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Coronavirus live updates: WHO says Covid-19 is pandemic Coronavirus live updates: WHO says Covid-19 is pandemic
(32 minutes later)
Two British MPs self-isolate, Bank of England cuts base rate, US cases pass 1,000 and deaths rise sharply again in Italy World Health Organization chief says number of cases reported and number of countries affected ‘doesn’t tell the full story’
Tedros says it is a “crisis that affects every sector”. The WHO director-general says: The European commission has sought to deflect criticism of a lack of solidarity within the EU, provoked by a decision by Germany and France to put export controls on masks amid a shortage.
Following a phone call on Wednesday afternoon, the Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte and European commission president Ursula von der Leyen issued a joint statement calling for “any restrictive measure by member states to be first discussed at the European level, so that vital supplies go where they are needed most, the internal market functions properly and any unjustified obstacle is avoided”.
The statement also emphasised that the country was at the “forefront” of the crisis and that there would be further coordination with the 26 other member states as the epidemic was formally described as a pandemic by the WHO.
Vietnam had already announced suspension of its visa waiver programme for UK citizens but the UK embassy there says it has imposed more restrictions on visitors from the UK.
On social media. there are lots of Britons claiming there is in effect a blanket ban on issuing visas for Vietnam to UK citizens.
A petition calling for the government to consider closing schools across the UK because of coronavirus has risen to more than 250,000 signatures in the six days since it was launched.The petition hosted on parliament’s website calls for the government “to at least consider closing schools/colleges down in the coming weeks or as soon as possible, in addition to taking necessary actions to prevent further spread”.
The petition, launched by a user named Sami Attout, argues:
The petition has easily met the 100,000-signatures requirement needed for parliament to schedule a debate on the topic.With Poland, Greece and Ukraine joining Italy in closing all schools and universities, there has been speculation that authorities in the UK will take similar action once the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases hits a certain level.
Other countries including France and Germany have opted to keep most schools open, despite having more confirmed cases than the UK.The Department for Education in England said possible measures such as school closures “will be continually kept under review and the impact of all measures will be carefully considered”.
A further four people in Wales have tested positive for coronavirus – bringing the total number of Welsh cases to 19, its chief medical officer has said.
Dr Frank Atherton said three of the new cases – two from the Powys area and one from the Swansea area – had returned to Wales from northern Italy.
A fourth person from the Caerphilly area has no history of travel to another country where the virus is present, and is not known to have had contact with anyone else with it.
Earlier today, it was confirmed a worker at the Office for National Statistics in Newport had tested positive for the virus.
The number of positive cases of the coronavirus in Scotland was 36 as of Wednesday morning, including the first case of the virus being transmitted within the community, up nine in 24 hours.
Previously, the cases of the virus have been traced to people travelling to affected areas. According to official Scottish figures 2,316 tests have been carried out.
The country’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, said:
Tedros says it is a “crisis that affects every sector”. The WHO director general says:
He says looking at the number of cases reported and number of countries affected “doesn’t tell the full story”.He says looking at the number of cases reported and number of countries affected “doesn’t tell the full story”.
Swift action can prevent larger clusters and community transmission and even if they fail to do so “they can turn the tide”.Swift action can prevent larger clusters and community transmission and even if they fail to do so “they can turn the tide”.
The challenge is not whether countries can change the course of the virus but whether they will, Tedros says. The challenge is not whether countries can change the course of the virus but whether they will, Tedros says. He says come countries are struggling with a lack of capacity but says some are struggling with a lack of resolve.
He says come countries are struggling with a lack of capacity but says some are struggling with a lack of resolve. The WHO director general said:
The WHO director-general said: The daily World Health Organization briefing has just begun. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director general, says there are more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives.
The daily World Health Organization briefing has just begun.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, says there are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives.
He says it has reached the stage where it can be described as a pandemic.He says it has reached the stage where it can be described as a pandemic.
Many countries have imposed restrictions on people who have travelled to regions with a high number of coronavirus cases. This guide, updated daily, provides useful information on the different preventative measures being put in place.Many countries have imposed restrictions on people who have travelled to regions with a high number of coronavirus cases. This guide, updated daily, provides useful information on the different preventative measures being put in place.
Sweden joins a number of countries which reported their first death(s) from covid-19 today. Sweden joins a number of countries that reported their first death(s) from covid-19 today. The elderly patient, who had “an underlying sickness”, died in intensive care at a hospital in the Stockholm region, Reuters reports.
The elderly patient, who had “an underlying sickness”, died in intensive care at a hospital in the Stockholm region, Reuters reports. Sweden has about 460 confirmed cases of the virus, the first of which was identified at the end of January. The regional health authority said one other patient with coronavirus was being treated in intensive care in the Stockholm region.
Sweden has around 460 confirmed cases of the virus, the first of which was identified at the end of January. With the rapid increase in the number of cases in Sweden in recent days, the Public Health Agency today asked the Swedish government to ban gatherings of more than 500 people in a bid to stop the spread of the disease.
The regional health authority said that one other patient with coronavirus was being treated in intensive care in the Stockholm region.
With the rapid increase in the number of cases in Sweden in recent days, the Public Health Agency today asked the Swedish government to ban gatherings of over 500 people in a bid to stop the spread of the disease.
Another European country is taking drastic measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Despite only having one confirmed case to date, Ukraine has said it is closing all educational institutions (which also includes nurseries and universities) from tomorrow until 3 April, the Kyiv Post reports.Another European country is taking drastic measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Despite only having one confirmed case to date, Ukraine has said it is closing all educational institutions (which also includes nurseries and universities) from tomorrow until 3 April, the Kyiv Post reports.
It also says that gatherings of more than 200 people will be banned. The country has only tested 43 people, 41 of whom have tested negative, with one still being examined.It also says that gatherings of more than 200 people will be banned. The country has only tested 43 people, 41 of whom have tested negative, with one still being examined.
Anthony Fauci, the top US official on infectious disease, testifying to the House oversight committee, urging more aggressive preemptive action in the US:Anthony Fauci, the top US official on infectious disease, testifying to the House oversight committee, urging more aggressive preemptive action in the US:
Greta Thunberg, who was the inspiration for the climate strikes, has urged people to switch to a “digital strike”, given the need to avoid large gatherings to minimise the chances of spreading coronavirus.Greta Thunberg, who was the inspiration for the climate strikes, has urged people to switch to a “digital strike”, given the need to avoid large gatherings to minimise the chances of spreading coronavirus.
The headteacher of a leading grammar school in Essex is in self-isolation after coming into contact with a child’s grandfather who has tested positive for coronavirus, the Echo reports.The headteacher of a leading grammar school in Essex is in self-isolation after coming into contact with a child’s grandfather who has tested positive for coronavirus, the Echo reports.
It says the grandparent attended Westcliff High School for Boys last week and had contact with a small number of teachers, including the headteacher and, as a precaution, the teachers who had direct contact are self-isolating. None have shown any symptoms of the virus, they continue to work from home and the school remains open, it adds.It says the grandparent attended Westcliff High School for Boys last week and had contact with a small number of teachers, including the headteacher and, as a precaution, the teachers who had direct contact are self-isolating. None have shown any symptoms of the virus, they continue to work from home and the school remains open, it adds.
Hungary has declared a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak, closing universities and banning large gatherings, Index.hu reports.
It says outdoor events of more than 500 people and indoor events of more than 100 people have been banned. This includes cinemas and theatres but not workplaces and shopping malls, it reports.
There is also a ban on school trips abroad. The country has announced 13 confirmed cases so far.
The UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, has invited the country’s UK deputy medical officer into number 10 Downing Street for a Q&A about coronavirus. Unusually, he is the interviewer rather than the interviewee, although, of course, he did used to be a journalist.
It covers how to wash your hands, whether to wear face masks and more ...
Johnson suggests that other governments under pressure are doing things like cancelling sporting events in decisions which are “not dictated by science”.
Belgium’s health ministry has announced an additional two deaths from Covid-19, having earlier reported the country’s first fatality from the virus.
The two men who died were aged 73 and 86. Earlier, the ministry said a 90-year-old woman had died. In total, 314 cases have been confirmed in the country.
A Barclays employee has tested positive for coronavirus in its 5 North Colonnade office in London’s Canary Wharf financial district, the bank has confirmed.
An employee on the ninth floor of the building, which mainly houses Barclays investment bank workers, tested positive for the disease, the bank said.
After Reuters reported the case from a Barclays internal mail, the bank said in a statement:
The bank has told colleagues who sit near the affected person to self-quarantine but is keeping the building and the floor open, the bank said. It is also undertaking a deep clean of the affected floor.
The Barclays employee is the second confirmed case of coronavirus in Canary Wharf, London’s second largest financial district of Canary Wharf, after HSBC sent 100 people home last week following a confirmed diagnosis.
A 66-year-old Bulgarian woman has became the first to die of the coronavirus in the country, its health ministry said today.
The woman was taken to an emergency hospital in Sofia yesterday with severe pneumonia. She was the sixth Bulgarian with a confirmed coronavirus infection.
The country’s first four confirmed cases were only announced on Sunday.
The Irish Times reports that Ireland has recorded its first death from coronavirus.
It says that the patient, understood to be elderly, died in the east of the republic, where they had been treated in recent days after initially presenting with respiratory symptoms.
Ireland has 34 confirmed cases to date.
Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gave the House oversight committee the latest official figures on the US outbreak - 990 national cases in 38 states plus the District of Columbia, and 31 deaths in the United States.
He said the CDC diagnostic test is now in 75 US public health labs in all 50 states, with the capacity in the public health system to test up to 75,000 people.
On 2 March, the administration promised that a million tests would be available by the end of that week. Carolyn Maloney, the committee chair, wanted to know why the actual number is so much lower and why “South Korea can test more people in one day than we tested over the past two months”.
Redfield said that a test had been developed quickly but added:
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Travel between Malta and Switzerland, Germany, France and Spain is being banned as from midnight tonight, the government has announced, according to the Times of Malta liveblog.
The same restriction already applies for travel from Italy, reports the Times of Malta.
Romania has introduced further restrictions to try to limit the spread of coronavirus, with 35 confirmed cases in the country as of Wednesday afternoon, including 15 in the capital, Bucharest, writes my colleague Kit Gillet.