’Shadow chancellor warns against ‘chaotic lifting’ of lockdown
Labour’s new shadow chancellor has warned against a “chaotic lifting” of the UK’s lockdown and called on the government to clearly communicate its exit strategy for measures introduced to control the spread of coronavirus.
Anneliese Dodds, who was recently appointed by new Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, said it was critical the exit strategy was “transparent” and “communicated very clearly”.
“I think the worst of all worlds really would be a kind of chaotic lifting of the lockdown potentially with then its re-imposition in different sectors or areas, with it not being clear to the public and to business why certain actions were being taken and what the trade offs were associated with them,” Ms Dodds said.
She added: “Currently, there's the possibility that we could see a swing back into many of the kind of levels of economic activity that we had previously if we come out cleanly from this crisis.
“If it's a more convoluted process, that could have a much longer term impact on employment, on productivity, ultimately on growth as well.”
Ms Dodds acknowledged it had “clearly been an enormous challenge” for the government to deal with the economic fallout from the pandemic.
However, the shadow chancellor said it was “absolutely critical” for there to be no return to austerity after the crisis.
“I think we've seen sadly the impact of having very fragmented and strained public services when we're trying to deal with this crisis,” she said.
“I think we've got to learn the lessons from what happened before, not just in terms of the resilience of our public services, but also indeed for the long-term health of our economy.”
Ms Dodds also wished Boris Johnson a “speedy recovery” from Covid-19.
More than 20 deaths at two separate care homes during UK epidemic
Twenty-two residents at two separate care homes in the southeast of England have died during the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged.
Seven people living at Hawthorn Green Residential and Nursing Home in Stepney died after contracting the virus, the east London home said, while Public Health England announced 15 residents at Castletroy Residential Home in Luton had died - five of whom had tested positive for Covid-19.
Our reporter, Adam Forrest, has the full story below:
Twenty-two residents at two separate care homes in the southeast of England have died during the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged.
Seven people living at Hawthorn Green Residential and Nursing Home in Stepney died after contracting the virus, the east London home said, while Public Health England announced 15 residents at Castletroy Residential Home in Luton had died - five of whom had tested positive for Covid-19.
Our reporter, Adam Forrest, has the full story below:
Twenty-two residents dead as coronavirus devastates two care homes in England
Charity warns residents risk being ‘abandoned’ in their care homes as new deaths reported in east London and Luton‘Three in 10’ businesses cut jobs during pandemic
Nearly three in 10 businesses have cut jobs in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic, according to official statisticians.
The Office for National Statistics has said 29 per cent of the 4,598 businesses it surveyed over the past fortnight said they had to temporarily reduce staff numbers during the period from 9 March to 22 March.
It added that 40 per cent of businesses surveyed said they were confident they could continue operating during the pandemic, based on their experience over the same period - although this was predominantly prior to the government-imposed lockdown.
The research comes amid growing concern about the long-term impact of measures to control Covid-19 on the economy and employment prospects.
Businesses in the accommodation and food service sectors have been particularly hard hit, with 90 per cent of these firms reporting turnover below the norm.
Manufacturing, retail and administration firms also reported lower than average turnover.
Lockdown likely to be extended, government ministers say
The UK’s coronavirus lockdown is likely to be extended, ministers have said, amid reports that the strict measures could continue until May.
“I don't think it's very likely these measures are going to be changed given they're just starting to have an effect but, as we said, we would review them,” Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, told the BBC on Thursday.
“It's only prudent that on an ongoing basis we review them after three weeks."
Our policy correspondent, Jon Stone, has the full story below:
Coronavirus lockdown likely to be extended, government says
'Zero prospect' of measures being easedThird Scottish care home sees deadly Covid-19 outbreak
A third Scottish care home has experienced a deadly coronavirus outbreak, with nine elderly residents reportedly dying from the virus in the last ten days.
The Scottish Sun has reported nine residents have died at Tranent Care Home in East Lothian following a Covid-19 outbreak.
It follows other outbreaks at Castle View care home in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, and Burlington care home in North Lanarkshire amid concerns about the safety of such homes during the epidemic.
The owners of Tranent Care Home, HC-One, said they would not comment on the number of deaths.
“Caring for our residents and supporting our colleagues is at the heart of what we do, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our residents and colleagues stay safe and well throughout these challenging times,” a spokesperson said.
“We have a comprehensive coronavirus contingency plan in place, which was created by our clinical director and reflects the latest government guidance.”
She added: “We are working closely with our local health and care partners, and we are continuing to take action to secure the medical equipment, PPE (personal protective equipment) and supplies we need to protect residents and colleagues alike.”
Spain death toll rises to 15,238
Spain’s coronavirus death toll has risen to 15,238, up by 683 in 24 hours, the country’s health ministry has said.
Confirmed Covid-19 cases have also risen in the country to 152,446, up from 146,690 on Wednesday.
The new figures came after Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, said there were signs the epidemic was beginning to decline from its peak.
Southampton become first Premier League football club to agree wage deferrals
Southampton have become the first Premier League club to reach an agreement with players over wage deferrals during the coronavirus crisis.
The Independent revealed on Tuesday that discussions would materialise on a club-by-club basis after talks over a blanket deal broke down on Saturday.
Southampton players, alongside the club’s board of directors, manager and coaching staff, have opted to defer part of their salaries for April, May and June.
Our senior football correspondent, Melissa Reddy, has the full story below:
As coronavirus spreads through the UK, it is not spreading evenly in each region - presenting a major problem for the government as it attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.
This graph from Statista shows the number of coronavirus cases in each region of the country, as of Wednesday.
Northamptonshire Police to ramp up enforcement of coronavirus regulations: ‘These are not guidelines anymore’
Northamptonshire Police will ramp up its enforcement of coronavirus regulations following the end of a “three-week grace period”, the force's chief constable has said.
Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley warned people in the county could now face fines or a criminal record for breaking lockdown rules.
Mr Adderley said a small number of people had been flouting regulations, with some officers being “baited” by members of the public.
He added that the force might have to resort to more extreme measures, such as roadblocks, if people continue to break the rules.
“These are not guidelines anymore. This is the law,” Mr Adderley said.
“We haven't issued any fixed penalty notices, but we have charged a number of people with Covid-related offences.”
He added: “We've had examples of people sunbathing in the park, having barbecues in the park, we've had large gatherings of family members.
“To those people, I am saying 'your time is up'.”
Google bans Zoom over security concerns
Google has banned the video chat app Zoom from its employees' laptops due to security and privacy concerns.
The technology company has said corporate computers will no longer be able to use the app because it is insecure.
“Recently, our security team informed employees using Zoom Desktop Client that it will no longer run on corporate computers as it does not meet our security standards for apps used by our employees,” a Google spokesperson said.
Our technology editor, Andrew Griffin, has the full story below:
Google has banned the video chat app Zoom from its employees' laptops due to security and privacy concerns.
The technology company has said corporate computers will no longer be able to use the app because it is insecure.
“Recently, our security team informed employees using Zoom Desktop Client that it will no longer run on corporate computers as it does not meet our security standards for apps used by our employees,” a Google spokesperson said.
Our technology editor, Andrew Griffin, has the full story below:
Google bans Zoom
App has surged in popularity in recent weeks as people work and study from homeOur Moscow correspondent, Oliver Carroll, has the latest news from Russia, where the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has passed the 10,000 mark after a sharp rise.
Oliver writes:
Russia passed an unwelcome milestone overnight, with the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases breaking the 10,000 barrier. The record 1,459 daily rise in cases was up 24 per cent on the previous record set a day ago. Death figures were also up, with 13 overnight taking the total to 76.
On the one hand, the increased caseload may be a reflection of increased testing - state media today claimed the number of tests was now more than 1 million. Russia also appears to be several weeks behind Europe and the US.
But the epidemic is also showing signs of exponential growth, with daily increases growing by about 18 per cent for most of the past week.
Vladimir Putin’s own predictions last week that the problem would peak within a fortnight looks wildly optimistic. Other models put that point at mid-May, even under lockdown conditions. Much of the country is currently under such regulations, though they are very unevenly implemented.
One particularly worrisome element for Russian authorities is the increasing proportion of cases coming from the provinces. Decades of underfunding have left a legacy of appalling health provision in many regions. Across the country, medical professionals are complaining of a deficit of doctors, nurses, PPE and equipment.
Future of EU at stake over coronavirus response, Italy PM says
Italy’s prime minister has said the future of the European Union is at stake over its response to the coronavirus pandemic following concern about economic support for nations badly hit by Covid-19.
“We need an economic and social response at the European level,” Giuseppe Conte told the BBC.
“It’s a big challenge to the existence of Europe.”
He added: “If Europe fails to come up with a monetary and financial policy adequate for the biggest challenge since World War Two, not only Italians but European citizens will be deeply disappointed.”
In a 16-hour video conference that stretched through the night from Tuesday afternoon, EU finance ministers failed to seal a deal on how far to go to support their stricken economies.
“If we do not seize the opportunity to put new life into the European project, the risk of failure is real,” Mr Conte warned.
Ministers are due to reconvence on Thursday afternoon after Germany expressed hope finance ministers would be able to agree on a 500 billion euro economic rescue package.
Divisions have so far been between southern EU states, led by Italy, who have demanded far-reaching measures like issuing joint debt and the Netherlands, acting as the voice of the fiscally conservative north, which is calling for more restraint.
Emily Maitlis praised for warning Covid-19 is not ‘a great leveller’
Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis has been praised for warning coronavirus is not a so-called “great leveller” and calling out suggestions the pandemic would impact everyone equally.
The BBC host has also taken issue with ministers who have implied those who have recovered from Covid-19 did so through fighting spirit.
“You do not survive the illness through fortitude and strength of character, whatever the prime minister’s colleagues will tell us,” Ms Maitlis said on Wednesday night.
“The disease is not a great leveller, the consequences of which everyone - rich or poor - suffers the same,” she added.
“This is a myth which needs debunking. Those on the front line right now - bus drivers and shelf stackers, nurses, care home workers, hospital staff and shop keepers - are disproportionately the lowest paid members of our workforce. They are more likely to catch the disease because they are more exposed.”
Our reporter, Colin Drury, has the full story below:
Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis has been praised for warning coronavirus is not a so-called “great leveller” and calling out suggestions the pandemic would impact everyone equally.
The BBC host has also taken issue with ministers who have implied those who have recovered from Covid-19 did so through fighting spirit.
“You do not survive the illness through fortitude and strength of character, whatever the prime minister’s colleagues will tell us,” Ms Maitlis said on Wednesday night.
“The disease is not a great leveller, the consequences of which everyone - rich or poor - suffers the same,” she added.
“This is a myth which needs debunking. Those on the front line right now - bus drivers and shelf stackers, nurses, care home workers, hospital staff and shop keepers - are disproportionately the lowest paid members of our workforce. They are more likely to catch the disease because they are more exposed.”
Our reporter, Colin Drury, has the full story below:
'The disease is not a great leveller': Emily Maitlis praised for frank assessment of social impacts of coronavirus
'You do not survive the illness through fortitude and strength of character, whatever the prime minister’s colleagues will tell us'Ofcom could take action over David Icke TV appearance, minister says
The UK’s culture secretary has said he will contact Ofcom to see what action can be taken after conspiracy theorist David Icke was given prominence on the local TV channel London Live.
“You are absolutely right these are lunatic conspiracy theories and no sensible person would give them a moment's thought,” Oliver Dowden told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, when asked about Mr Icke.
“Clearly that station is regulated by Ofcom and I would be expecting Ofcom to take appropriate action.”
He added: “Clearly they're independent [Ofcom], but I will be in touch with them to understand what action they are taking with respects to that.”
Spain’s ‘fire’ coming under control, prime minister says
The latest coronavirus data from Spain is encouraging and the country is close to the beginning of a decline in the epidemic, the Spanish prime minister has said.
Pedro Sanchez told parliament on Thursday that the fire was “starting to come under control” before a vote on the extension of the country’s state of emergency by another two weeks until 26 April.
Spain has recorded more than 14,000 deaths in its Covid-19 outbreak - one of the worst in the world - but has seen signs in recent days that the epidemic is slowing.
Two men arrested after ‘licking their hands and wiping them over meat in supermarket’
Two men have been arrested after they were caught on camera licking their hands in a supermarket and wiping them over meat, fresh produce and fridge handles, police have said.
CCTV images were released by police of the men, who entered the Sainsbury's store in Lancaster Road, Morecambe, at about 1.45pm on Saturday.
The store was thoroughly disinfected and the food had to be destroyed, police added.
“That anyone could think this sort of behaviour is appropriate or amusing even in normal times is beyond me, but at this time of crisis when many people have been faced with empty shelves in some shops is flabbergasting,” Inspector James Martin, from Lancashire Police, said.
A police spokesperson said inquiries into the incident were ongoing.
Our reporter, Samuel Osborne, has collected together the key stories you may have missed overnight on coronavirus.
