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Coronavirus news: death toll in Italy rises by 16% in 24 hours – live updates Coronavirus news: death toll in Italy rises by 16% in 24 hours – live updates
(32 minutes later)
UK measures to last at least ‘several months’; Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe freed temporarily; Saudi Arabia to stage virtual G20 summit. Follow the latest updatesUK measures to last at least ‘several months’; Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe freed temporarily; Saudi Arabia to stage virtual G20 summit. Follow the latest updates
Back in the Commons, the chancellor has been coming under pressure over the prospect of many people following the government’s instructions to self-isolate being left with less than £100 per week to live on. The Labour MP, Jess Phillips, asked Sunak:
Sunak sidestepped the question and focused on the government’s response to helping those in need.
Rachel Reeves, the Labour MP and chairwoman of the Commons business, energy and industrial strategy select committee, urged the chancellor to go further with his economic measures to support those in financial hardship.
Sunak replied:
The Conservative former cabinet minister, Iain Duncan Smith, welcomed the “bold measures”, noted there is “more to do” and added: “The most important thing we can do is to do everything we can to keep people in employment.”
Duncan Smith also said the smallest elements of the voluntary sector who have no reserves will lose about £400m during the next few months, adding they will be called upon most for support in the community.
He said: “Could I please ask him to look at this very carefully and see what we can do to give them that cash aid?”
Sunak, in his reply, said: “The communities secretary is talking already to the voluntary sector and we stand ready to provide the support that may be required.”
D&D London, which operates restaurants in London, Leeds and Manchester, has said it is temporarily closing all of its UK restaurants and called on the government to help protect its workforce.
Des Gunewardena, its chairman and chief executive, has said:
The actor Idris Elba has said he is “feeling OK” after contracting coronavirus, but that he is worried about it because he suffers from asthma. In a live broadcast on social media, he has said:
He said he was inspired to share information about what having the virus is like by his fellow actor, Tom Hanks, who has also tested positive for Covid-19 and was released from isolation this week
“Urgent talks” aimed at keeping the UK’s supermarket shelves full are underway, the chancellor has said.
The Tory former minister, Harriet Baldwin, asked if supermarkets could be supported in boosting home deliveries.
Sunak told the Commons the environment secretary, George Eustice, is in “urgent talks with supermarkets to ensure the security of our food supply and to improve accessibility; particularly for those who may now be at home”.
Two large secondary schools in the Wiltshire town of Chippenham with more than 3,000 children between them have closed because of coronavirus.
Both Hardenhuish and Sheldon schools announced on Tuesday that they would remain shut until further notice. The headteacher of Hardenhuish, Lisa Perry, explained that, following the government’s advice on self-isolation and social distancing, the school had been left with “significant” staff shortages.
All synagogues in the UK should be closed, the chief rabbi has urged, saying that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
Over recent weeks, synagogues had “sought responsible and creative ways” to continue to function as “cornerstones of our communities, Ephraim Mirvis said. But it was now clear that “congregational activity of any kind” posed a significant danger to the vulnerable.
Citing the Torah obligation to the sanctity of life, he said that “with much pain and the heaviest of hearts” all synagogue activity would be suspended until further notice. Further guidance about Pesach, or Passover, which takes place next month, would follow, he added.
In what would appear to be the biggest per capita stimulus policy yet announced in response to the corona crisis, Bahrain has pledged a package that amounts to 29.6% of it’s GDP, which is focused on getting business owners and citizens through the next three months.
The government has announced an $11.44bn (£9.29bn, 4.3 billion BHD) infusion that from April guarantees private sector salaries, pays citizens’ utilities bills and exempts business from a wide range of fees. The package also offers loan support and debt relief. The announcement made on Tuesday night did not say how the package would be funded.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has collectively seen more than 1,000 corona cases, and one death – of an elderly patient in Bahrain. Disruption to core industries, such as tourism and aviation has been huge and the impact of the virus is ravaging employment markets.
Gulf States have largely closed restaurants and schools, though some with less enthusiasm than others. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have effectively closed their borders for a fortnight.
The fast food chain, McDonalds, is closing all seating areas and temporarily move to being takeaway, drive-through and delivery only in the UK and Ireland from 5am on Wednesday (GMT), it has said.
Amid concerns that many pubs and restaurants will struggle to survive the near-lockdown conditions being encouraged by the government, ministers have said planning rules will be relaxed to allow them to serve takeaway meals.Amid concerns that many pubs and restaurants will struggle to survive the near-lockdown conditions being encouraged by the government, ministers have said planning rules will be relaxed to allow them to serve takeaway meals.
The communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, has said:The communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, has said:
Currently, planning permission is required for businesses to carry out a change of use to a hot food takeaway. The government is now confirming such regulations will be relaxed.Currently, planning permission is required for businesses to carry out a change of use to a hot food takeaway. The government is now confirming such regulations will be relaxed.
The head of the European Union executive has said a German company might have a vaccine against coronavirus by the autumn.The head of the European Union executive has said a German company might have a vaccine against coronavirus by the autumn.
The European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, released €80m (£71.7m) of EU funds to the German pharmaceutical company CureVac on Monday, after discussing with executives their vaccine plans. She said:The European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, released €80m (£71.7m) of EU funds to the German pharmaceutical company CureVac on Monday, after discussing with executives their vaccine plans. She said:
German media reported that Donald Trump had tried to buy the company over the weekend, although the firm has distanced itself from those claims.German media reported that Donald Trump had tried to buy the company over the weekend, although the firm has distanced itself from those claims.
Von der Leyen said: “It is a European company. We wanted to keep it in Europe, it wanted to stay in Europe.” She said rules on approval of medical products would speed up “as we are in a severe crisis we all see that we are able to speed up many of the processes that are slow normally and take a lot of time”.Von der Leyen said: “It is a European company. We wanted to keep it in Europe, it wanted to stay in Europe.” She said rules on approval of medical products would speed up “as we are in a severe crisis we all see that we are able to speed up many of the processes that are slow normally and take a lot of time”.
She was speaking in Brussels, after European leaders approved a 30-day ban on non-EU citizens travelling into the union, following crisis talks via conference call.She was speaking in Brussels, after European leaders approved a 30-day ban on non-EU citizens travelling into the union, following crisis talks via conference call.
Von der Leyen said there was “a unanimous and united approach” on the travel restrictions, which include exemptions for British nationals, residents, healthcare workers and researchers, and people delivering goods across the EU internal markets.Von der Leyen said there was “a unanimous and united approach” on the travel restrictions, which include exemptions for British nationals, residents, healthcare workers and researchers, and people delivering goods across the EU internal markets.
She said it was up to EU member states to implement the plan “as soon as possible”.She said it was up to EU member states to implement the plan “as soon as possible”.
Von der Leyen said her information was that the British government did not plan to join the EU in implementing the travel ban, while noting the British government was advising against foreign travel.Von der Leyen said her information was that the British government did not plan to join the EU in implementing the travel ban, while noting the British government was advising against foreign travel.
She hinted the EU would soon have to go further with plans to deal with the economic fallout of the virus.She hinted the EU would soon have to go further with plans to deal with the economic fallout of the virus.
The European council president, Charles Michel, said EU27 leaders would hold another conference call next week. Long planned face-to-face talks at an EU summit in Brussels at the end of the month have been cancelled.The European council president, Charles Michel, said EU27 leaders would hold another conference call next week. Long planned face-to-face talks at an EU summit in Brussels at the end of the month have been cancelled.
All staffed sites, including Stonehenge and others, are being closed down from Wednesday 18 March to Friday 1 May, English Heritage says.
Belgium will go into lockdown for nearly three weeks, the state broadcaster RTBF reports.
From noon on Wednesday CET, all people living in Belgium will be expected to stay at home, unless it is an emergency, or they need to visit a supermarket or medical professional.
The plan has not been confirmed officially, but is expected to be announced by the prime minister, Sophie Wilmès, later on Tuesday.
The measures are to last until 5 April and were approved by Belgium’s national security council, which is comprised of Wilmès, vice prime ministers, other senior politicians and security services.
Police will be given powers to ensure that people respect the policy.
Belgium has recorded 1,085 cases of coronavirus and five people have died, according to the latest available data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Listen to the Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast, on which Hannah Devlin speaks to Prof Paul Hunter about fatality rates. Why are different figures are being quoted across the media; how are the rates are calculated; and is the fatality rate the only useful number to look at?
McDonnell said:
He also called on the chancellor to “consider abolishing completely the lower earnings limit with regards to statutory sick pay”.
On utility bills, he said:
McDonnell listed sectors that are facing particular uncertainty; such as the fishing and agriculture industries. And he said the government should requisition private hospital beds, rather than pay for them during a time of national emergency.
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has said the chancellor has not done enough to protect those people who are being laid off today. He asks Sunak to address a series of issues. Among them:
Provide statutory sick pay for everyone, including those who do not currently qualify, from day one. And increase the rate of pay to the living wage.
Ensure a right to work from home.
Put in place measures to protect people who rent their homes, prevent evictions and introduce holidays
Force through freezes to utility payments.
Covert the advance currently offered as a loan to universal credit claimants into a grant instead.
Guarantee that people have jobs to return to once the crisis is over.
Make it clear to insurance firms that, since closures are occurring are on the instruction of the government, even those whose policies do not cover pandemics will be able to get payouts.
The UK chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has received a significant ticking off in the House of Commons this evening. The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle has told him:
Responding, Rishi Sunak said:
The British prime minister, Boris Johnson, has discussed the pandemic with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, this evening. A Downing Street spokeswoman has said:
The UK death toll rose to 67 after a further 14 people in England lost their lives after being diagnosed with coronavirus. The patients were aged between 45 and 93 and had underlying health conditions.
The UK government announced that £330bn in business loans would be made available to support firms struggling to cope with the repercussions of the outbreak.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian aid worker, was among more than 80,000 prisoners to be temporarily released in Iran due to the coronavirus outbreak. She is required to wear an ankle tag and her movements are restricted to within 300 metres of her parents’ home.
The death toll in Italy has risen by 16% in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 2,503. The number of confirmed cases also rose to 31,506.
A string of cultural events, from the Olivier Awards to the Edinburgh Science Festival have been either postponed or cancelled. Cultural buildings including the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the Royal Academy have closed their doors temporarily.
Numerous major events including the French Open have been postponed.
Scottish parliament has closed all access to its public galleries until further notice amidst the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed two in the country.The public have instead been told to watch proceedings on the government’s webcasting service.Access to the media gallery in the chamber will remain open for accredited media, but journalists are being encouraged to work from their offices or home.Ken Macintosh, senior Labour MSP and presiding officer of Holyrood parliament, said: “All our decisions are consistent with public health advice and are designed to minimise the impact of Covid-19, to help keep our staff and members of the public safe and with a view to safely and sustainably delivering essential parliamentary business.”
French health authorities reported 27 new deaths from coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the total to 175 or an increase of around 18%, as France entered its first day of lockdown to try and contain the outbreak.
During a press conference without any physical presence of journalists, health agency director Jérôme Salomon added the number of cases had risen to 7,730, up from 6,633 on Monday, which is a rise of 16.5% in 24 hours.
Salomon said 699 people were in a serious condition, needing life support.