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Coronavirus live updates: stock markets plunge as infections pass 110,000 | Coronavirus live updates: stock markets plunge as infections pass 110,000 |
(32 minutes later) | |
With cases spiking sharply across Europe and emergency measures in place from California to Saudi Arabia, investors have sent shares tumbling | With cases spiking sharply across Europe and emergency measures in place from California to Saudi Arabia, investors have sent shares tumbling |
Dr David Nabarro, one of the World Health Organisation’s six special envoys on coronavirus, has said the government is likely to be considering restrictions on religious and community gatherings to help delay the spread of the disease. The PA news agency reports that he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | |
Dr Nabarro added: | |
The family of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian dual national imprisoned in Iran, say she has been seen by a doctor and advised that her condition is likely to improve. They announced a week ago that they believed she had contracted coronavirus in Tehran’s Evin prison, where she is serving a jail sentence for espionage, a charge she strenuously denies. The Free Nazanin campaign said in a statement on Sunday night: | |
Her family added that she was still not healthy and was persistently becoming sick even before the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran. | |
Vietnam has suspended its visa-waiver programme for citizens from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain, in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus within its borders. | |
The Guardian’s south-east Asia correspondent, Rebecca Ratcliffe, reports that the announcement follows confirmation of several new cases linked to a flight that arrived in Hanoi from London on 2 March. The country had gone 22 days without reporting any new infections before the new cluster of cases emerged. | |
Seven British citizens are among the 14 new patients to test positive over recent days. Officials have since quarantined tens of passengers from the flight as well as their contacts. | |
The British Foreign Office said it was in contact with authorities in Vietnam over the issue, but did not state how many British citizens were in isolation. As of Sunday, Vietnam reported that it had recorded a total of 30 infections. | |
University Hospital Southampton has closed its surgical high dependency unit to new admissions after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. They said in a statement: | |
The former UK chancellor, George Osborne, has urged the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to use this week’s budget to introduce immediate measures to help individuals and smaller companies cope with the economic shock of the coronavirus, saying he would expect the UK to see an upsurge in cases in the coming weeks. | The former UK chancellor, George Osborne, has urged the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to use this week’s budget to introduce immediate measures to help individuals and smaller companies cope with the economic shock of the coronavirus, saying he would expect the UK to see an upsurge in cases in the coming weeks. |
The Guardian political correspondent Peter Walker reports that Osborne told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | The Guardian political correspondent Peter Walker reports that Osborne told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
Ideas could include direct cash grants to people such as the self-employed, to “create an incentive that if they feel ill they stay at home”, and for smaller businesses with low cash reserves to be let off national insurance or other taxes for a period, Osborne said. | Ideas could include direct cash grants to people such as the self-employed, to “create an incentive that if they feel ill they stay at home”, and for smaller businesses with low cash reserves to be let off national insurance or other taxes for a period, Osborne said. |
The argument over longer-term fiscal rules could be set aide while the economy dealt with “a very short, sharp shock to the system”, he added. | The argument over longer-term fiscal rules could be set aide while the economy dealt with “a very short, sharp shock to the system”, he added. |
Asked if he would be nervous if he was in Sunak’s shoes, Osborne added: | Asked if he would be nervous if he was in Sunak’s shoes, Osborne added: |
Reacting to the news of the third UK death from coronavirus, Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor at the University of Leeds’s Institute of Medical Research, said more such announcements were likely to be made. | Reacting to the news of the third UK death from coronavirus, Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor at the University of Leeds’s Institute of Medical Research, said more such announcements were likely to be made. |
The EU council, the Brussels institution that brings together diplomats and ministers from the member states for policy-making, said this morning it would hold only essential meetings due to coronavirus – and officials have suggested everyone avoid “handshakes and kisses”. | The EU council, the Brussels institution that brings together diplomats and ministers from the member states for policy-making, said this morning it would hold only essential meetings due to coronavirus – and officials have suggested everyone avoid “handshakes and kisses”. |
Meanwhile, the former prime minister of Romania, Dacian Cioloș, who leads the Renew group in the European parliament, is seeking either the suspension of the chamber or a substantial reduction to its agenda. The session this week has already been moved to Brussels rather than Strasbourg because of the epidemic. | Meanwhile, the former prime minister of Romania, Dacian Cioloș, who leads the Renew group in the European parliament, is seeking either the suspension of the chamber or a substantial reduction to its agenda. The session this week has already been moved to Brussels rather than Strasbourg because of the epidemic. |
Iranian state-linked media have announced that 16 people have died from alcohol poisoning in the south-western city of Ahvaz, the latest in a wave of deaths apparently driven by the mistaken belief that alcohol is a vaccine against the coronavirus. Alcohol is banned in the country but is still illegally imported or brewed at home – the latter occasionally resulting in deaths from bad batches. | Iranian state-linked media have announced that 16 people have died from alcohol poisoning in the south-western city of Ahvaz, the latest in a wave of deaths apparently driven by the mistaken belief that alcohol is a vaccine against the coronavirus. Alcohol is banned in the country but is still illegally imported or brewed at home – the latter occasionally resulting in deaths from bad batches. |
The head of Iran’s crisis management authority, Ismail Najjar, is the latest official who has contracted the virus, which has infected 6,500 people according to Iran’s official tally. Nearly 200 people have died, including at least 49 people over the weekend. | The head of Iran’s crisis management authority, Ismail Najjar, is the latest official who has contracted the virus, which has infected 6,500 people according to Iran’s official tally. Nearly 200 people have died, including at least 49 people over the weekend. |
The German government has decided on a raft of measures to soften the blow of the corona irus on Europe’s largest economy, as the number taken ill rose to 1,112 on Monday, reports the Guardian’s Berlin correspondent, Kate Connolly. | The German government has decided on a raft of measures to soften the blow of the corona irus on Europe’s largest economy, as the number taken ill rose to 1,112 on Monday, reports the Guardian’s Berlin correspondent, Kate Connolly. |
The measures include giving bridging loans to businesses and extending their tax payment deadlines as well as partially compensating employers who are forced to introduce reduced working hours to allow them to continue paying their employees’ wages. | The measures include giving bridging loans to businesses and extending their tax payment deadlines as well as partially compensating employers who are forced to introduce reduced working hours to allow them to continue paying their employees’ wages. |
In an emergency meeting that went on into the night, the Christian Democratic Union and their junior partners, the Social Democrats, who make up the grand coalition under Angela Merkel, said the measures – including a €12.4bn state investment package – were meant to ensure that Corona does not completely upend the German economy. | In an emergency meeting that went on into the night, the Christian Democratic Union and their junior partners, the Social Democrats, who make up the grand coalition under Angela Merkel, said the measures – including a €12.4bn state investment package – were meant to ensure that Corona does not completely upend the German economy. |
It has already done considerable damage, with the German stock index, the DAX taking a severe hit, the nation’s flagship airline, Lufthansa forced to cut its flights by half in an attempt to cope with the collapse in ticket sales, and large scale conferences and trade fairs, such as the international tourism fair, the ITB, and the Leipzig Book Fair having been cancelled. Bundesliga matches are likely to soon follow the list of cancelled events, after health minister Jens Spahn yesterday recommended that all gatherings involving 1000 people or more should be banned. | It has already done considerable damage, with the German stock index, the DAX taking a severe hit, the nation’s flagship airline, Lufthansa forced to cut its flights by half in an attempt to cope with the collapse in ticket sales, and large scale conferences and trade fairs, such as the international tourism fair, the ITB, and the Leipzig Book Fair having been cancelled. Bundesliga matches are likely to soon follow the list of cancelled events, after health minister Jens Spahn yesterday recommended that all gatherings involving 1000 people or more should be banned. |
The likelihood that schools and universities in the regions hardest hit – such as the western state of North Rhein Westphalia, which has 484 cases – will close in the coming days is growing, particularly if the number continues to rise. | The likelihood that schools and universities in the regions hardest hit – such as the western state of North Rhein Westphalia, which has 484 cases – will close in the coming days is growing, particularly if the number continues to rise. |
The culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, has been speaking to BBC Breakfast before a meeting organised by his department with sporting bodies and broadcasters. Asked about holding games behind closed doors as is the case in Italy, he said: | The culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, has been speaking to BBC Breakfast before a meeting organised by his department with sporting bodies and broadcasters. Asked about holding games behind closed doors as is the case in Italy, he said: |
He added: | He added: |
The FTSE 100 leading index of shares has plunged more than 8% in early trading as investors react to the oil price war launched by Saudi Arabia overnight, which wiped 30% of the price of a barrel of oil. It is on track for its worst one-day fall since 2008. | The FTSE 100 leading index of shares has plunged more than 8% in early trading as investors react to the oil price war launched by Saudi Arabia overnight, which wiped 30% of the price of a barrel of oil. It is on track for its worst one-day fall since 2008. |
Graeme Wearden has more details on our Business live blog here. | Graeme Wearden has more details on our Business live blog here. |
Today’s Cobra meeting will be attended by senior ministers as well as the chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser. In comments released before the meeting, Boris Johnson said: | |
The government has set up a counter disinformation unit “to protect and secure the UK from interference and disinformation linked to the coronavirus”. The culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, said: | |