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Coronavirus live updates: WHO declares Covid-19 a pandemic while Italy death toll jumps by 196 Coronavirus live updates: WHO declares Covid-19 a pandemic while Italy death toll jumps by 196
(32 minutes later)
World Health Organization chief says number of cases reported and number of countries affected ‘doesn’t tell the full story’World Health Organization chief says number of cases reported and number of countries affected ‘doesn’t tell the full story’
NHS England has announced that another person has died after testing positive for coronavirus. They are the eighth to die in the UK, the authorities say. Two more British people have also died abroad.
Dr Catherine Free, the medical director at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust has said:
Referring to the eighth death to be announced, Diane Wake, the chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, has said:
A seventh patient has died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, NHS England said. Two UK citizens had previously been announced to have died overseas – one in Japan and one in Bali.
On Wednesday evening, the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Spain rose to 2,152 almost half of which - 1,024 - were in the Madrid region. Fifty people have so far died from the virus, 31 of them in the capital and the surrounding area. Spain has the second highest number of confirmed cases of the virus in Europe after Italy.
The official Kuwait state news agency, Kuna, quotes government spokesman Tareq al-Mezrem as saying:
Kuwait, which has 72 confirmed coronavirus cases, also announced a public holiday from 12 March to 26 March, except for entities providing essential services, the National reports.
Here is the latest on how coronavirus is affecting sporting events in the UK:
British Airways has come under fire for a second day over its decision to cancel, with immediate effect, all flights out of Italy yesterday leaving thousands stranded.
It was also criticised for advising passengers to go across the border to Switzerland.
Rory Boland, travel editor at Which? magazine, said:
The consumer magazine called on the Civil Aviation Authority to monitor the situation closely to ensure BA and other airlines were complying with their legal obligations. Boland said:
India announced some of the most extreme action taken to date with respect to foreign tourists.
The Guatemalan health minister, Hugo Monroy, said on Wednesday the country will ban the entry of European citizens in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.The Guatemalan health minister, Hugo Monroy, said on Wednesday the country will ban the entry of European citizens in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Central American country, which has yet to confirm any cases of the virus, will block the entry of Europeans starting tomorrow, Monroy told a news conference.The Central American country, which has yet to confirm any cases of the virus, will block the entry of Europeans starting tomorrow, Monroy told a news conference.
The country’s director of civil aviation will communicate the ban to airlines, Monroy added, underlining that it applied to citizens from across Europe.The country’s director of civil aviation will communicate the ban to airlines, Monroy added, underlining that it applied to citizens from across Europe.
“This is done simply to prevent the introduction of the coronavirus to our country,” Monroy said.“This is done simply to prevent the introduction of the coronavirus to our country,” Monroy said.
Alberto Volpe, a 33-year-old, was feverish when he flew from Milan to Gatwick on Sunday after being forced to return home from a skiing holiday in Chamonix due to an injury to his girlfriend.Alberto Volpe, a 33-year-old, was feverish when he flew from Milan to Gatwick on Sunday after being forced to return home from a skiing holiday in Chamonix due to an injury to his girlfriend.
He said:He said:
The governor of Washington, USA, Jay Inslee, has today prohibited gatherings of more than 250 people and said he may soon close schools to slow the spread of coronavirus in a state suffering the deadliest outbreak in the United States. The governor of Washington state, USA, Jay Inslee, has today prohibited gatherings of more than 250 people and said he may soon close schools to slow the spread of coronavirus in a state suffering the deadliest outbreak in the United States.
The ban on gatherings applies to King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties in the Seattle area and is aimed at sports, concerts and other cultural events, Inslee told a press conference. The ban on gatherings applies to King, Snohomish and Pierce counties in the Seattle area and is aimed at sports, concerts and other cultural events, Inslee told a press conference.
Washington state has reported over a quarter of the more than 1,000 U.S. coronavirus cases and the majority of the 31 deaths, putting pressure on Inslee to slow the virus’ spread to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. Washington state has reported over a quarter of the more than 1,000 US coronavirus cases and the majority of the 31 deaths, putting pressure on Inslee to slow the virus’s spread to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.
He said:He said:
The Democratic governor, who has clashed with President Donald Trump over his response to coronavirus, also faces pressure from parents and health experts to close all schools in the hard-hit greater-Seattle area. The Democratic governor, who has clashed with the president, Donald Trump, over his response to coronavirus, also faces pressure from parents and health experts to close all schools in the hard-hit greater-Seattle area.
Inslee said he had asked all school districts in the state to make contingency plans for possible closures within the next several days.Inslee said he had asked all school districts in the state to make contingency plans for possible closures within the next several days.
A member of staff at a care home in Northamptonshire for people with learning disabilities and those with physical disabilities and mobility issues has tested positive for Covid-19, the Northamptonshire Telegraph reports.A member of staff at a care home in Northamptonshire for people with learning disabilities and those with physical disabilities and mobility issues has tested positive for Covid-19, the Northamptonshire Telegraph reports.
There have been fears about the impact the virus could have should it take hold in a care home in the UK, particularly one where there are older people and/or those with underlying health conditions which make them more susceptible to Covid-19.There have been fears about the impact the virus could have should it take hold in a care home in the UK, particularly one where there are older people and/or those with underlying health conditions which make them more susceptible to Covid-19.
In the US, 19 deaths out of a nationwide total of 31 to date were linked to one suburban Seattle nursing home.In the US, 19 deaths out of a nationwide total of 31 to date were linked to one suburban Seattle nursing home.
Saudi Arabia announced today it will close cinemas until further notice to try to halt the spread of coronavirus, its state news agency has reported.Saudi Arabia announced today it will close cinemas until further notice to try to halt the spread of coronavirus, its state news agency has reported.
One of the world’s largest livestock exhibitions and rodeos is being shut down early in Houston, Texas, USA, “in the interest of public health”.
It was supposed to run until 22 March.
A retired intensive care doctor claims the government plans to increase coronavirus testing are “way too late” after he and his friends were repeatedly refused test despite falling ill following an Austrian skiing trip.
Six of the group, from Chichester, suffered severe flu-like symptoms after a trip to Ischgl in Austria, earlier this month, he said. The resort is classed as a virus risk area by some countries, including Iceland and Norway, but not the UK. As a result all of the group have been denied tests by the NHS 111 service. It has also closed bars as a precaution.
The 55 year-year-old former doctor, who gave his name only as Andrew, said he had also fallen ill at an earlier trip to the same resort in January:
Here is some expert reaction on WHO’s declaration of a coronavirus pandemic:
Prof Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said:
Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said:
Dr Nathalie MacDermott, NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) academic clinical lecturer, King’s College London, said:
Lebanon has announced sweeping measures to curtail the spread of the virus, closing all restaurants and cafes until further notice, banning flights from Iran and Italy and citizens from France, Egypt and Spain, and giving Lebanese citizens four days to return home from France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain and the UK.
The country recorded it’s 61st case of the virus on Wednesday and second death attributed to coronavirus. There are suspicions that the virus may have taken broader hold in the community and fears that the embattled country’s health system may not be able to cope.
Officials have faced criticism for maintaining an airbridge with Iran – a pilgrimage and trade destination for the country’s Shia sect. Iran has experienced the worst corona outbreak in the Middle East and has been the hub for much of its regional spread.
The closure of restaurants adds to the country’s already dire economic situation. This week it defaulted on debt payments for the first time and had a total collapse in tourism and significant capital flight offshore in the past four months.
A major fair for the gaming industry, E2 2020 in Los Angeles, has joined the long list of events that have fallen victim to attempts to minimise the spread of coronavirus.
The organisers said in a statement:
The death toll from the coronavirus in Italy has risen from 631 to 827 in a day, Reuters reports. At the same time, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country rose by more than 2,000, from 10,149 on Tuesday to 12,462 today, it 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 the 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.