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Coronavirus news: Ohio primary polls ordered to close as French told to stay inside - live updates
Coronavirus news: UK measures to last at least 'several months' as restrictions increased globally – live updates
(32 minutes later)
Ohio governor says voting won’t happen due to ‘health emergency’; NZ launches historic spending package; WHO urges widespread testing. Follow the latest updates
England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer does not rule out further curbs; Ohio primary polls ordered to close; France in lockdown; WHO urges widespread testing. Follow the latest updates
Governments in Asia are preparing to tackle a “boomerang wave” of coronavirus cases as their nationals flee Europe, North America and the Middle East.
The latest tally from mainland China, where the outbreak first began, showed 21 new confirmed cases on Monday, of which 20 involved infected travellers arriving from abroad, mostly Chinese nationals, Reuters reported. Hong Kong said most of the recent confirmed cases in the past two weeks were imported.
In Taiwan, 24 new cases up to Tuesday were all imported, while South Korea had 44 new infections involving infected travellers as of Sunday. Singapore confirmed 17 new infections on Monday, its biggest daily jump in cases, with 11 of those imported.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam told a press briefing on Tuesday:
Ling, a Cambridge University student, spoke to Reuters after landing in Hong Kong wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves. She said:
In the UK, the leftwing campaign group Momentum has called on supporters to begin an “emergency mobilisation” to support vulnerable members of society, and to pressure the government to provide more support.
In a statement to its members, the group called on them to join community mutual aid groups and outlined a plan to repurpose its campaign tools to support grassroots initiatives. It is to publish an online map of all mutual aid groups in the country next week.
But it rejected calls from some quarters to “leave our politics at the door” and vowed to campaign to pressure the government to take measures including suspending mortgage, rent and bill payments, as well as guaranteeing full sick pay for all workers.
It is also calling on the government to bring all private hospitals and healthcare facilities into emergency public ownership, as was announced by the Spanish government yeseterday.
The group’s statement, sent to 100,000 supporters, said:
England’s deputy chief medical officer has insisted the stricter measures to tackle the coronavirus had not been introduced too late.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam told the BBC: “We are following the science very carefully and consider the measures we announced yesterday have been announced at the right time - not too early and certainly not too late.
“We don’t rule out taking further measures if these are necessary but much of this depends on how the next two weeks play out.”
He could not rule out the strict measures having to last for a year but predicted they would last at least “several months”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that more people will encounter the coronavirus and become resistant with herd immunity, but “that will take time”.
“But, yes, you’re absolutely right that we can’t say how long this will need to go on for,” he said.
“I don’t know if it could be a year yet. I think we are too far out to make those kind of predictions but I certainly think it could be several months.”
The US president, Donald Trump, has referred to the global coronavirus outbreak as “the Chinese virus”, escalating a deepening US-China diplomatic spat over the disease.
After giving an address on Monday warning of a possible recession, Trump posted on Twitter: “The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!”
The World Health Organization has advised against terms that link the virus to China or the city of Wuhan, where it was first detected, in order to avoid discrimination or stigmatisation.
The comment comes as Beijing and Washington appeared to be locked in a game of shifting blame. Last week, outspoken official Zhao Lijian from China’s ministry of foreign affairs accused the US military of bringing the virus to Wuhan. The US summoned Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai over the comment and issued a “stern” warning to Cui.
The apparent switching of places between China and other states continues.
The coastal province of Shandong has said that all overseas arrivals will be subject to 14 days quarantine, Reuters reports.
Olympic organisers in Japan are asking people not to create crowds along the route of the Olympic torch relay and not to gather near the route if they feel sick.
Olympic organisers in Japan are asking people not to create crowds along the route of the Olympic torch relay and not to gather near the route if they feel sick.
The introduction of new rules which radically change the way in which the tradition unfolds come amid continuing uncertainty about whether the Tokyo Olympics will even take place or not.
The introduction of new rules which radically change the way in which the tradition unfolds come amid continuing uncertainty about whether the Tokyo Olympics will even take place or not.
Jack Tarrant, a Reuters journalism, tweets this photo of some of the changes in the case of the relay.
Jack Tarrant, a Reuters journalist, tweeted this photo of some of the changes in the case of the relay.
A Boeing aircraft made its way to Greece on March 15 to bring the torch to Japan.
A Boeing aircraft flew to Greece on 15 March to bring the torch to Japan.
Amid signs of some global stock markets stabilising on the back of indications that government actions are having an effect, Britain’s FTSE 100 Index has rebounded by nearly 2% - up 100.1 points at 5251.4 - soon after opening.
Amid signs of some global stock markets stabilising on the back of indications that government actions are having an effect, Britain’s FTSE 100 Index has rebounded by nearly 2% - up 100.1 points at 5251.4 - soon after opening.
That followed steep losses on Monday. My colleague Graeme Wearden is liveblogging all the business developments here meanwhile.
That followed steep losses on Monday. My colleague Graeme Wearden is liveblogging all the business developments here.
Britain got the timing of its new measures “about right”, Prof Ferguson has said in the last few minutes on BBC Radio4
Britain got the timing of its new measures “about right”, Prof Ferguson has said in the last few minutes on BBC Radio 4.
There can be a need to escalate still further, he adds, citing the case of France.
There could be a need to escalate still further, he adds, citing the case of France.
Asked if the measures taken in Britain should have been taken sooner, he said that he believed the UK was still behind the epidemic seen in other European countries however.
Asked if the measures taken in Britain should have been taken sooner, he said that he believed the UK was still behind the epidemic seen in other European countries.
“I overall think we have got the timing about right.”
“I overall think we have got the timing about right.
“We are about three weeks behind Italy, two weeks behind France and Spain so we are making these decisions in a more timely manner but certainly there wasn’t any time to lose.”
“We are about three weeks behind Italy, two weeks behind France and Spain, so we are making these decisions in a more timely manner but certainly there wasn’t any time to lose.”
There is much discussion today of the shift in UK strategy to one of “total containment,” which involves new quarantine and social distancing based on modelling by Imperial College.
There is much discussion today of the shift in UK strategy to one of “total containment”, which involves new quarantine and social distancing based on modelling by Imperial College.
Explaining what cause that switch, the Guardian’s Health Editor Sarah Boseley writes that just last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his advisers had announced that anyone with symptoms of a cold should stay at home for seven days but otherwise live life as normal.
Explaining what cause that switch, the Guardian’s health editor, Sarah Boseley, writes that just last week Boris Johnson and his advisers had announced that anyone with symptoms of a cold should stay at home for seven days, but otherwise live life as normal.
What changed was new data on the impact of Italy’s out-of-control epidemic on its health service. Basically, it is catastrophic, with 30% of hospitalised patients having to be admitted to intensive care. The teams of modellers at Imperial College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who advise government crunched those numbers – and the death toll and pressure on the NHS that came out were unacceptable.
What changed was new data on the impact of Italy’s epidemic on its health service. Basically, it is catastrophic, with 30% of hospitalised patients having to be admitted to intensive care. The teams of modellers at Imperial College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who advise the government crunched those numbers – and the death toll and pressure on the NHS that came out were unacceptable.
Prof Neil Ferguson at Imperial College’s MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and colleagues found that the mitigation strategy, as they called it – or scenario 1 – that the government had just announced would lead to 260,000 deaths.
Prof Neil Ferguson at Imperial College’s MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and colleagues found that the mitigation strategy, as they called it – or scenario 1 – that the government had just announced would lead to 260,000 deaths.
That would be not just deaths from the virus, but from other illnesses that the NHS would be too hard-pressed to treat.
That would be not just deaths from the virus, but from other illnesses that the NHS would be too hard-pressed to treat.
Advice on whether schools should close in the UK may change before Easter, according to London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, who attended a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee for the first time yesterday.
Advice on whether schools should close in the UK may change before Easter, according to London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, who attended a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee for the first time yesterday.
Khan, who said he had been frustrated for some time there was not a London presence at the meeting but was glad to be invited, said that the British government policy of allowing schools to remain open was challenged during the discussions. They were briefed on the how the current policy was in line with scientific advice that there was no reason for closing them at present.
Khan, who said he had been frustrated for some time there was not a London presence at the meeting but was glad to be invited, said that the British government policy of allowing schools to remain open was challenged during the discussions. They were briefed on how the current policy was in line with scientific advice and that there was no reason for closing them at present.
He added that he would not be surprised if that position changes soon however before Easter.
He added that he would not be surprised if that position changes before Easter.
Khan said he was particularly concerned about vulnerable sections of London’s population, such as those working in the so-called gig economy and the homeless and spoke of how there was an impact on them already from “the form of rationing” taking place at supermarkets.
Khan said he was particularly concerned about vulnerable sections of London’s population, such as those working in the gig economy and the homeless, and spoke of how there was an impact on them already from “the form of rationing” taking place at supermarkets.
A familiar face on British morning television, Susanna Reid, has told viewers this morning that she is self-isolating after one of her children developed a “persistent cough”.
A familiar face on British morning television, Susanna Reid, has told viewers this morning that she is self-isolating after one of her children developed a “persistent cough”.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain via video link, she said: “That means that immediately I thought ‘I can’t go into work’ and work with you guys for 14 days.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain via video link, she said: “That means that immediately I thought ‘I can’t go into work’ and work with you guys for 14 days.
“The children are off and, of course, we are effectively two households because like many families we are a separated family, so we have two families who have gone into self-isolation.”
“The children are off and, of course, we are effectively two households because like many families we are a separated family, so we have two families who have gone into self-isolation.”
As people in France wake up to their first day under lockdown this morning following an order by their president to “severely restrict” their movements for the next 15 days at least, the country’s finance minister has announced a €45bn package in crisis measure to bolster the economy
, which is expected to contract 1% this year. Bruno Le Maire told French RTL radio: “We don’t want bankruptcies.”
It comes after the president, Emmanuel Macron, outlawed all journeys outside the home unless necessary for work or health reasons, with punishments for anyone flouting the new regulations. He said:
“There can be no more outside meetings, no more seeing family or friends on the street or in the park. We must slow the spread of this virus by limiting the number of people we are in contact with each day to the strict minimum. If we do not, we endanger the lives of those we hold dear.”
So far, 148 coronavirus patients have died in the country, while 6,633 are confirmed to be infected, according to a Reuters tally. Yesterday, the Guardian reported that hospital beds in Paris were beginning to fill with coronavirus patients.
Israel’s government has approved emergency measures to track people suspected or confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus by monitoring their mobile phones, immediately raising privacy concerns in the country.
The cabinet unanimously approved the use of the technology, developed initially for counter-terrorism purposes, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, first raised the issue during the weekend. He said authorities would use the data to notify people who may have come into contact with someone infected with the virus, and also to enforce quarantine orders.
In a Monday evening televised speech, the leader said the cyber monitoring would be in effect for 30 days.
“Israel is a democracy and we must maintain the balance between civil rights and the public’s needs,” Netanyahu said. “These tools will very much assist us in locating the sick and stopping the virus from spreading.”
Using emergency powers, he bypassed what would typically be a process of approval by Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. It had looked likely a parliamentary subcommittee would have delayed the rollout.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said providing the country’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, with new secretive powers was a “dangerous precedent and a slippery slope that must be approached and resolved after much debate and not after a brief discussion”.
Netanyahu’s authority to implement such measures has also been questioned. The country is battling the coronavirus while also under an extending political crisis, with Netanyahu ruling as interim leader. His opponent, Benny Gantz, is prime minister-designate and attempting to form a government, although it is unclear if enough lawmakers will back him.
Supermarkets in Britain are ramping up contingency plans to help tackle demand from shoppers for essential provisions, with more sections of the population – including vulnerable and elderly people – preparing for self-isolation during the coronavirus outbreak.
The discounter Aldi has become the first supermarket to introduce across-the-board rationing, which means customers can buy no more than four of any single grocery line when they visit a store.
With the UK still in the grip of panic buying, two major online supermarket websites crashed and imposed “virtual queues” for their shoppers as retailers battled to cope with the ongoing surge of online grocery orders.
Waitrose said 500 John Lewis staff – including many drivers – had been temporarily moved to its food retail operation to bolster delivery and help fill gaps in its supply chain.
Grocery retailers are struggling to cope with demand for store cupboard essentials, including toilet roll, dried pasta and tinned tomatoes, as shoppers stock up in preparation for potential self-isolation and amid fears of shortages or store closures. Wet wipes, kitchen roll and biscuits are also selling out.
Everyone is learning as the outbreak evolves and it means we have to find ways of adapting and changing circumstances, the World Health Organisation envoy David Nabarro has said.
Nabarro declined to criticise the UK government when asked about the change in British strategy which was unveiled last night but said he was “really pleased” by the shift.
He was speaking on the morning after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the British public to take unprecedented peacetime measures, including avoiding all unnecessary contact and travel and staying away from pubs and theatres, following expert modelling which suggests the approach could cut the estimated coronavirus death toll from 260,000 to 20,000.
“We have to be prepared from what I am calling a change in tack from time to time, even though it’s very distressing, because it’s what people are having to cope with all over the world,” Nabarro told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
But he stressed the need for further testing so plans on tackling the coronavirus can be formed.
Good morning from London. This is Ben Quinn picking up the liveblog now.
That’s it from me for today – a special thank you to our readers for the tips and messages. I’m now handing over to my colleague Ben Quinn, who will take you through the next few hours of coronavirus pandemic news.
The Ohio primary was ordered to be delayed on health grounds. The state’s governor, Mike DeWine, had recommended on Monday that in-person voting during Tuesday’s primary elections be postponed.
Global infections passed 180,000. There have been 7,154 deaths, and 79,433 recoveries worldwide.
France tightened its lockdown and orders 100,000 officers to police it, President Emmanuel Macron has told French citizens to “severely restrict movements for the next 15 days at least” and limit social contacts as much as possible.
Asian markets sank on Tuesday as investors struggled to pick themselves off the floor following the previous day’s global bloodbath.
India has closed the Taj Mahal, its top tourist site. The financial hub of Mumbai has also ordered offices providing non-essential services to function at 50% staffing levels as efforts to control the spread of coronavirus in South Asia ramped up.
More than 100 Australian doctors are trapped onboard a cruise ship that is stuck off the coast of Chile after the country banned cruise ships from docking in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Greek Orthodox Church suspended daily services. Against a backdrop of incredulity and consternation, the Greek Orthodox church has, if reluctantly, decided to suspend daily services after a marathon session of its Holy Synod, citing the need to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have been released from an Australian hospital, five days after they were diagnosed with the new coronavirus, media reported.
Hundreds of prisoners escaped from prisons in São Paulo state in the south-east of Brazil on Monday.
Amazon.com said it would hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the US to deal with a surge in online orders, as many consumers have turned to the web to meet their needs during the coronavirus outbreak.
US president Donald Trump posted a tweet referring to Covid-19 as “the Chinese virus”. Trump also warned that social upheaval caused by the outbreak could last beyond August.
New Zealand announced an enormous spending package, equivalent to 4% of the country’s GDP in an attempt to fight the effects of Covid-19 on the country’s economy, in what ministers called the most significant peacetime economic plan in the country’s modern history.
Californians were urged to ‘shelter in place’. San Francisco and five other Bay Area counties in California have ordered all residents to shelter-in-place to curb the spread of coronavirus, in a drastic move similar to ones taken in Italy, Spain and China, but the first of its kind in the US. Here is what the order means.
China’s state planner said the economy would return to normal in the second quarter, as the country reported just one case outside Wuhan.
Australia is looking at developing a mass testing process. The country has 415 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
The White House recommended isolation. The US president Donald Trump told Americans to avoid any gatherings of more than 10 people over the next 15 days and advising all states with evidence of community transmission to close down bars, restaurants, gyms and other facilities.
Here is the very fresh Coronavirus latest: at a glance:
Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have now both been released from an Australian hospital, five days after they were diagnosed with the new coronavirus, media reported.
Queensland state’s health department would not comment on media reports that the 63-year-old celebrities had been discharged from the Gold Coast University to self-isolate in a rented house.Hanks management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The couple’s son, Chet Hanks posted on Instagram announcing that both were out of hospital and doing well.
“If you went to the grocery story and hoarded all the toilet paper and the water for yourself I think you’re the problem,” he added, urging people to remain calm in the face of the virus.
Rita Wilson has added songs to the “quarantunes playlist” she created during her hospital stay.
South Korea reported 84 new coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, marking a third day in a row that the county has reported fewer than 100 new infections.
South Korea said it plans to tighten border checks for all arrivals from overseas to prevent new virus cases coming into the country.
Podcast: is the UK government moving fast enough on coronavirus?
Britain has not joined its European neighbours by shutting schools, closing borders or rolling out mass testing. So why not? Health editor Sarah Boseley looks at the arguments the government is making for its approach.
The US president, Donald Trump, has referred to the global coronavirus outbreak as “the Chinese virus,” escalating a deepening US-China diplomatic spat over the disease.
Trump, after giving an address on Monday warning of a possible recession, posted on Twitter: “The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!”
The comment comes as Beijing and Washington appeared to be locked in a game of shifting blame. Last week, outspoken official Zhao Lijian from China’s ministry of foreign affairs accused the US military of bringing the virus to Wuhan. The US summoned Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai over the comment and issued a “stern” warning to Cui.
