Grant Shapps has warned the coronavirus pandemic is not yet past its peak in the UK, asking the public not to "let slip" their social distancing this weekend with the risk of fine and sunny weather tempting too many people outdoors where they could mix.
The transport secretary spoke out after the government was forced to close its coronavirus test-booking site for key workers within hours of its launch. Matt Hancock has admitted the daily target of 100,000 tests by the end of next week could be missed. All 5,000 home testing kits were snapped up within two minutes, Downing Street said.
Making millions of key workers and their families eligible for diagnosis is one of a series of new testing and contact-tracing drives which – ministers hope – could help to ease the lockdown. Wales’s first minister has suggested his country may start to lift restrictions at the end of May, using a “traffic light” system.
Doctors have told The Independent that hospitals are now running out of vital kidney dialysis blood filtering kits, needed to keep up to a third of Covid-19 patients alive. Meanwhile the UK hospital death toll rose to 19,506.
The masks were sent successfully by the British embassy in Hanoi last week on a commercial flight that also repatriated 100 British nationals, writes Harry Cockburn:
Vietnamese children donate 20,000 face masks to UK after saving up ‘lucky money’
‘Your gift is really meaningful to doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in the UK’, says British ambassador to VietnamNo 10 rejects Cummings report as 'ludicrous'
Downing Street appears to be saying that Dominic Cummings did attend but did not take part in the meeting.
In a statement, a Government spokesman said: "Expert participants often vary for each meeting according to which expertise is required.
"A number of representatives from government departments and No 10 attend also."
However it has also told journalists that the Guardian story is "ludicrous".
Richard Horton, the editor of The Lancet medical journal, has accused the government of having 'Utterly corrupted independent scientific advice."
He tweeted: "If true that Dominic Cummings attended meetings of SAGE, then every scientist of integrity on SAGE should resign immediately. You have forfeited any claim you might have had to providing independent scientific advice to government.
"If it is true that Dominic Cummings attended meetings of SAGE, then the government led by Boris Johnson has utterly corrupted independent scientific advice; but I’m afraid to say that the scientists who sit on SAGE have allowed themselves to be corrupted, including the CSA/CMO."
The government has chartered a total of 19 flights to bring almost 5,000 people back to the UK from Pakistan.
Seats are being allocated to those who are registered via the online booking website.
Around 2,500 people have already booked on to the 10 Government charter flights that are taking place between April 21 and 27.
A second phase of nine flights will carry more than 2,250 travellers between 30 April and 5 May.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that anyone who would like to return to the UK from Karachi should register their interest online as future flights will be based on waiting lists.
Perhaps the most striking reaction to the Cummings story comes from Sir David King, chief scientific adviser to the UK government under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
He tweeted: "I don't say this lightly but if this report is accurate (which I have no reason to doubt) it marries with all of my worst fears. This is simply unimaginable, an egregious abuse SAGE membership the govt must answer."
Labour calls for Michael Gove to be hauled before MPs after National Security Risk Assessment reportedly warned that a new pandemic virus could "both highly transmissible and highly virulent", with even a mild outbreak leading to tens of thousands of deaths and costs running to more than £2 trillion. Lizzy Buchan reports:
Labour's shadow health secretary has questioned why Dominic Cummings took part in the scientific advisory group meeting.
"Why are politically appointed special advisors taking part in what should be independent SAGE deliberations?", Jonathan Ashworth asked on Twitter.
"Ministers have repeatedly claimed timing of lockdown was based on science. We need answers & total transparency tonight."
Opposition MPs have reacted furiously to reports that Dominic Cummings attended a crunch meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on 23 March, the day before the prime minister announced the lockdown.
Ministers face questions over Dominic Cummings' attendance of key scientific advisory group
'He is a political adviser, not a medical or scientific expert,' says LabourHere's Samuel Osborne's report on how Muslims are observing Ramadan during the coronavirus lockdown.
Muslims mark start of Ramadan under subdued atmosphere amid lockdown
Holy month typically sees day-long fast followed by lavish meals and get-togethers, but many have been confined to their homes and mosques have closedThe Prince of Wales has sent his best wishes to the British Muslim community as part of a virtual Iftar to mark the start of Ramadan.
Charles said: "As Muslims across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth observe the beginning of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, this month of Ramadan, I just wanted to convey my heartfelt best wishes to all and to tell you just how much my wife and I are thinking of you at this special time of year.
"In different circumstances, this would have been a joyous time, mosques would be filling with life, Muslim families would be coming together to share food and prayers and many of them would be inviting their neighbours and friends of all faiths and none to join them.
"This year, of course, due to our ongoing public health crisis, none of this will be possible in the usual way.
"I can only begin to imagine how desperately difficult and sad this must be for all of you who cherish this special month and everything that it normally brings."
PPE ordering system for social care staff 'needed urgently'
A new online ordering system needs to be up and running immediately to stop vital supplies of protective equipment for frontline care workers from running out, the Local Government Association has warned ministers.
The association said social care workers and council service staff were risking their lives keeping services going due to a "chronic" lack of personal protective equipment (PPE).
It said that dwindling supplies woud run out in days and called for councils to be given an urgent guarantee that emergency supplies would reach them while they wait for the government's Clipper service to be fully operational.
The Clipper system is intended to provide a central hub for the supply and distribution of PPE but has faced delays, the association said.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said there had been no delays in setting up the new online portal.
What it’s like to deliver food during coronavirus lockdown
Fear and low wages mark the lives of delivery guysMore than 30 employees at an Amazon warehouse in New Jersey have contracted the coronavirus, it's been reported. Hundreds of staff have walked out this week over health and safety concerns:
Viruses that jump from animals to humans, known as zoonoses, have existed for centuries, but experts say outbreaks of dangerous new diseases with the potential to become pandemics are on the rise.
Timeline of viruses humans caught by interacting with animals
Stop the wildlife trade: From 1918 to today, the deadly diseases that have become more frequentEngland is poised to face restrictions on people going out for longer than other nations in the UK, after No 10 brushed off proposals from Scotland and Wales likely to mean those nations softening their lockdowns first:
Yesterday we reported on the sad death of 37-year-old children's nurse Katy Davis at Southampton General Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.
It has now been confirmed that her identical twin Emma, a former surgical nurse in the colorectal unit until 2013, died early this morning.
Both suffered from the same underlying health condition and had been unwell prior to their admissions to hospital.
Sister Zoe Davis told the BBC: "They always said they had come into the world together and would go out together as well. There are no words to describe how special they were."
A spokesman for University Hospital Southampton said: "It goes without saying just how devastating and tragic this is for the family and all who knew them.
"Emma has been described as an excellent nurse who was calm and cheerful and a good leader. She was well liked by all and was a valuable member of the team during her time with us.
"We are supporting Katy and Emma's family as much as we can through this difficult and distressing period."
England's chief medical officer agreed that publishing advice given to government ministers by the Scientific Advice Group for Emergencies (Sage) would increase public confidence.
Publishing membership of expert scientific group would 'increase public confidence' in government, agrees Whitty
And revealing minutes of experts’ meetings would help keep ministers honest, says former business secretaryAfter his remarks about injecting disinfectant were condemned worldwide, Donald Trump has tried to claim he was being 'sarcastic'.
Trump claims he spoke 'sarcastically' when repeatedly suggesting people inject disinfectant to cure coronavirus
'I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters ... to see what would happen,' POTUS contends
Ryanair still ‘processing refunds from flights cancelled at the end of February'
'I really am disgusted with the way Ryanair has been treating its customers over refunds,' said passenger Steve AshtonTributes have been paid to a hospital doctor who died after contracting coronavirus.
Dr Vishna Rasiah worked as a "clinical lead" at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
His wife Liza said: "We're devastated at losing our beloved Vish. He was such a loving husband and father to our beautiful daughter Katelyn, and much loved son and brother to our family in Malaysia and Trinidad.
"His whole family meant the world to him, and he absolutely doted on Katelyn.
"Vish loved his work; to him it was so much more than a job and his colleagues are part of our family too.
"He treated every patient and family he cared for as his own. I couldn't have been prouder of him."
He is one of 89 people working for the NHS who have died with coronavirus since 25 March, according to Press Association.
