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Coronavirus news: UK government gives daily briefing – live updates
Coronavirus news: UK government gives daily briefing – live updates
(30 minutes later)
Italy deaths pass 4,000; More US states, including New York, tell people to stay home; Dow Jones falls 900 points. Follow the latest
Italy deaths pass 4,000; More US states, including New York, tell people to stay home; Dow Jones falls 900 points. Follow the latest
A number of peers including Floella Benjamin, Melvyn Bragg, Joan Bakewell, John Birt, Rowan Williams, and Lola Young have written a letter calling on the chancellor to put in place emergency funds to support the self-employed during the coronavirus pandemic.
The letter notes:
Tesco has today announced that it will be giving a 10% bonus to its workers in stores, distribution centres and customer engagement centres across the country.
The bonus will be backdated to Monday 9 March for all permanent colleagues, who will receive the increased hourly pay rate till 1 May, when the company will review the situation.
Jason Tarry, UK and ROI CEO said:
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa rose above 1,000 on Saturday, AP reports, as two heads of state appeared to defy their own travel restrictions.
As of Saturday, 40 of Africa’s 54 countries were impacted by the outbreak after Angola confirmed its first cases. Congo reported its first death, while Burkina Faso reported two new ones.
Several government ministers in Burkina Faso have tested positive, including the minister of foreign affairs. The West African nation has one of the highest confirmed cases on the continent with 64. On Friday, the president, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, announced the country’s two international airports would close for two weeks with the exception for military and cargo.
Though Angola also closed its air, land and sea borders this week, Namibian media showed the president, João Lourenço, at the inauguration of Namibian president, Hage Geingob. Also in attendance was Mokgweetsi Masisi, the president of neighbouring Botswana, which this week suspended international travel by all government employees.
A hearing has been ordered by the high court after Detention Action launched a landmark legal challenge following the government’s written response to the claim. The challenge is thought to be the first Covid-19-related case listed in England and Wales.
The death toll from patients who tested positive for the coronavirus in Scotland has increased to seven.
The death toll from patients who tested positive for the coronavirus in Scotland has increased to seven.
A total of 373 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, new figures from the Scottish government show. The number of cases has increased by 51 In the last 24 hours.
A total of 373 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, new figures from the Scottish government show. The number of cases has increased by 51 in the last 24 hours.
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS area has the largest number of confirmed cases, with 110 people in the area diagnosed as having it. There are 49 cases in Lanarkshire, 44 in Lothian and 34 in Tayside.
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS area has the largest number of confirmed cases, with 110 people in the area diagnosed as having it. There are 49 cases in Lanarkshire, 44 in Lothian and 34 in Tayside.
At the end of the briefing, Eustice reiterated that supermarkets were best placed to judge what stock item limits should be put in place.
At the end of the briefing, Eustice reiterated that supermarkets were best placed to judge what stock item limits should be put in place.
“There’s no shortage of food. As I said, food manufacturing has geared up to meet an increase in demand and it is up by 50%.”
“There’s no shortage of food. As I said, food manufacturing has geared up to meet an increase in demand and it is up by 50%.”
Asked about possible military involvement in the supply chain, Eustice said:“We are obviously giving increasing thought within government over how we will protect those who may be self-isolating because they are vulnerable and I know more will be said about this in due course.”
Asked about possible military involvement in the supply chain, Eustice said:“We are obviously giving increasing thought within government over how we will protect those who may be self-isolating because they are vulnerable and I know more will be said about this in due course.”
Eustice said supermarkets had experienced a surge in demand similar to the Christmas period.
Eustice said supermarkets had experienced a surge in demand similar to the Christmas period.
“And food manufacturers have responded by increasing their production by up to about 50%,” he explained, “so there’s no risk of food running out. The challenge we have is getting food to the shelves and keeping it there.”
“And food manufacturers have responded by increasing their production by up to about 50%,” he explained, “so there’s no risk of food running out. The challenge we have is getting food to the shelves and keeping it there.”
Asked about possible government intervention restricting food purchases, Eustice said: “The reality is that most of the supermarkets are already, of their own accord, putting limits on certain items so I don’t think it is necessary or appropriate for the government to dictate this.”
Asked about possible government intervention restricting food purchases, Eustice said: “The reality is that most of the supermarkets are already, of their own accord, putting limits on certain items so I don’t think it is necessary or appropriate for the government to dictate this.”
Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said at the daily Downing Street briefing that there was plenty of food in the supply chain. The issue is around people and lorries.
Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said at the daily Downing Street briefing that there was plenty of food in the supply chain. The issue is around people and lorries.
She added there was £1bn more food in people’s houses than there was three weeks ago. “So we should make sure we eat some of it.”
She added there was £1bn more food in people’s houses than there was three weeks ago. “So we should make sure we eat some of it.”
NHS England’s national medical director, Stephen Powis, mentions the video posted of a NHS critical care nurse who was in tears because she was unable to buy food in her local supermarket after a 48-hour shift.
“Frankly we should all be ashamed that has had to happen. It’s unacceptable. These are the very people we will all need to look after perhaps us or our loved ones in the weeks ahead,” he said.
Speaking during the daily Downing Street briefing on Saturday afternoon, the environment secretary, George Eustice, urged people to be responsible and not to panic-buy.
He said: “We recognise that this is a challenging time and there are many things the government is asking the nation to do differently as we work together to fight this pandemic.
“Be responsible when you shop and think of others. Buying more than you need means others may be left without.”
Welsh MP Liz Saville Roberts has released a video advising people against travelling to rural parts of the country to self-isolate.
In the video, Roberts said: “To those people who are thinking of coming to rural areas either to stay in caravans or second homes, could I please beg of you, please think again. Is this essential travel?
“Here in North Wales the NHS will be hard pushed to cope as it is in coming weeks. And if you need to self-isolate surely you’ll be better at home with your family and friend networks”
Roberts added she looked forward to welcoming tourists once the pandemic was over.
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has continued to increase across Europe, including the first death in Finland.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare confirmed on Saturday the country’s first coronavirus death, saying that an elderly patient in the capital had died, Reuters reports.
“Finland’s first coronavirus death is very unfortunate, but not surprising,” it said. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country reached 521 on Saturday.
Switzerland reported 6,100 coronavirus infections on Saturday, 25% more than a day earlier, and 56 deaths, the Swiss health ministry said. There were reports that hospitals in the canton of Ticino that borders hard-hit Italy were under intense pressure.
“The situation in Ticino is very tense,” said Daniel Koch, the head of the federal office of health’s communicable diseases division. The Swiss military took delivery of 50 additional ventilators and deployed them in Ticino on Friday.
In the Netherlands, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus has risen by 637 to a total of 3,631, Dutch health authorities said in their daily update on Saturday, with 30 new deaths. The total death toll in the Netherlands now stands at 136.
Boris Johnson is speaking to supermarket bosses today about how to overcome the panic buying that is gripping the UK. They will also discuss efforts to keep supplies flowing.
The meetings come ahead of the government’s daily press conference, which will be hosted by the environment secretary, George Eustice, in place of Johnson.
Eustice is expected to be joined by government scientific and medical experts for the briefing, which takes place at 2pm.
Scotland’s chief constable, Iain Livingstone, has warned the police will enforce the ban on all pubs, clubs and restaurants staying open — a ban he said he fully supported.
In a statement, Livingstone thanked “the overwhelming majority” of people complying with the ban. “To be clear, no public houses or other entertainment venues should be opening for patrons until further notice,” he said.
Ali Milani, the Labour parliamentary candidate who ran against Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election, says his father has passed away after being diagnosed with coronavirus.
In a tweet, Milani said: “In the early hours of this morning, my father tragically passed away after having contracted COVID-19.
“Please keep him in your prayers. This virus is taking millions all across the world. Please ISOLATE and listen to medical advice!”
In a separate tweet, he shared a link for a fundraising effort for Islamic Relief, which his friends had set up in his Dad’s memory.
The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest are looking to stage an alternative to the cancelled event, in the form of a television show or through its online platforms.
The Eurovision song contest is one of the world’s largest television events and had been scheduled to take place in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on 16 May.
The European Broadcasting Union, which made the decision to cancel the popular event on Wednesday due to the coronavirus crisis, said it was “exploring alternative programming, but not a competition”.
The organisers said:
Eurovision features live musical numbers from each participating country - more than 50 in recent editions — reaching beyond Europe to Israel and Australia.
The contest has been held annually since 1956, and was expected to draw up to 200 million viewers and a live audience of tens of thousands for the final this year.
Spain’s death toll surpasses 1,300 people. The latest death toll is an increase from 1,002 on Friday, according to the country’s health ministry. The number of registered cases in the country rose to 24,926 on Saturday from 19,980 in the previous tally announced on Friday
Pakistan and Vietnam suspend international flights. Pakistan will suspend international flights for two weeks, the civil aviation authority has said. Cargo and diplomatic flights will be exempt. Vietnam said it would be suspending all inbound international flights, but did not give a timeframe.
European Union commission to suspend budget rules. The executive moved to formalise an agreement reached by EU finance ministers to suspend budget rules that put limits on borrowing so that governments have a free hand in fighting the coronavirus.
Iran suggests social distancing measures could end in three weeks. The president, Hassan Rouhani, said social distancing measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country will only need to be applied for two to three weeks as he expects the crisis to ease by then.
Bangkok closes its shopping malls. All shopping centres in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, will be temporarily closed, it was announced on Saturday, as the country reported its biggest rise in cases yet. Shopping centres, except for supermarkets, will be closed from Sunday until 12 April in an attempt to stop the outbreak from spreading further.
Jeremy Hunt calls for NHS staff to have the protective equipment they need. The former health secretary shared his concerns that not all NHS staff were receiving the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Presenter Fiona Phillips tests positive for the coronavirus, while Lewis Hamilton goes into self-isolation. Phillips told her fans not to panic on Twitter. The 59-year-old breakfast TV star was inundated with messages of support after she made the announcement. Lewis Hamilton has revealed he has been in self-isolation but is showing no symptoms of the coronavirus after attending an event with Idris Elba and Sophie Trudeau.
Major UK supermarkets have been asked to set aside supplies for food banks after a tumultuous few days in which several emergency food aid charities closed and others struggled to meet rocketing demand from people hit by the fallout from coronavirus.
Many food banks said they were finding it impossible to replenish food stocks, even as thousands more people turned to them for help, and others said they had been overwhelmed as hundreds of elderly volunteer regulars were forced to go into self-isolation.
