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Coronavirus news: UK measures to last at least 'several months' as restrictions increased globally – live updates Coronavirus news: UK measures to last at least 'several months' as restrictions increased globally – live updates
(32 minutes later)
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 updatesEngland’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
Iran has temporarily freed a total of 85,000 prisoners, including political prisoners, a spokesman for its judiciary said on Tuesday, adding that the prisons were responding to the threat of a coronavirus epidemic in jails.
“Some 50% of those released are security-related prisoners . Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak,” the spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili.
Iran refers to political prisoners as security prisoners, and has been under intense pressure to step up its prisoner release program as the Coronavirus outbreak spreads through its jails.
At least five women had started a hunger strike in protest at the government inaction and the repeated changes to the list of those to be released. Although widely reported that Iran was about to release 85,000 prisoners, the authorities have already released tens of thousands in jails.
The World Health Health Organisation said it feared the number of people suffering from the disease in Iran was five times the official figures compiled by the Iranian health ministry not due to deliberate under-reporting by the government, but the difficulty in identifying all those infected.
Esmaili did not elaborate on when those released would have to return to jail. Amongst those released is Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, the son of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who was in jail for nearly two months.
There was no word on the fate of Nazanin Zaghai-Ratcliffe, the most famous of the British iranian dual nationals being held in Ervin jail since 2016. Her family had been to the jail on Sunday to lobby for her release, but the logic behind those being released and detained is unclear.
The campaign to free her has been retweeting reaction to the Iranian government’s announcement.
On the island of Jamaica, political and social messages have long been spread through the dancehalls and music, and so it is with coronavirus.
Just days after the island’s first confirmed case, an educational single, New Hail, was released to teach listeners how to avoid spreading the virus.
As well as trying to popularise a new method for greeting your friends, New Hail, by Zagga, educates listeners about hygiene, including covering their mouths when they cough, and eating the right foods to fortify their immune systems.
Explaining his reasons for recording the song, Zagga told the Jamaica Star:
Despite the dancehalls closing, many fans had also been hoping that a new dance would emerge to mark the coronavirus crisis. But dance star Ding Dong of the Ravers Clavers dance crew has refused calls to come up with a new coronavirus move, calling the outbreak “a serious matter”. He told the Star:
With 12 confirmed cases as of yesterday, Jamaica’s lack of advanced medical infrastructure and close links countries with surging outbreaks, such as the UK, United States and Canada, makes it potentially vulnerable. Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness declared the island a disaster area on Friday, and announced a travel ban on visitors from the UK, the source of the Jamaica’s first case.
On Monday, Holness announced a raft of restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, including calling for all non-essential public and private sector employees to work from home, a ban on public gatherings of more than 20 people; the closure of all bars, nightclubs and other entertainments; and restrictions on numbers in taxis and on public transport.
Penalties for anyone caught breaking the rules include imprisonment for up to 12 months and a maximum J$1m fine.
Britain’s Tate - one of the UK’s major tourist attractions - has become one of the first national museums and galleries to announce closure.
It said it would close Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate St Ives and Tate Liverpool from 18 March until 1 May.
In a statement to its members Tate said:
The museum and gallery sector is anxiously awaiting the statement from chancellor Rishi Sunak on what government help there will be to get through the crisis.
Sharon Heal, director of the Museums Association, called for an emergency fund to be created. She added: “The government has earmarked £120m for a ‘festival of Britain’ in 2022. We believe this should now be made available to support museums at risk of permanent closure as a result of the coronavirus epidemic.”
UK airports may shut down “within weeks without Government intervention”, according to the Airport Operators Association, which represents companies running British hubs.
The trade body’s chief executive Karen Dee said: “Governments across the world are supporting their national aviation industries, as many parts of the global travel industry have come to a halt.
“As some airlines call on the UK Government to act similarly, we are clear that airports will shut down in weeks unless urgent action is taken to support the industry.”
She called for measures including:
• emergency financing as a measure of last resort • Requiring banks to temporarily not enforce financial performance-based banking covenants • Suspending business rates and other government and local government rates and taxes on airports
Britain is facing a wartime scenario for its public finances as it seeks to offset the coronavirus hit to companies through higher public spending and borrowing, the country’s independent budget office said on Tuesday.
Robert Chote, head of the Office for Budget Responsibility, told MPs today that Britain’s budget deficit hit 20% of economic output during World War Two and he said now was not the time for the government to be squeamish about higher debt.
Chote’s evidence at a parliamentary committee has been streaming online.
It’s an issue that you can follow in more detail on our business liveblog here and is also likely dominate a press conference being given at 4pm local time by the prime minister, Boris Johnson, and the chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak.
Both men will likely face questions about details of how the UK is going to replicate the massive fiscal support packages being rolled by other states, from France to New Zealand.
My collague Andy Sparrow is also meanwhile livebloggin all political developments in the UK today.
The health damage inflicted on people by long-standing air pollution in cities is likely to increase the death rate from coronavirus infections, experts have said.
Dirty air is known to cause lung and heart damage and is responsible for at least 8m early deaths a year. This underlying health damage means respiratory infections, such as coronavirus, may well have a more serious impact on city dwellers and those exposed to toxic fumes, than on others.
However, strict confinement measures in China, where the coronavirus outbreak began, and in Italy, Europe’s most affected nation, have led to falls in air pollution as fewer vehicles are driven and industrial emissions fall.
A preliminary calculation by a US expert suggests that tens of thousands of premature deaths from air pollution may have been avoided by the cleaner air in China, far higher than the 3,208 coronavirus deaths.
In Jordan, the army has said it will deploy at entrances and exits of main cities in the kingdom in a move officials said was ahead of an imminent announcement of a state of emergency to combat the spread of coronavirus.In Jordan, the army has said it will deploy at entrances and exits of main cities in the kingdom in a move officials said was ahead of an imminent announcement of a state of emergency to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The country, which has already announced a tight lockdown after the number of confirmed cases of the virus rose to least 34, was about to take further imminent steps that include announcing a state of emergency, officials told Reuters.The country, which has already announced a tight lockdown after the number of confirmed cases of the virus rose to least 34, was about to take further imminent steps that include announcing a state of emergency, officials told Reuters.
“These measures aim at preventing the spread of coronavirus,” said an army statement.“These measures aim at preventing the spread of coronavirus,” said an army statement.
Britain’s hospitality industry could effectively be destroyed without urgent state help to get through the coronavirus pandemic, it has been warned. Britain’s hospitality industry could effectively be destroyed without urgent state help to get through the coronavirus pandemic, industry leaders have warned.
Pubs and restaurant owners are calling for immediate action to support the industry financially after Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised people not to go out but stopped short of ordering entertainment venues to close. Pubs and restaurant owners are calling for immediate financial support after Boris Johnson advised people not to go out but stopped short of ordering entertainment venues to close.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has added his voice to the plea for clarity, saying the UK should be following measures being enacted in other countries such as France. The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has added his voice to the plea for clarity, saying the UK should be following measures being enacted in other countries such as France.
The British Beer and Pub Association has written to Mr Johnson, demanding urgent steps are taken to prevent mass job losses and permanent pub closures. The British Beer and Pub Association has written to the prime minister, demanding urgent steps be taken to prevent mass job losses and permanent pub closures.
The letter, seen by the Press Associarion news agency and dated Monday, follows the Government issuing new advice for people to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus. The letter, seen by the PA Media news agency and dated Monday, follows the government issuing new advice for people to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Southeast Asian countries, which had previously reported low case numbers, are continuing to see a rise in infections following a ramping up of testing. South-east Asian countries, which had previously reported low case numbers, are continuing to see a rise in infections following an increase of testing.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, has just reported another 26 cases, bringing its total to 172. Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, has just reported another 26 cases, bringing its total to 172.
The country of 264 million did not record its first cases until 2 March. A week ago, the country had carried out only 220 tests. This has now risen to nearly a thousand. The Philippines also reported another 45 cases on Tuesday afternoon, bringing its total to 185. Its cases rose from six to 140 just last week. The country of 264 million did not record its first cases until 2 March. A week ago, the country had carried out only 220 tests; it has now done nearly 1,000.
Earlier today officials in Thailand reported a further 30 people have tested positive for coronavirus. The country has so far recorded 177 cases. The Philippines also reported another 45 cases on Tuesday afternoon, bringing its total to 185. Its cases rose from six to 140 just last week.
On Tuesday afternoon, Thailand’s cabinet approved plans to close schools and postpone the traditional New Year celebration, Songkran, due to be held 13-15. Earlier today, officials in Thailand reported a further 30 people had tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total to 177. The cabinet approved plans to close schools and postpone the traditional New Year celebration, Songkran, due to be held from 13-15 April.
Several countries in the region, including the Philippines and Malaysia, have recently introduced sweeping restrictions affecting millions of people.Several countries in the region, including the Philippines and Malaysia, have recently introduced sweeping restrictions affecting millions of people.
Facebook and Google are among the technology firms that have issued a statement pledging to protect and inform people during the coronavirus outbreak.Facebook and Google are among the technology firms that have issued a statement pledging to protect and inform people during the coronavirus outbreak.
The group of companies have said they have committed to work together and with governments in response to the pandemic.The group of companies have said they have committed to work together and with governments in response to the pandemic.
In a joint statement, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit and YouTube said they would help ensure people could stay connected to each other during isolation as well as fight any misinformation and fraud linked to the outbreak.In a joint statement, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit and YouTube said they would help ensure people could stay connected to each other during isolation as well as fight any misinformation and fraud linked to the outbreak.
“We are working closely together on Covid-19 response efforts,” the statement said.“We are working closely together on Covid-19 response efforts,” the statement said.
“We’re helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in co-ordination with government healthcare agencies around the world.“We’re helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in co-ordination with government healthcare agencies around the world.
China has issued an angry reaction to US President Donald Trump’s characterisation of the disease as “the Chinese virus.”China has issued an angry reaction to US President Donald Trump’s characterisation of the disease as “the Chinese virus.”
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the US president should take care of his own matters first.China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the US president should take care of his own matters first.
C“Some US politicians have tried to stigmatise China… which China strongly condemns. We urge the US to stop this despicable practice,” he said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday. “Some US politicians have tried to stigmatise China … which China strongly condemns. We urge the US to stop this despicable practice,” he said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.
“We are very angry and strongly oppose it,” he added, referring to Trump’s tweet.“We are very angry and strongly oppose it,” he added, referring to Trump’s tweet.
Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, has just announced that today the government is going to start an operation to bring back thousands of German citizens home, who have been stranded abroad due to the coronavirus. He has set aside 50 million Euros to do so. We are expecting more details on that soon. Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, has just announced that the government is going to start an operation to bring home thousands of citizens who have been stranded abroad by the coronavirus. He has set aside €50m to do so. We are expecting more details on that soon.
Meanwhile across the country, people are scrambling to buy last minute items from shops considered non-essential for daily life, after the government’s surprise announcement yesterday evening that from tomorrow most shops will be forced to close. Supermarkets, chemists and medical stores are allowed to stay open, even on Sundays (there is normally a Sunday trading ban for most shops in Germany). Ikea has closed its 53 German stores, but has said its online store remains open. Meanwhile across the country, people are scrambling to buy last-minute items from shops that are considered non-essential for daily life, after the government’s surprise announcement last night that, from tomorrow, most shops will be forced to close. Supermarkets, chemists and medical stores are allowed to stay open, even on Sundays (there is normally a Sunday trading ban for most shops in Germany). Ikea has closed its 53 German stores, but has said its online store remains open.
The government has advised citizens against all non-essential travel within Germany as well from journeying abroad.As the number of confirmed persons with coronavirus stands at over 7000 this morning, with 17 deaths (though that figure is now several hours old and is due to be updated soon) German hospitals chiefs have said they are gearing up to increase their intensive bed capacity nationwide from the current 28,000 to 34,000 with ventilators. The government has advised citizens against all non-essential travel within Germany as well as abroad.
Currently 25,000 intensive care beds have ventilators. With 34,000 beds, experts say as long as the current measures slow the virus spread down sufficiently, they should be able to treat the tens of thousands they expect to have to be hospitalised over the next few months. As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at over 7,000 this morning, with 17 deaths (though that figure is now several hours old and is due to be updated soon), German hospitals chiefs have said they are gearing up to increase their intensive bed capacity nationwide from the current 28,000 to 34,000 with ventilators.
In the corporate world, VW has said it will close production at all of its German plants and most of those in Europe. The last shift will take place on Friday, VW boss Herbert Diess has said. The closures are initially planned for the next two to three weeks. On a positive note, production at the company’s plants in China has resumed again. Currently 25,000 intensive care beds have ventilators. With 34,000 beds, experts say as long as the current measures slow down the spread of the virus sufficiently, they should be able to treat the tens of thousands they expect to have to be admitted to hospital over the next few months.
And most journalists, including the two-correspondent team in Berlin for The Guardian, are now excluded from physically accessing government press conferences. We can however, log in remotely via a livestream, and submit questions, the government has announced this morning. Large news agencies and Germany’s main broadcasters are still able to attend but numbers will be restricted. In the corporate world, VW has said it will close production at all of its German plants and most of those in Europe. The last shift will take place on Friday, the VW boss Herbert Diess has said. The closures are initially planned for the next two to three weeks. On a positive note, production at the company’s plants in China has resumed again.
Governments in Asia are preparing to tackle a “boomerang wave” of coronavirus cases as their nationals flee Europe, North America and the Middle East. And most journalists, including the Guardian’s two-person team in Berlin, are now excluded from physically accessing government press conferences. We can, however, log in remotely via a livestream, and submit questions, the government has announced this morning. Large news agencies and Germany’s main broadcasters are still able to attend but numbers will be restricted.
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. Governments in Asia are preparing to tackle a “boomerang wave” of coronavirus cases as their nationals leave 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.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: Hong Kong’s 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: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.
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 journalist, tweeted this photo of some of the changes in the case of the relay.
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.
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 Radio 4.
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.
“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.”
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 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 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.
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.
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 before Easter.
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”.
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.”