Tens of thousands of bars, restaurants, cafes and gyms across the UK have remained closed this morning as the government battles to control the spread of coronavirus – a ban Boris Johnson has promised to “strictly” enforce through licensing rules, if necessary.
This comes as three American states – New York, Illinois and California – entered into lockdown amid a rise in cases across the US. With American hospitals already under pressure, officials are desperate to prevent – or at least limit – a repeat of what has happened in parts of China, Italy and Spain where the outbreak has overwhelmed medical services.
Elsewhere, China and South Korea both reported a rise in imported coronavirus cases on Friday and Saturday respectively as expatriates returned home from the US and Europe, sparking fears of a second wave of infections just as the two countries recover from the initial outbreak. Meanwhile, the World Heath Organisation has told young people they are “not invincible” and are continuing to place themselves at risk of serious illness or death by not practising social distancing.
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The environment secretary has revealed that, according to government figures, £1 billion's worth of food has been brought and stockpiled among the population.
Mr Eustice has once again urged the population "to respect the supermarkets' regulations" regarding panic buying. "There's no shortage of food production," he says.
"We need people to calm down when buying food and think of others," he adds.
Steven Polis, national medical director at NHS England, said "we should be ashamed" that health workers are being left short of food and other essentials due to panic buying.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, has provided more detail on the UK's food supply chain. She says that curfew hours have been lifted to allow more lorries to provide stores with food and other essentials.
Ms Dickinson asks the public "to be considerate" when buying food.
Mr Eustice has revealed that manufacturers are currently producing "50 per cent more food than they normally would".
He insists there is "no shortage" of food available to the public, with more arriving every day.
The minister admitted the challenge "was keeping shelves stocked in the face of increased purchasing" among the population.
He adds that the government has set aside new rules for delivering food and eased restrictions on driver hours.
The coronavirus press conference is now under way - we'll be bringing you all the latest updates as environment secretary George Eustice answers questions from Downing Street.
A teacher at the largest high school in New York City has tested positive for Covid-19, according to officials, as the state found itself at the epicentre of the unfolding coronavirus pandemic in the US, reports Chris Riotta from New York.
Brooklyn Tech High School confirmed the case in an email sent to parents of the school’s nearly 6,000 students on Thursday night.
“I am writing to inform you that a member of our school community has self-reported that they tested positive for COVID-19,” Davd Newman, the school’s principal wrote in the email.
“A disinfection of the school building has been completed in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidelines. As a reminder, the DOE routinely conducts deep cleanings in your school.”
Read more below:
Brooklyn Tech High School confirmed the case in an email sent to parents of the school’s nearly 6,000 students on Thursday night.
“I am writing to inform you that a member of our school community has self-reported that they tested positive for COVID-19,” Davd Newman, the school’s principal wrote in the email.
“A disinfection of the school building has been completed in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidelines. As a reminder, the DOE routinely conducts deep cleanings in your school.”
Read more below:
Turkey ramps up containment measures
Turkey ramped up its containment measures on Saturday, with the government announcing it had suspended flights to 46 more countries and banned picnics and barbecues.
The country’s death toll rose to nine on Friday, after five elderly patients died of the respiratory illness.
The number of confirmed cases in the country has meanwhile sharply increased since the first case was announced last week, reaching 670 on Friday.
Ankara had already banned flights with 22 countries, closed schools, cafes and bars, banned mass prayers and indefinitely postponed matches in its main sports leagues. The new ban applies to countries including Canada and the northern part of Cyprus.
On Saturday, it extended the ban to picnics and barbecues, as well as barbershops, hair and beauty salons.
Turkey ramped up its containment measures on Saturday, with the government announcing it had suspended flights to 46 more countries and banned picnics and barbecues.
The country’s death toll rose to nine on Friday, after five elderly patients died of the respiratory illness.
The number of confirmed cases in the country has meanwhile sharply increased since the first case was announced last week, reaching 670 on Friday.
Ankara had already banned flights with 22 countries, closed schools, cafes and bars, banned mass prayers and indefinitely postponed matches in its main sports leagues. The new ban applies to countries including Canada and the northern part of Cyprus.
On Saturday, it extended the ban to picnics and barbecues, as well as barbershops, hair and beauty salons.
A reminder the daily coronavirus press conference will be held today at 2pm. Environment secretary George Eustice will be leading the briefing.
Finland reports first death from coronavirus
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare confirmed the country's first coronavirus death on Saturday, saying that an elderly patient in Helsinki had died.
"Finland's first coronavirus death is very unfortunate, but not surprising," it said.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country stands at 521, the health authority added.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare confirmed the country's first coronavirus death on Saturday, saying that an elderly patient in Helsinki had died.
"Finland's first coronavirus death is very unfortunate, but not surprising," it said.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country stands at 521, the health authority added.
BREAKING: The number of confirmed cases in Wales has risen to 280, officials announced on Saturday, bringing the UK total up to 4,072.
US intelligence agencies were issuing ominous, classified warnings in January and February about the global danger posed by the coronavirus while Donald Trump and members of congress played down the threat, according to US officials familiar with spy agency reporting.
The intelligence reports did not predict when the virus might land on US shores or recommend particular steps that public health officials should take, issues which are outside the remit of the intelligence agencies.
The intelligence reports did not predict when the virus might land on US shores or recommend particular steps that public health officials should take, issues which are outside the remit of the intelligence agencies.
But they did track the spread of the virus in China, and later in other countries, and warned that Chinese officials appeared to be minimising the severity of the outbreak.
Despite the constant flow of reporting, Mr Trump continued publicly and privately to play down the threat the virus posed to Americans.
'The trouble with ‘not making things political’ is that it deprives us of the tools that might explain why the government has acted so slowly – and the ability to help it to get policies in the right place,' writes Rachel Shabi
Read her political analysis below:
Singapore reports more cases after first coronavirus deaths
Singapore has reported 47 new cases of coronavirus, the majority of which were were imported, taking the city-state's tally to 432 infections.
Singapore has reported 47 new cases of coronavirus, the majority of which were were imported, taking the city-state's tally to 432 infections.
Of the new cases, 39 were imported and had a travel history to countries including Australia, Europe, North America and Southeast Asian nations, the health ministry said in a statement.
Singapore also reported two virus-related deaths on Saturday, both of whom had underlying health conditions, marking the first fatalities in the city-state's widely praised battle against the infection.
Singapore also reported two virus-related deaths on Saturday, both of whom had underlying health conditions, marking the first fatalities in the city-state's widely praised battle against the infection.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak's employment support package will cost the taxpayer billions of pounds a month to keep going, an influential think tank has said, reports Lizzy Buchan.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) director Paul Johnson said the final cost of paying up to 80 per cent of wages for workers who faced losing their jobs during the coronavirus outbreak was "unknowable".
Mr Johnson said that if the support - of up to £2,500 per month - was claimed for 10 per cent of employees it could cost the government £10 billion over three months.
Announcing the plans on Friday, Mr Sunak said the government would do "whatever it takes" to help workers in the coming months as ministers closed schools, pubs and restaurants and urged people to stay at home to curb the spread of the virus.
Read more below:
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) director Paul Johnson said the final cost of paying up to 80 per cent of wages for workers who faced losing their jobs during the coronavirus outbreak was "unknowable".
Mr Johnson said that if the support - of up to £2,500 per month - was claimed for 10 per cent of employees it could cost the government £10 billion over three months.
Announcing the plans on Friday, Mr Sunak said the government would do "whatever it takes" to help workers in the coming months as ministers closed schools, pubs and restaurants and urged people to stay at home to curb the spread of the virus.
Read more below:
Welsh government announces new measures in fight against coronavirus
The Welsh government is set to roll out a number of new measures as authorities attempt to contain the spread of Covid-19 across the country.
The Welsh government is set to roll out a number of new measures as authorities attempt to contain the spread of Covid-19 across the country.
Vaughan Gething, the minister for health and social services, has confirmed that:
- Pharmacies will be able to restrict their opening hours to protect staff
- Testing will increase to 9,000 cases a day by the end of April
- Under the scheme to increase staffing in the NHS and social care sector in Wales, final-year students will be offered work, and already more than 5,000 letters have been sent to retired professionals
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be made available to those medics who need it
Three people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospitals in Swansea, Bridgend and North Wales. One was aged in their sixties, with the others 71 and 96. All had underlying health conditions.
Three people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospitals in Swansea, Bridgend and North Wales. One was aged in their sixties, with the others 71 and 96. All had underlying health conditions.
Big Issue to stop sales amid UK outbreak
The Big Issue will stop being sold on the streets from next week as growing numbers of people stay away from towns and cities.
The move is aimed at safeguarding the health of the vendors who usually sell the magazine, many of whom are homeless.
Lord John Bird, founder of the Big Issue, said: "Coronavirus is an unprecedented threat to public health. Our sellers, many of whom are homeless, are already highly vulnerable and it is only right that we act now to protect their welfare at this critical time."
There will be no paper copies of the magazine on sale from next week, but a digital version will be available online, with half the money going to the vendors.
Egypt shut churches for two weeks
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church has ordered all its churches to shut their doors and suspend masses for two weeks over coronavirus fears, it said in a statement on Saturday.
Egypt so far registered 285 confirmed coronavirus cases including eight deaths.
The church has also banned visits to monasteries and closed condolences halls attached to churches. Each parish will name only one church for funeral prayers and the sermons will be restricted to the family of the deceased.
Christians represent around 10 per cent of the 100 million Egyptian population, according to unofficial estimates. The vast majority of the country's Christians are orthodox.
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church has ordered all its churches to shut their doors and suspend masses for two weeks over coronavirus fears, it said in a statement on Saturday.
Egypt so far registered 285 confirmed coronavirus cases including eight deaths.
The church has also banned visits to monasteries and closed condolences halls attached to churches. Each parish will name only one church for funeral prayers and the sermons will be restricted to the family of the deceased.
Christians represent around 10 per cent of the 100 million Egyptian population, according to unofficial estimates. The vast majority of the country's Christians are orthodox.
More info on Hong Kong:
"The influx of people returning from overseas will last at least two weeks ... The recent epidemic caused by imported cases is much more severe than any period of combating the pandemic in the past two months," Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Saturday.
"It is more difficult to handle and (will) most likely lead to a large and continuous community outbreak."
The government also said it would postpone university entrance exams until April 24.
The Chinese-ruled territory, with 273 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths, is trying to contain a surge in cases as people return from overseas infected with the disease.
The government also said it would postpone university entrance exams until April 24.
The Chinese-ruled territory, with 273 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths, is trying to contain a surge in cases as people return from overseas infected with the disease.
BREAKING: Spain's death toll has risen from 1,0002 to 1,326, according to the country's health ministry.
This marks a rise of 324 deaths in one single day. Friday's increase was 235.
The number of confirmed cases in Spain also rose to 24,926 on Saturday, up from 19,980 in the previous tally announced on Friday.
The number of confirmed cases in Spain also rose to 24,926 on Saturday, up from 19,980 in the previous tally announced on Friday.
