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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 disembark | UK 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. |