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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Lucy Campbell and Amy Walker

UK coronavirus live: rate of infection doubling every three to four days, says Gove – as it happened

Evening summary

  • The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will self-isolate for seven days in his flat No 11 Downing Street after he tested positive for coronavirus. Johnson, 55, developed mild symptoms – a temperature and persistent cough – over the last 24 hours. He will continue to work from home and lead the national response to the pandemic.
  • Testing is to be extended to frontline NHS workers, with hundreds to be carried out this weekend, Michael Gove announced. This will be antigen testing – testing whether people currently have the disease – and will be increased “dramatically” next week. Testing criteria is based on show symptoms and the centrality of one’s role to the coronavirus crisis.
  • Two further NHS Nightingale hospitals will be built in Birmingham and Manchester. NHS England has also reconfigured hospital services so that 33,000 hospital beds are available to treat further patients.
  • The health secretary, Matt Hancock, also tested positive for coronavirus after having mild symptoms. He will self-isolate until next Thursday.
  • England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, is self-isolating after experiencing symptoms compatible with Covid-19. He will continue to advise the government’s medical response to coronavirus, supported by his deputies.
  • The UK death toll rose by 181 to 759, the highest day-on-day increase so far, and the rate of infection has been doubling every three to four days. Michael Gove announced that 113,777 people have now been tested for Covid-19; of those 14,543 have tested positive, an increase in the last day of 2,885. There were 168 more deaths in England, a further three in Northern Ireland, six more recorded in Wales, and a further eight in Scotland.
  • A temporary mortuary is to be opened at Birmingham Airport in preparation for a predicted rise in the number of fatalities from coronavirus in the region. Work has begun on the site, which will initially be able to hold 1,500 bodies, although it will be expanded to hold more.

That’s it for today from the UK side. For more coronavirus updates, head over to our global coronavirus live blog for the latest worldwide coverage.

Updated

Q: Can you confirm there are no plans to test the other members of the cabinet and explain why?

Can you clarify if the 3.5m testing kits have already been manufactured and by whom?

Gove says those members who are central to the effort and show symptoms are going to be tested.

Harries says testing criteria is clear. We will test appropriately for clinical management. The appropriate thing to do if you have symptoms is to self-isolate so you can’t potentially transmit the disease to anyone else.

The testing kits are coming from a variety of manufacturers and it is really critical that each one is tested by specificity and sensitivity – how frequently we can pick up the disease and how sure we are that it is a positive test.

Stevens says unfortunately there is no doubt that pressure on the NHS will intensify in the coming weeks. A lot of our frontline staff will be in highly pressurised circumstances. If you can help too by following the measures set out – social distancing and staying at home – you too will save lives.

Updated

Q: We were told before the decision on Monday to impose much stricter rules on people’s movements that such a decision would be based on data around footfall, activity and transport. Yet the government has not so far provided any of that data to justify the most sweeping restrictions on the population the country has ever seen. Will you promise now to publish that data and explain why it hasn’t been published so far?

Can you guarantee the NHS is ready for what is about to come and if not, what is the one thing you still need from the government to prepare yourselves?

Gove says the government has followed evidence at every stage. Since the measures taken on Monday, there has been a dramatic decline in public transport use and footfall, and the majority are following the advice. The data will be shared in the spirit of transparency.

Stevens says everyone across the NHS is doing everything that could possibly be done and we are getting that support from the government.

Harries says the government has always acted on the science in this unprecedented event. Data changes frequently, so there is a moving agenda on some of the data, but be clear that we have acted on modelling and steadily implemented measures in a way that they are timed appropriately.

Updated

Q There are large numbers of people across the country reliant on food banks and other charitable efforts. Charities are still working but many food banks have closed and donations are down. Many volunteers are over 70 and have been advised to stay home. Is there going to be financial and logistical support for these charities and are any of the 700,000 people who have volunteered to help the NHS being committed to this effort?

Do you regret the bed reductions and the failure to increase nurse training numbers during your tenure, which left the NHS in a position where it entered this crisis with its critical care bed base among the worst in Europe and the UK having the lowest number of nurses and doctors per head amongst developed nations, according to the OECD. Isn’t the lesson from this crisis that the NHS needs more capacity at all times if it’s going to be ready to deal with this kind of surge in demand and it can’t be made to operate with no slack as has happened under your watch?

Gove says the volunteer networks being set up across the country are ensuring that we can match volunteers who are willing to do shopping and to hand food to those vulnerable people who are staying at home or may not have the social networks to get the food they need.

Oliver Dowden, at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, is looking at a specific fund to support charities in the work they do – more will be said about this in the coming days.

Stevens says the NHS needs more staff and hospital beds over the next 5-10 years.

Updated

NHS Nightingale hospital will have capacity for up to 4,000 patients if needed

Q You can’t guarantee that the PM and health secretary won’t become more poorly at the moment the country most needs them to lead. Why weren’t they – and the chief medical officer – better protected. Isn’t this at best careless, and at worst negligent.

The new London hospital will have 500 beds by next week. How much spare capacity is there in London’s critical care beds today, how much do you expect that to change over the weekend and do you anticipate you’ll be over capacity by next week.

How many NHS staff are currently unable to work because they are either unwell or self-isolating.

Gove says the fact that the virus does not discriminate is one of the reasons we need to have strict social distancing measures. We aim to flatten the curve, reduce the rate of infection to ensure the NHS can be protected. It is a reminder that we need to take seriously the advice the NHS has been giving us.

Stevens says as of yesterday there were just under 3,000 available hospital beds across London. The NHS Nightingale hospital [in east London] is being configured initially to be able to look after up to 500 patients, but there is the physical capacity to potentially take that up to 4,000 if required.

Staff testing to be rolled out across NHS next week

Q What is the plan should the prime minister not be able to continue to work?

What is the system for testing people in government who are dealing with this crisis?

Gove says Johnson’s symptoms are only mild and he is still able to videoconference.

Harries says the primary objective of testing is to ensure clinical cases are managed safely. Those patients admitted to intensive care with acute respiratory disease syndrome or with pneumonia are the ones we are focusing on. For other admissions into hospitals with those conditions, we test routinely. Also in some other specific areas where people are at high risk, like care homes.

The basis for this is you must have clinical symptoms. The default is that without this you would not be tested. The only other factor would be the centrality of your role in the Covid-19 response. The prime minister plays a very critical role in that and that is the basis for our testing.

Stevens says it is urgently important to test frontline staff who are off sick or are self-isolating. The number of tests carried out will be doubled by the end of next week compared to this week.

We will be rolling out staff testing across the NHS, starting next week with critical care nurses and other staff in intensive care, emergency departments, ambulance services, GPs; and as the testing volumes continue to increase we want to expand that to a range of essential public workers, including those in our social care services and continuing with the patient testing.

Updated

'The virus does not discriminate, we are all at risk,' says Gove

Q: The prime minister and health secretary have coronavirus and the chief medical officer is in isolation. People may take this as you haven’t been taking your own advice or you maybe acted too slowly when it came to stopping the spread.

We’ve had cancer patients getting in touch very worried about the postponement or cancellation of their treatments.

Can you be more precise about the peak of this outbreak.

Gove says the fact that the prime minister and the health secretary have contracted the virus is a reminder that the virus does not discriminate. We are all at risk and that is why it is so important that we all practise social distancing measures.

Stevens says NHS England wants urgent cancer treatments to continue but specialists should have the opportunity to decide whether it is more risky to embark on treatment at this particular time given that you are more vulnerable to infection if you begin a course of treatment and become immuno-compromised as a result. Those are clinical decisions to be taken.

We have also reached an agreement with independent hospitals that cancer care can take place there rather than at the busy hospitals treating coronavirus patients, he says.

Harries says it would be foolish to predict when the peak is expected as we are yet to see how effective physical distancing measures have been. There is some indication the public are now heeding advice and must continue to do so. We don’t expect to see a significant change in numbers for two to three weeks. Data is being monitored daily and when there is a prediction it will be shared.

Updated

Two further NHS Nightingale hospitals to be built in Birmingham and Manchester

Simon Stevens says that as of today more than 6,200 confirmed positive coronavirus patients are in hospitals across England and that number is only bound to rise over the coming days, so it is especially important for people to stay at home.

NHS England has reconfigured hospital services so that 33,000 hospital beds are available to treat further patients.

The NHS is also building new hospitals starting with the NHS Nightingale hospital in east London. Stevens confirms he has given the go-ahead to the building of two further hospitals: in the Birmingham NEC and the Manchester CCC, with further such hospitals to follow.

Updated

Testing to be extended to frontline workers, with hundreds to be carried out this weekend

Gove has announced that a “new alliance” of businesses, research institutes and universities has been brought together by the government to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.

This will be antigen testing – testing whether people currently have the disease – so that health and social care workers can have security and knowledge that they are safe to return to work if their test is negative.

These tests will be trialled for people on the frontline starting immediately, with hundreds to take place by the end of the weekend, and the number increasing dramatically next week.

Updated

Rate of infection doubling every 3-4 days

Michael Gove gives the following update.

113,777 people have now been tested for Covid-19; of those 14,543 have tested positive, an increase in the last day of 2,885.

The rate of infection has been doubling every three to four days and of those who have contracted the virus, 759 have died.

He says the figures illustrate the need for us all to act. Strict physical distancing measures should be observed in order to slow the spread of the virus and strengthen the NHS.

This is a united national effort and the selflessness shown by so many is truly inspiring.

Updated

Daily coronavirus news briefing

Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, will lead the daily coronavirus press conference shortly.

Alongside him will be Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, and Simon Stevens, the CEO of NHS England.

Updated

Director of Liberty calls coronavirus law biggest attack on Britons’ freedoms in a generation

Among various measures, the act, which passed on Wednesday, gives police powers to detain people and forcibly test people they suspect may be infectious, removes protections for those detained under the Mental Health Act, and weakens judicial oversight of surveillance.

Already on Thursday, the Guardian reported how police in North Yorkshire were proposing to set up road blocks to restrict people’s movements, while Derbyshire police used a drone to shame people who had driven to remote parts of the Peak District to exercise during the lockdown.

In a statement about the new law, Martha Spurrier, the director of Liberty, said:

This new law is without doubt the biggest restriction on our individual and collective freedoms in a generation. What people may not realise is the extent of its powers, and how long they can be in place for.

It gives the authorities new powers to detain any one of us that they believe could be infected with the coronavirus.

It also removes vital safeguards in care standards, leaving many people who are already at risk, such as disabled people, at further risk, not only of poor care but also of potentially inhumane treatment.

While change is necessary, and some of the measures outlined in this legislation are entirely sensible, others are overbearing and, if left unchecked, could create more problems than they solve.

The breadth of this legislation is also extraordinary. It runs to more than 300 pages and includes some spectacular restrictions, including powers to rearrange or cancel elections.

We’ll beat this virus, but these measures must be a last resort in that battle and these powers must be removed as soon as possible. We cannot and must not sacrifice all of our hard-won rights and freedoms.

Updated

Prof Chris Whitty self-isolating with Covid-19 symptoms

Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is self-isolating for the next seven days after experiencing symptoms of coronavirus last night.

Updated

Usage of BT’s broadband network dropped by 10-15% in the minutes before and after 8pm last night, while BBC iPlayer traffic fell by almost 30% in the same period, as the nation stopped what it was doing to clap and cheer its support for the NHS and care workers, according to figures seen by the Guardian.

At the same time, traffic on BT’s mobile network rose by about the same amount, reflecting a spike in the number of people streaming and videoing their neighbourhoods breaking into applause.

The same pattern was seen across multiple providers, including Virgin Media which also saw a sharp fall in downstream traffic at 8pm, soon followed by a sharp rise in upload traffic when people shared videos with friends and family on social media – leading to an all-time record amount of upload traffic on the Virgin Media network.

Updated

The Duchess of Cornwall has issued a message to those at greater risk of domestic abuse due to the current lockdown.

In a statement shared by Clarence House on Twitter, Camilla said:

Even if you cannot leave your home, you can call the national domestic abuse helpline or contact one of the domestic violence charities. Please stay safe and get help.

She said those in immediate danger should call 999 and others could call on a range of charities and other resources to stay safe, including Safe Lives, Refuge and Women’s Aid.

Concerns have been raised that more than 150 companies in Greater Manchester have flouted social distancing rules in the past two days.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said he received about 300 complaints after he invited members of the public and employees to contact him confidentially if they felt a business was not following Public Health England guidelines.

He is calling on the Government to tighten safety guidelines further and issue a clear ruling to end all non-essential work, in an effort to protect key workers and reinforce its Stay At Home message.

In a Guardian exclusive, Harry Davies reveals that the Department of Health dismissed calls for providing NHS staff with certain protective gear – now needed for the coronavirus pandemic – in 2017 because stockpiling it was too expensive.

Documents show that officials working under former health secretary Jeremy Hunt told medical advisers three years ago to “reconsider” a formal recommendation that eye protection should be provided to all healthcare professionals who have close contact with pandemic influenza patients.

The expert advice was watered down after an “economic assessment” found a medical recommendation about providing visors or safety glasses to all hospital, ambulance and social care staff who have close contact with pandemic influenza patients would “substantially increase” the costs of stockpiling.

The documents may help explain a devastating shortage of protective gear in the NHS that is hampering efforts by medical staff to manage the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Read the full story here.

This is from HuffPost UK’s Paul Waugh

Wales has announced that Year 12 pupils (taking AS-levels) and Year 10 pupils (sitting GCSEs a year early) will be awarded grades by assessment the same way as those taking A-levels and GCSEs, and won’t be required to sit the exams once the coronavirus crisis ends. Next year those now in Y11 will have the option to base their A-levels grades entirely on their 2021 exams.

It’s an important step since in Wales AS-levels remain a key module of A-levels, unlike in England where they were decoupled in Michael Gove’s reforms as education secretary.

Kirsty Williams, the education minister for Wales, said:

In these unprecedented times, it’s vital we provide as much certainty to young people as we can, especially those who were due to sit important exams this summer. This has not been an easy decision, but I’m confident these measures for Years 10 and 12 are the best way forward and will provide clarity for those students who were anxious about how their hard work would be recognised.

In England no decision has yet been announced, although Ofqual, the exam regulator, is to publish “detailed information” on its replacement methods of assessment next week.

For those taking unregulated qualifications such as IGCSEs and Pre-U A-level equivalents through Cambridge Assessment, the exam board said today it will announce details on 31 March:

Schools will be asked to collaborate with us to ensure that candidates’ grades are based on a range of evidence.

Updated

Confirmed cases of coronavirus in prisons rise by more than 40% in 24 hours

The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 among inmates at prisons has risen by more than 40% in 24 hours, a daily update from the Ministry of Justice has revealed.

As at 1pm on Thursday, there were 27 prisoners who had tested positive for Covid-19 across 14 prisons, compared with 19 confirmed cases at the same time on Wednesday.

There are around 83,000 prisoners in England and Wales in 117 prisons. The number of prison staff who have tested positive rose from four to five in the same period, while the number of infected prisoner escort and custody services (Pecs) staff rose from three to four.

The first death of a prisoner from Covid-19 was confirmed on Thursday; an 84-year-old sex offender died in hospital and had underlying health conditions.

Prisons are continuing to run under an “exceptional delivery model”, which includes no visits to any jails in England and Wales.

The justice secretary, Robert Buckland, is considering the early release of some prisoners as a potential option to alleviate the impact of the crisis in the prisons.

Updated

The UK’s first domestic disaster emergency appeal, launched to coordinate voluntary fundraising for frontline charities helping vulnerable people cope with the social impact of coronavirus, has raised £12.5m in its first week, our social policy editor, Patrick Butler, reports.

The initial phase of funding will focus on helping relieve food insecurity, with grants for groups delivering supplies to economically disadvantaged households, as well as organisations working with vulnerable and isolated older and disabled people.

Get the full story here.

The family of a disabled boy who has been “stuck” in hospital unnecessarily for a year have been evicted from their temporary accommodation by the charity division of McDonald’s because of coronavirus concerns, our northern editor, Helen Pidd, reports.

The boy’s local MP, Lucy Powell for Manchester Central, described the incident as “extremely disappointing” and said she was “pretty disgusted” after the family was asked on Wednesday night to leave Ronald McDonald House, a block of flats opposite the Royal Manchester children’s hospital that houses families while their child is in hospital, funded by McDonald’s.

Ten-year-old Ahmed developed a cough this week and was tested for coronavirus. At the time of the family’s eviction the results had not come back, but on Thursday the hospital said he had tested negative.

You can read the full story here.

Updated

Temporary mortuary to be opened at Birmingham Airport

A temporary mortuary is to be opened at Birmingham airport in preparation for a predicted rise in the number of fatalities from coronavirus in the region.

Work has begun on the site, which will initially be able to hold 1,500 bodies, although it will be expanded to hold more.

West Midlands police said it anticipated that the mortuary could ultimately accommodate all deaths in the region, with regular mortuaries likely to close to staff the facility.

Senior Birmingham coroner Louise Hunt said:

We understand that it is a very difficult time for everyone and we will do all that we can to make sure bereaved families understand what is happening to their loved ones and to release them for funeral as soon as we can.

On Wednesday, the West Midlands saw another surge in coronavirus-related deaths after emerging as a hotspot for transmissions of the virus.

Of the 115 new deaths reported across the country in yesterday’s update, 40 were recorded in the West Midlands.

The total number of deaths across the Midlands is 112. Eighteen of the people who died had been treated by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust.

Assistant Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine from West Midlands police chairs the Strategic Co-ordination Group (SCG) which oversees the multi-agency response:

The SCG - made up of key agencies across West Midlands and Warwickshire - convenes every day to manage the multi-agency response to coronavirus.

This is a major incident but by bringing all public sector agencies and partners together we are able to better deal with this challenge together and work jointly at a critical time of need.

Updated

Liverpool football club’s manager, Jürgen Klopp, has said he was moved to tears by footage of NHS staff singing You’ll Never Walk Alone and hopes the response to the coronavirus pandemic will generate greater solidarity across the world.

In his first full interview since the Premier League season was suspended on 13 March, Klopp said any problems he may have – such as when football may resume and Liverpool may win the league – are “embarrassing” compared with the global crisis.

He paid tribute to the frontline medical workers putting themselves at risk to treat the sick, many of whom have sung the Liverpool anthem while on duty:

They bring themselves, if you want, in danger because they help ill, sick and seriously handicapped people, so I couldn’t admire them more and appreciate it more.

Our football correspondent, Andy Hunter, has the full story.

Updated

Gatwick Airport to close North terminal for at least a month

Gatwick Airport is to close one of its two terminals next week and only operate flights in an eight-hour window every day – between 2pm and 10pm – with most passenger air travel now suspended.

London’s second-biggest airport said the unprecedented move was necessary to protect staff and the business as revenues all but vanish.

The North terminal will close from Wednesday for at least the next month. Any remaining passengers due to travel are advised to contact their airline.

Airports and airlines had been holding out for assistance from the Treasury to maintain operations, but were told on Monday that no specific measures for aviation would be forthcoming.

Updated

Former Sunderland councillor and union activist Margaret Beck has died after contracting coronavirus.

Seaburn Dene Primary School, in Sunderland, said on Twitter on Friday:

Long-standing school governor and friend to our school Margaret Beck died today in hospital after a brave fight against the coronavirus.

Mrs Beck was admitted to Sunderland Royal Hospital on Wednesday and passed away this morning. She was an active and passionate advocate for our school … We will miss her and her input into school life.

Julie Elliott, Labour MP for Sunderland Central, posted:

So very sad to learn that former Cllr for Fulwell Margaret Beck has lost her fight against coronavirus this morning - my thoughts are with Dick, Teresa and all the family.

Updated

Deaths in England rise by 168 to 689

A further 168 people in England who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 689, the NHS said.

The patients were aged between 29 and 98 years old and all but four - aged between 82 and 91 - had underlying health conditions. Their families have been informed.

Three further deaths in Northern Ireland, bringing total to 13

Three more people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland have died, bringing the total number of such deaths in the country to 13, health officials said.

In the last 24 hours, 34 new cases of coronavirus have been identified, bringing the total number to 275.

Updated

Deaths in UK rise by 181 to 759

As of 9am today, 113,777 people have been tested in the UK: 99,198 proving negative, 14,579 positive.

As of 5pm yesterday, of those hospitalised in the UK, 759 have died.

That is a rise of 181 deaths, up from 578, and is the highest daily increase so far.

Updated

Death toll in Wales rises by six to 34

A further six people have died in Wales after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total deaths there to 34, Public Health Wales has said.

Buckingham Palace today announced that this year’s Trooping the Colour - the annual military parade to mark the Queen’s official birthday - will now “not go ahead in its traditional form”.

The ceremony, which takes place on Horseguards Parade in central London and is performed by regiments from the British and Commonwealth armies, was due to be held on 13 June.

Following the ceremony, the royal family traditionally makes a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Friday:

In line with Government advice, it has been agreed that The Queen’s Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, will not go ahead in its traditional form.

A number of other options are being considered, in line with relevant guidance.

Updated

Following news that councils in England have been asked to house all rough sleepers by the weekend, both Edinburgh and Glasgow councils are moving rough sleepers off the street into hotel rooms and repurposed student flats where they can self-isolate easily, using extra funding from the Scottish government.

Street homelessness has been significantly reduced in Scotland since 2001 when the Scottish parliament passed legislation requiring councils to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all applicants assessed as being homeless.

But Shelter Scotland is concerned that the lockdown measures may inadvertently result in the criminalisation of rough sleepers who have yet to find emergency accommodation, and has called on the Scottish government to protect them from penalties and give accommodation regardless of immigration status.

Shelter Scotland is also calling for more radical steps to be taken to fulfil the urgent need for comfortable places to continue self isolation. “We must make use of of Airbnbs, other private lets, and second homes in good condition that are not currently occupied to ensure people have a safe, secure place to stay throughout this crisis. Requisitioning them if necessary.”

Police talk to a homeless man on Princess Street in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Police talk to a homeless man on Princess Street in Edinburgh on Thursday. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Updated

More than half of all courts and tribunals will be closed to the public from next week as the Ministry of Justice limits the number of physical hearings to avoid transmission of coronavirus infections.

All housing repossession actions are to be suspended immediately and the suspension will last for at least 90 days. Immigration and asylum cases have also been halted.

Only urgent cases will go ahead in the rest of the courts system unless they can be heard remotely via video or telephone links. No new jury trials will start.

A total of 157 priority court and tribunal buildings will remain open for “essential face-to-face” hearings - which represents 42% of the 370 crown, magistrates, county and family courts in England and Wales. The MoJ has published the list of those staying open.

Announcing the changes, the justice secretary, Robert Buckland, said:

We are facing an unprecedented challenge and the government’s absolute priority is to save lives and protect the NHS. With each part of our justice system - from police to probation - dependent on one another, it is vital that we keep our courts running.”

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, said: “An extraordinary amount of hard work has gone into keeping our justice system functioning. Technology is being used creatively to ensure that many cases can continue.”

Reacting to the restrictions, Simon Davis, president of the Law Society said:

Balancing safety with the need to keep the wheels of justice turning is incredibly difficult. We recognise that it is impossible for HMCTS to maintain a full complement of courts open to the public at this time; in some courts it is challenging to ensure that people can maintain social distancing. This was already posing health risks that have been of serious concern to the legal professionals trying to help the public in need.”

Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar, said:

In the face of this extraordinary pandemic, it makes sense to consolidate our constrained resources to keep the justice system on track. It is in the public interest that justice keeps going and..... we welcome the use of remote hearings.

Updated

The government has just updated its guidance on access to green spaces. They are now telling people to “stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily”.

The update came after police forces used drones and roadblocks to deter members of the public from driving to beauty spots and national parks in order to walk their dogs and take exercise.

Walkers out in Battersea Park on Thursday, during the country’s lockdown.
Walkers out in Battersea Park on Thursday, during the country’s lockdown. Photograph: Guy Bell/REX/Shutterstock

Note the government is still not explicitly outlawing driving somewhere but is obviously trying to discourage people from making unnecessary journeys.

The guidance now says:

  • stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily
  • you should only go outside alone or with members of your own household
  • keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household at all times
  • gatherings of more than two in parks or other public spaces have been banned and the police will enforce this
  • if you have a garden, make use of the space for exercise and fresh air
  • take hygiene precautions when you are outside, and wash your hands as soon as you are back indoors

NHS England has refused to comment on whether national medical director Professor Stephen Powis – who gave a press conference alongside Health secretary Matt Hancock on Tuesday – has been tested for coronavirus or is self-isolating.

According to the PA news agency, the service said such comments would be a breach of patient confidentiality.

Politicians from both sides of the spectrum have flocked to send the prime minister and health secretary well wishes after news broke that both had tested positive for Covid-19.

Former chancellor Sajid Javid was one of the first to wish Johnson back to better health on Twitter, adding: “Sending you best wishes from Javid family and Bailey.” While Labour MP Yvette Cooper added that she was “very sorry to hear” the news.

The prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, said: “Take care @BorisJohnson from all of us over here in Oz. Thinking of you and all our UK friends as we work together to get through this.”

Among those sending well wishes to Hancock were MPs Lucy Powell and Steve Baker, and BBC broadcasters Jeremy Vine and Dan Walker.

With increasing numbers of Britons, including the prime minister, now falling ill with Covid-19, the Guardian is looking for people who have tested positive for the coronavirus and recovered to tell us how they got through the illness.

So if you have been diagnosed with coronavirus and have shaken it off, or are on the mend, and would like to share your experience, please get in contact Damien Gayle, a Guardian national news reporter, on email at damien.gayle@theguardian.com, or via Twitter direct message to @damiengayle. Please include a phone number.

You can also get in touch via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding the contact +44(0)7867825056. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions.

Police say they have started issuing fines to people suspected of breaking the government lockdown.

At a briefing by the National Police Chiefs Council, police said some fines were issued since emergency laws came into place on Thursday.

They could not say how many fines had been issued, but are understood to relate to people gathering in groups of more than two people.

Fines are £30 if paid within 14 days, rising to £60. The NPCC said they had just completed guidance to officers about what the laws mean.

Police using a drone to target those visiting beauty spots and checkpoints led to concerns overnight of heavy handed policing.

Updated

A few more points from the Scottish government’s daily briefing:

Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that her government is developing a national portal where people can register to volunteer, and specify their particular skills. She said that there were plenty of opportunities for members of the public to help, for example taking supplies to vulnerable people, but that she wanted people to be able to volunteer safely.

She also announced that, as of Monday, the briefings would take place via video conferencing, rather than face to face, just as the UK government has switched too.

Pressed on the guidance for exercise, particularly after Derbyshire police used drone footage to publicly shame walkers in the Peak District, CMO Catherine Calderwood offered a very slightly more relaxed message.

Calderwood has emphasised the importance of exercise for both physical and mental wellbeing from the start of the crisis, and today said that family groups could travel together in cars for short distances to exercise, but again reiterated the guidance to stay as close to home as possible.

The Royal Mint is to start manufacturing medical visors for the NHS after developing a successful prototype to help protect frontline care workers in just 48 hours. The first batch of visors are already in use at The Royal Glamorgan hospital in South Wales.

Usually known for making coins, bullion and gifts, the Royal Mint has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Llantrisant, South Wales. Engineers were keen to support NHS workers, and began searching for medical equipment which could be easily produced on site.

The team found a rudimentary design for a medical visor online, and began developing high-specification prototypes – turning the concept into an approved design in just 48 hours.

The visors will initially be made available to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Wales, but The Royal Mint says it can produce thousands per day subject to securing enough raw components. It is now appealing for manufacturers across the UK to help source 1.0mm PET clear plastic which is currently in low supply (visors@royalmint.com).

Leighton John, director of operations for the Royal Mint, said:

My sister works for the NHS and it really focuses your mind on the challenges they are facing, and the opportunity we have to support them.

On Wednesday at 9am we knew nothing about medical visors, but we set our engineers the task of developing essential medical equipment which could be easily made on site – within seven hours they’d created a medical visor, and within 48 hours it was approved for mass manufacture. We’ll shortly post the specifications on our website to enable other firms to make them too.

We are now developing the production line, and urgently calling for help to source 1.0mm PET clear plastic which is in low supply across the UK. We believe firms will have this in stock, and we’d urge them to get in touch with us so we can continue to support our NHS.

Updated

If you are one of the thousands of people who volunteered to help the NHS during the crisis, you don’t need to tell your car insurer, the Association of British Insurers, has just said.

Using your own car for voluntary purposes to transport medicines or groceries to support others who are impacted by Covid-19, will not impact your cover, it said.

Many insurers normally restrict domestic car insurance policies to “social domestic and pleasure” or to and from work, but ban cover for deliveries unless you pay significantly higher premiums.

More than half a million people signed up to help, with many using their own cars. You do not need to contact your insurer to update your documents or extend your cover.

“This applies to all categories of NHS Volunteer Responders, including transporting patients, equipment, or other essential supplies,” the ABI said.

Updated

The prime minister’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, was seen running from Downing Street around the same time that Boris Johnson announced to the nation he had contracted Covid-19 on Friday.

In the footage, captured by BBC and Sky news cameras, Cummings flees from a back gate with a rucksack.

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed that he had also tested positive shortly after.

Updated

Updated

Matt Hancock tests positive

Following the news that the prime minister, Boris Johnson, has tested positive for coronavirus, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, has also confirmed he has the virus.

Hancock said he had received medical advice to take a test after experiencing “mild symptoms”, but would “hopefully” be able to end his self-isolation period next Thursday.

Updated

Nicola Sturgeon has announced the highest number of daily deaths from coronavirus in Scotland since the pandemic began – eight people died in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths to 33. There are now 1,059 testing positive for the virus, although the first minister reminded reporters that this is likely to be a significant underestimate.

Sturgeon said: “We’re just entering first weekend in lockdown so we must all of us continue to reach out and support each other in every way we can, even as we keep our physical distance from each other.” Speaking directly to children and young people, she acknowledged how difficult it was facing a weekend stuck at home, and encouraged them to have fun and to FaceTime their grandparents.

Sturgeon also acknowledged the strain that isolation was placing on people’s mental health, and announced an additional £3.8m into the NHS mental health support services, in particular for phone lines and web support.

Scotland’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, said that she estimates 65,000 people in Scotland now have the virus, an increase of 15,000 from yesterday. She said that rates would not be decreasing “for some weeks to come”.

Scots now face fines of up to £60 for failing to following isolation guidance, with £30 on-the-spot fines. On Thursday evening, Police Scotland’s Air Support Unit tweeted that they had issued tickets to four young people who were gathering in Pollok Park in Glasgow.

Updated

More than 60 cross-party MPs have signed a letter to the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, calling on him to arrange charter flights to bring home British nationals who are stranded abroad.

Many British nationals have complained to MPs of receiving little to no consular support and say there is a lack of clear advice from the Foreign Office. The cost of commercial flights has skyrocketed leaving those unable to pay for new flights trapped.

Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester Gorton, said there were a significant number of British nationals stuck in Pakistan.

Khan said:

I have been contacted by a number of constitutes who are growing increasingly anxious about being unable to return home to the UK.

Many have serious underlying health conditions and are running low on essential medication which is only adding to their anxieties. We are calling on the Government to do more to bring British citizens home to safety.

The coronavirus lockdown has led to big drops in air pollution across the country’s major cities, our environment editor, Damian Carrington, reports.

Levels of toxic pollutants were likely to fall even further, scientists said, as traffic remained off the roads but prevailing westerly winds from the Atlantic returned.

Clear skies over the City of London, where the coronavirus outbreak has had a hugely positive impact on the environment and levels of pollution.
Clear skies over the City of London, where the coronavirus outbreak has had a hugely positive impact on the environment and levels of pollution. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

The data shows drops in tiny particle pollution of a third to a half in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, falls of about quarter in Manchester, York and Belfast, with smaller declines in Glasgow and Newcastle. For nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, the data also shows declines of a third to a half in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, and drops of 10-20% in the other cities.

You can read the full story here.

Deaths in Scotland rise by eight to 33

Another eight coronavirus patients in Scotland have died, bringing the total there to 33, the first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

She added that the number of people who had tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland had risen by 165 from Thursday’s total, from 894 to 1,059, and that 72 patients with coronavirus symptoms are in intensive care units.

Updated

Boris Johnson will self-isolate for seven days in No 11 Downing Street. His meals will be left outside the door for him so he won’t come into contact with others.

This is from our Kate Proctor:

Updated

Jo Wood has said that her brother has died after contracting Covid-19.

The 65-year-old, who is the ex-wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, said she was “heartbroken” over the death of 61-year-old Paul Karslake, of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.

A statement posted on the Instagram page of artist Mr Karslake said that he was taken to hospital with breathing problems on Sunday and died on Monday.

It described him as a “fantastic husband, a wonderful father, an amazing family man and an excellent friend to all”.

Updated

The Henley Festival has been postponed until July 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The black-tie music festival was due to take place from 8-12 July. It will now return next year with the full 2020 line-up including headliners James Blunt, Madness and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

According to the Court Circular, the Queen last saw Boris Johnson when he had his weekly audience with her on 11 March. Since then his weekly audience with her has been conducted by telephone.

A spokesman said:

Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health, The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on March 11 and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare.

Buckingham Palace has so far declined to comment on whether the Queen, who will be 94 next month, has been tested for Covid-19. She remains at Windsor Castle.

Prince Charles, who last saw his mother in person on 12 March, was tested on Monday and found to have coronavirus.

This is from ITV’s Chris Ship:

Updated

And here is some reaction from fellow politicians, wishing the Prime Minister and his family well following the news that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

From the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn

From the former foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt

From the first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford

From the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

From the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham

From the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott

From the shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth

And from the leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford

Updated

On Twitter commentators are reacting to the news that Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus.

From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn

The Prime Minister has not yet said whether he is staying with his partner, Carrie Symonds, who is several months pregnant.

From HuffPost UK’s Jess Brammar

From the Daily Mirror’s Pippa Crerar

From BuzzFeed’s Matthew Champion

From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg

Updated

A Downing Street spokeswoman said:

After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty. The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. He is continuing to lead the government’s response to coronavirus.

The full story here.

In a video posted on Twitter minutes ago, the prime minister, Boris Johnson, confirmed he had developed mild symptoms – “a temperature and persistent cough” – over the last 24 hours and, on the advice of the chief medical officer, he took a test which returned positive for coronavirus.

Johnson, 55, said he was now self-isolating and working from home. He said thanks to “the wizardry of modern technology” he would continue to lead the national fightback against the virus.

He thanked the NHS and everybody working to keep the country going through the pandemic and remained confident the UK would beat the virus. He reiterated that staying at home was fundamental to stopping the spread of the virus.

He wrote on Twitter:

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives

Updated

Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has tested positive for coronavirus, the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg reports.

He has mild symptoms and will self-isolate in Downing Street, and will remain in charge of the government’s handling of the crisis.

Updated

In an effort to avoid a repeat of last weekend, when thousands of tourists descended on the Lake District, Cumbria police have warned people not to travel to the area this weekend as the national park is closed.

Anyone travelling to the Lakes can expect to be stopped and asked if their travel is essential and risk getting fined, the force said.

The force also reiterated in a post on Twitter that daily exercise should take place in your local area around your home, not travelling to a different area by car.

Updated

Domino’s sales have jumped in the past week as demand for takeaways has surged with customers in self-isolation during the pandemic.

The pizza business said trading has “accelerated” over the past week despite moving to a delivery-only model.

To address the rise in demand, Domino’s is also looking to hire additional store colleagues and delivery drivers. Details on their website.

Tesco has limited its online shoppers to a maximum of 80 items per order in an effort to get more deliveries out at a time.

The supermarket is also urging people who are able to continue shopping in-store, so that delivery slots can be freed up for those who are most vulnerable, many of whom are struggling to secure slots as demand has surged.

A spokesman for Tesco said:

We know that it’s difficult to get a delivery slot for online shopping at the moment due to high demand, and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable.

We’re looking at every opportunity to increase the number of slots available and by introducing a limit of 80 items per online order we’ll be able to get more orders on to each van, helping us to ensure all customers can get the essentials they need.

Just Eat has just shared a snapshot of the huge drop in traffic on its platform before 8pm last night, as the UK geared up for going outside to #clapforourcarers.

The food delivery website is offering “contactless delivery” so that households who are self-isolating can have meals delivered to their door without having to make contact with the person delivering it.

Updated

A group of doctors have set up a crowdfunder to get vital personal protective equipment (PPE) to medics who are dealing with coronavirus cases, amid concerns that trusts are struggling to protect frontline workers due to a lack of supplies.

Dr Mona Barzin and Dr Salaj Masand, among others, published a page online that reads:

We are a group of colleagues (doctors in hospitals and GPs), who have set up this initiative to source PPE for those who need it most in our fight against coronavirus.

They added:

Unfortunately current hospital supplies are not sufficient and while we are reassured the government is doing everything it can, healthcare workers on the frontline are risking themselves daily without adequate protection to care for sick patients.

Healthcare workers on the frontline without PPE is the equivalent of going to war without armour and protection.

The page explained that PPE includes face masks, visors, surgical gowns and gloves.

The group said it had procured details of a number of internationally reputable suppliers of PPE, including those cross-referenced by the UK embassy.

They are trying to raise money to buy the equipment directly from global supply chains and donate supplies directly to NHS hospitals in need.

NHS England and the government have made a major effort since the weekend to address concerns about protective gear. The army has been called in to help deliver millions of pieces of PPE and 200 hospitals were due to receive extra kit overnight on Tuesday.

However, doctors say deliveries are not arriving soon enough, and groups representing frontline staff say doctors could quit over the issue.

So far, the page has raised £3,415 since being launched yesterday evening.

Here is a link to the page.

Updated

English councils asked to house all rough sleepers 'by the weekend'

Here is more on the story that the government has written to local authorities in England asking them to house all people sleeping rough, and those in hostels and night shelters, by the weekend.

The letter from MHCLG reads:

As you know, this is a public health emergency. We are all redoubling our efforts to do what we possibly can at this stage to ensure that everybody is inside and safe by this weekend, and we stand with you in this.

These are unusual times so I’m asking for an unusual effort. Many areas of the country have already been able to ‘safe harbour’ their people which is incredible. What we need to do now though is work out how we can get ‘everyone in’.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, called it a “landmark moment”. He added:

Questions remain about how local councils will be supported to do this, and whether additional funding, or assistance securing hotel rooms, will be made available. We also need to see a package of support so that, when the outbreak subsides, the outcome is not that people return to the streets.

The government has committed to ending rough sleeping by 2025 – this proves it can be done in 2020 if we make it the priority it deserves to be.

Updated

Retired Met police officers asked to return

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Cressida Dick, is writing to former officers who have retired within the last five years asking them to rejoin the force as it tries to cope with the coronavirus outbreak.

Former PCs and sergeants will be offered work in a paid or voluntary capacity. The force also wants those nearing retirement to consider staying on.

The BBC has more on this story.

Dick said:

Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see the Met is here for them.

I am hopeful that these exceptionally experienced and knowledgeable former colleagues choose to come and be part of our team and support London at this extraordinary time - either as a re-employed police officer, special constable or a volunteer.

Updated

Metro Bank has joined a growing number of providers in offering customers temporary relief on overdraft charges, PA reports.

The bank said personal current account customers would not be charged any interest for using their overdraft for a period running from the start of March until the end of June.

This applies to both new and existing customers. It will happen automatically and customers do not need to contact the bank.

Here is a round-up of what other providers have announced:

Yesterday, Nationwide Building Society said it would not charge overdraft interest from 20 April until 1 July for those financially affected by Covid-19.

Barclays UK said overdraft interest would be waived from 27 March to the end of April, meaning no charges for customers to use their agreed overdraft.

Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland have announced that from 6 April, customers will be able to access a £300 interest-free overdraft.

And as of yesterday, HSBC UK introduced a temporary £300 interest-free buffer on overdrafts for customers with its Bank Account and Advance Account for a period of three months.

Updated

The Labour MP Angela Rayner announced on Twitter that she is self-isolating as a result of experiencing coronavirus symptoms. She urged everybody to remember to stay at home to save lives at this time.

Updated

In true silver linings spirit, council workers have taken advantage of the empty streets to repaint the iconic Abbey Road zebra crossing featured on the cover of the 1969 Beatles album.

A maintenance team takes advantage of the lockdown and quiet streets to re-paint the iconic Abbey Road crossing.
A maintenance team takes advantage of the lockdown and quiet streets to re-paint the iconic Abbey Road crossing. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

You can read the full story from our deputy music editor, Laura Snapes, here.

Good morning. Councils in England have been asked to house all rough sleepers by the weekend, Sky News is reporting, though the government has yet to confirm this. The charity Crisis, which supports the homeless, told Sky the “unprecedented” move was made in a letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to local authorities yesterday.

It follows heartwarming scenes last night as people took to their front doors and windows to applaud, whoop, bang on cooking pots, let off fireworks and toot their car horns in a collective act of gratitude for those in the NHS working on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus. More than 670,660 people have now signed up to serve as NHS volunteers.

Meanwhile, the economic impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt as the housing market was effectively suspended last night. The government warned that house buyers should postpone their completion dates and anyone in the early stages of buying or selling a property should delay purchases. The Times (paywall) has the story.

Also, following Rishi Sunak’s awaited announcement of an income support scheme for the self-employed yesterday, food manufacturers, who desperately need labour, have actually suggested the chancellor’s bailout package might have the unintended consequence of causing serious shortages. This is because it means furloughed workers are unable to plug gaps in production lines as that would mean losing out on receiving the 80% contribution to their old salaries. Buzzfeed’s Alex Wickham has the story.

Parliament is not sitting today and has risen early for the Easter recess.

We will be covering all UK coronavirus developments throughout the day. You can read all the latest Guardian coronavirus articles here, you can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here and here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news.

If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @lucy_campbell_.

Updated

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