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Coronavirus live updates: Italy-wide lockdown comes into force Coronavirus live updates: Italy-wide lockdown comes into force as BA and Ryanair cancel flights
(32 minutes later)
UK and US had worst days trading since 2008 GFC; Global cases near 110,000; Grand Princess passengers disembarkUK and US had worst days trading since 2008 GFC; Global cases near 110,000; Grand Princess passengers disembark
Al Italia is continuing to operate two services between Rome and London Heathrow, airline sources have said.
It is also offering change fee waivers to anyone currently holding tickets for future travel to and from the country. More information here.
Austria is taking drastic measures in response to the nationwide lockdown in its southern neighbour Italy.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz today announced an entry ban for people entering Austria from Italy by car, train or plane, unless they can provide a doctor’s certificate. Controls will be imposed along the border between the two countries.
Austrians currently visiting Italy would be allowed to return home if they agree to a two-week home quarantine.
Cargo transport would be allowed to continue, though additional health checks would be put into place, Kurz said.
So far there have been 157 confirmed infections with the Covid-19 virus in the Alpine state. “The number of infections in Austria is still very low, but the growth rates are enormous”, said Kurz.
“The death rates in Italy are also high. The mortality rate is significantly higher than with the flu. Therefore we have been forced to set measures”.
Further measures put in place in Austria include a ban on outdoor events with more than 500 and indoor events with more than 100 people, including private parties and weddings. For now, the ban is scheduled to last until April and will affect numerous sports events and trade fairs.
University teaching will be temporarily suspended, though schools and nurseries are for now to stay open.
Morocco has reported its first death from the coronavirus, according to Reuters.
Iran’s health ministry spokesman today revealed record numbers of deaths and new confirmed cases. There have been 881 new infections in the past 24 hours, with 54 deaths. The number of confirmed cases has reached 8,042 and the total number of deaths 291.
Local hospitals, using different less stringent criteria, report higher numbers, and the government is still under criticism for failing to do more to quarantine the worst affected cities especially the spiritual city of Qom. Critics of the regime claim more than 150 have died in Tehran alone.
The health ministry has said it has no motive to massage the figures and points to an endorsement of its methods from the World Health Organisation. The number of those that had recovered had reached 2,731.
But the president Hassan Rouhani today spoke to governors of some of the worst affected provinces Gilan, Mazandaran and Qom to gain a frank assessment of the strains their local hospital services are suffering. The outbreak is nationwide but concentrated in the North and centre of the country.
Plans are being prepared to extend hospital to stadiums and other areas. The President is also looking into using armed force medical personnel to supplement strained local hospitals staff. Ironically, Iran, seen as a highly authoritarian state, has not taken the drastic emergency measures adopted in a country such as Italy, reflecting the many centres of power within the country. Qom, the epicentre of the outbreak has not bene fully quanatined.
Radio Farda, the US government funded branch of Radio Free Europe. has claimed that 200 people have died in the northern province of Gilan alone. In Qom at least 120 people have died and in Isfahan 103. It claims the total figure is 927.
In further measure the culture ministry has closed all libraries museums and palaces.
The country itself is itself almost closed to its neighbours. Countries, including Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, have blocked joint borders with Iran and suspended foreign flights to Iran. Domestic airlines are also not allowed to fly abroad.
Efforts were also underway to dispel rumours that there are two types of coronavirus at present Ayotallah Ali Khamenei has agreed to a health ministry proposal that doctors medical staff and nurses that died treating coronavirus patients should be designated as martyrs.
Patrick Strzoda, Emmanuel Macron’s office director, is working from home awaiting the results of a coronavirus test after reportedly he came into contact with a person confirmed as having the virus last week.
The Elysée said it was a “precautionary measure vis-à-vis the president” adding: ”He will be tested today or tomorrow. His deputy will carry on his work”.
Ryanair has cancelled all international flights to and from Italy from Saturday until April 9, the airline has announced.
Passengers needing to return home can switch to flights operating up to the end of Friday. A Ryanair spokesman said: “Ryanair apologises sincerely to all customers for these schedule disruptions, which are caused by national government restrictions and the latest decision of the Italian government to lock down the entire country to combat the Covid-19 virus.”
The Evening Standard, which will be hitting the newsstands in London this lunchtime, picks up on the warning earlier from the country’s deputy chief medical officer that “many thousands of people” in the UK will contract coronavirus.
More from the Commons where Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth is quizzing the government on its response to the coronavirus outbreak. Asked about the government’s advice to those with underlying health conditions and “what lessons the Government has learned from the Italians on their handling of coronavirus to date and why we are taking a different approach”, health minister Jo Churchill said:More from the Commons where Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth is quizzing the government on its response to the coronavirus outbreak. Asked about the government’s advice to those with underlying health conditions and “what lessons the Government has learned from the Italians on their handling of coronavirus to date and why we are taking a different approach”, health minister Jo Churchill said:
The latest from the European centre for disease prevention and control is that 14,890 cases have been reported in the EU/EEA and the UK: Italy (9,172), France (1,412), Spain (1,204), Germany (1,139), Netherlands (321), United Kingdom (321), Sweden (248), Belgium (239), Norway (192), Austria (131), Denmark (113), Greece (84), Iceland (65), Czech Republic (40), Finland (40), Portugal (39), Ireland (21), Poland (17), Romania (17), Slovenia (16), Croatia (12), Estonia (10), Hungary (9), Latvia (6), Luxembourg (5), Slovakia (5), Bulgaria (4), Malta (4), Cyprus (2), Liechtenstein (1) and Lithuania (1).The latest from the European centre for disease prevention and control is that 14,890 cases have been reported in the EU/EEA and the UK: Italy (9,172), France (1,412), Spain (1,204), Germany (1,139), Netherlands (321), United Kingdom (321), Sweden (248), Belgium (239), Norway (192), Austria (131), Denmark (113), Greece (84), Iceland (65), Czech Republic (40), Finland (40), Portugal (39), Ireland (21), Poland (17), Romania (17), Slovenia (16), Croatia (12), Estonia (10), Hungary (9), Latvia (6), Luxembourg (5), Slovakia (5), Bulgaria (4), Malta (4), Cyprus (2), Liechtenstein (1) and Lithuania (1).
As of 10 March, 532 deaths have been reported in the EU/EEA and the UK: Italy (464), France (30), Spain (28), United Kingdom (5), Netherlands (3) and Germany (2).As of 10 March, 532 deaths have been reported in the EU/EEA and the UK: Italy (464), France (30), Spain (28), United Kingdom (5), Netherlands (3) and Germany (2).
The protocol for people returning to the UK from Italy – which is on a country-wide lockdown, is still unclear.The protocol for people returning to the UK from Italy – which is on a country-wide lockdown, is still unclear.
At Heathrow, Italian nationals and others who cannot easily self-isolate are being asked if they want to self-quarantine in a large nearby hotel, No 10 said on Tuesday. This is thought to be the Holiday Inn that has been used for some Chinese and South Korean passengers in recent weeks.At Heathrow, Italian nationals and others who cannot easily self-isolate are being asked if they want to self-quarantine in a large nearby hotel, No 10 said on Tuesday. This is thought to be the Holiday Inn that has been used for some Chinese and South Korean passengers in recent weeks.
However, this is not compulsory so only some people are taking the government up on the offer. Return travellers therefore appear to be free to travel home via public transport, even though they are supposed to be self-isolating for 14 days. It is not known whether they are being offered masks to prevent fellow passengers from possible transmission. It is also unclear what the procedures are for those returning from other airports.However, this is not compulsory so only some people are taking the government up on the offer. Return travellers therefore appear to be free to travel home via public transport, even though they are supposed to be self-isolating for 14 days. It is not known whether they are being offered masks to prevent fellow passengers from possible transmission. It is also unclear what the procedures are for those returning from other airports.
It is understood that Cobra will meet on Wednesday and Thursday this week.The first meeting is to discuss emergency government legislation, thesecond will discuss the next steps that might be taken. This is likelyto encompass advice for older people and those with higher riskmedical conditions.It is understood that Cobra will meet on Wednesday and Thursday this week.The first meeting is to discuss emergency government legislation, thesecond will discuss the next steps that might be taken. This is likelyto encompass advice for older people and those with higher riskmedical conditions.
GPs could be exempted from some rules about NHS form-filling to give them more time to help fight the spread of coronavirus, MPs have been told.
Responding to a question from Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, who asked if the government would suspend requirements for GPs to fill in forms relating to appraisals, and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), during the crisis, the health minister Jo Churchill replied: “I’m currently having those discussions to make sure that we can lift, within the bounds of making sure patients stay safe, all appropriate bureaucracy.”
In the UK, victims of race hate crimes linked to the coronavirus outbreak have been urged by police to come forward after a Chinese student’s jaw was dislocated in a street attack.
The student, in his 20s, was racially taunted and attacked in Birmingham after being approached by three men, according to West Midlands police. The incident occurred in the Harborne area, in the city’s south west, on 3 February.
It comes after the Guardian reported last month that a spate of racist incidents linked to the coronavirus outbreak were being investigated by police, prompting fears among members of the Chinese community that they will face abuse if they wear face masks.
Addressing the need for victims to come forward following the incident in Birmingham, a West Midlands police spokeswoman said:
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who was at the Championship football team’s home game on Friday alongside more than 27,000 fans, has reportedly contracted coronavirus.
The 52-year-old Greek businessman announced the news in an Instagram post, writing to his 49,000 followers: “The recent virus gas ‘visited’ me and I felt obliged to let the public know. I feel good as I take all the necessary measures and I discipline to the doctors’ instructions. I strongly advise all my all my fellow citizens to do the same. I wish all a quick recovery.”
British Airways is contacting passengers whose upcoming trips to Italy fall within the quarantine period, telling them that, in light of the updated Foreign Office advice to avoid all but essential travel to Italy, flights are being cancelled and customers refunded, the Guardian understands.
Matt Hancock, the UK health secretary, is inviting members of the public to submit questions on the coronavirus via his Instagram account.
A very moving tweet from a presenter in Ireland, putting into perspective the human impact as the coronavirus outbreak unfolds – “Big stats, a million individual heartbreaks.”
As the number of coronavirus patients in Germany rose to 1,295 this morning (up to date as of midday local time), and after the first two deaths in the country of a 78-year-old and an 89-year-old announced yesterday, Jens Spahn, the health minister, urged people to show solidarity towards each other despite the restrictions to their daily lives.
“We will conquer this situation, by helping each other, working together and having trust in each other even when we are in a state of stress,” he wrote in a guest commentary for Germany’s widest read newspaper, the tabloid Bild. “We can do it, and best of all is if we do it together,” he added.
The peak of the epidemic in Germany has not yet been reached, he said. “We are expecting a rise in the number of infections, and we will continue to face further restrictions in our daily lives.” Having recommended at the weekend, like the French authorities, that all gatherings of 1,000 people or more should be cancelled, Spahn said: “It’s clear, our safety is more important than anything else, even economic interests. But restricting public life is no easy decision. Openness belongs to democracy, and it should remain that way. Which is why we must proceed with caution and calm.”
Lothar Wieler, the president of the Robert Koch Institute, the leading health and safety advisory body in Germany, has called on the country’s community leaders and hospitals to activate their emergency plans and start preparing for an epidemic. “The situation is serious,” Wieler said.
Hospitals should increase the amount of emergency beds as far as possible, and have sufficient breathing apparatus to hand, he said. They need to ensure that patients with suspected coronavirus can be admitted and cared for in a separate part of the hospital to other patients and to assign a specific section of the medical staff to solely treat coronavirus patients.The Marshall Islands and Samoa are among several countries to have banned German citizens or people who have been in Germany recently, while Liberia, Uganda and Russia have said travellers from Germany have to spend two weeks in quarantine – in the case of Liberia, in a state-run institution – before they are allowed to stay.Meanwhile, a much-anticipated Bundesliga football match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC1 Köln, rescheduled because of the recent cyclone Sabine, is to go ahead on Wednesday evening, but without any spectators, in line with restrictions which also face Champions League and Europe League matches, the German football federation (DFL) announced.
The start of the UK peak of the coronavirus epidemic is expected within the next fortnight, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said.
Dr Jenny Harries defended the government’s decision to delay closing schools and the introduction of other stringent tactics, saying experts are assessing new cases on an hourly basis to achieve a “balanced response”.
Payments on mortgages are to be suspended in Italy, the Independent reports the country’s government has announced.
The deputy economic minister, Laura Castelli, confirmed to Radio Anch’io that it would be the case for individuals and households.
More than 400 people have died in Italy after contracting the coronavirus, and the total number of infections leaped to 9,172 at the start of this week.
New York University has become the latest US university to announce it will stop in-person teaching and switch to remote learning for all of its 50,000 students from tomorrow.
The university also said that “non-essential“ events and meetings at its Manhattan and other US campuses would be stopped, and staff were barred from any non-essential travel to California and Washington states as well as to countries affected by coronavirus.Last week, several universities on the west coast of the US, including Stanford, announced they were switching to remote learning, and this week several in the east coast are following suit, including NYU, Colombia and Princeton.In the UK, universities are preparing themselves for remote learning, including video lectures and online seminars, with an expectation that many will not reopen their campuses to students after the Easter holidays if the spread of Covid-19 continues.