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| UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson remains in hospital 'for observation' after 'comfortable night' | UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson remains in hospital 'for observation' after 'comfortable night' |
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| Downing Street does not deny prime minister received oxygen treatment as cabinet meeting on Tuesday postponed | Downing Street does not deny prime minister received oxygen treatment as cabinet meeting on Tuesday postponed |
| British tourists stranded in Nepal say they have had to turn to the embassies of other European countries for help, after the British government failed to rescue them. | |
| Maria Terziska, who arrived back in the UK yesterday on a French rescue flight, said, “I have never felt so helpless in my life… It was a really scary situation and it felt like the British embassy did not care about anyone or anything.” | |
| Terziska said she was trekking in the Everest region when she heard that the Foreign Office was advising British nationals to return home. | |
| “The British embassy did nothing to get us back to Kathmandu, it was the Nepali tourism authorities and our tour guide who got us back,” she said. | |
| In Kathmandu, Terziska said she was unable to get any information about flights from the embassy, so she turned to the French for help. | |
| Another British trekker, Scott Hopkinson, managed to return to the UK on a German rescue flight. “I felt so stressed. There was no clarity from the British embassy. It was giving out conflicting information,” said Hopkinson. | |
| The British embassy in Kathmandu announced today that rescue flights for British nationals would be leaving on Wednesday and Friday, almost two weeks after German and French tourists began to be evacuated. | |
| A seat on the flights arranged by the British embassy costs £800, twice the cost of the French rescue flight. | |
| Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced last week that the government had allocated £75million for rescue flights to repatriate British citizens stranded abroad by the coronavirus. | |
| On March 22, the Nepal government banned all international flights. The announcement came at the height of the tourist season when tens of thousands of visitors arrive to trek and climb in the Himalayas. | |
| Two days later the government announced a lockdown, leaving many trekkers trapped in remote regions, struggling to return the capital Kathmandu, which has the country’s only international airport. | |
| The Foreign Office has been approached for comment. | |
| Detectives will work with body recovery teams to check if there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of suspected coronavirus victims who die in the community. | |
| Small police units are undergoing training alongside fire brigade and NHS staff to collect the dead across London and ease pressure on under-strain hospitals and the London Ambulance service. | |
| The teams, who have been given personal protective equipment (PPE), will attend houses, care homes, and hospices to confirm the death and identity of the deceased. | |
| Pandemic Multi-Agency Response Teams began working in the capital last Tuesday amid projections that around one third of suspected Covid-19 deaths could happen outside hospitals. | |
| Team members are understood to have volunteered to take on the role, with Scotland Yard Superintendent Wayne Matthews telling them they should not “underestimate how unpleasant this task is going to be”. | |
| “What we are asking the officers to do is essentially deal with one fatality, then another and then another,” he told the PA news agency. | |
| “So obviously the mental robustness and physical aptitude to be able to do this is why we asked for volunteers, people who felt they were able to do this.” | |
| After dealing with a case, the teams have the option of a “decompression period” to help them deal with the mental toll. | |
| In lighter news, a dalek has been spotted patrolling the streets of Robin Hood’s Bay, in North Yorkshire, ordering residents to “stay indoors”. | |
| In a video shared on social media, the Doctor Who villain demanded: “All humans must stay indoors. All humans will self-isolate. By order of the Daleks.” | |
| It follows other, er, inventive responses to encourage Britons to follow lockdown guidance. Earlier we reported that a Derbyshire police officer had taken to rapping through a megaphone while patrolling the streets. | |
| She urged people to: “Take our advice and you may not get sick. Stay at home whenever you can. Don’t go out on the streets with your fam.” | |
| The Open 2020 has been cancelled in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the first time since the second world war that the major has not been played. | |
| The Open was due to be played at Royal St George’s in Kent from 12-19 July but the course will instead host the championship a year later in 2021. | |
| St Andrews, which had been due to host the championship in 2021, will now play host to the 150th Open in 2022.Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, said: “We care deeply about this historic championship and have made this decision with a heavy heart. We appreciate that this will be disappointing for a great many people around the world but we have to act responsibly during this pandemic and it is the right thing to do.” | |
| Pep Guardiola’s mother, Dolors Sala, has died aged 82 in Barcelona after contracting Covid-19. | |
| Manchester City said it was “devastated” to report its manager’s loss. | |
| I’m Amy Walker, taking over the live blog from my colleague Matthew Weaver. You can get in touch or follow me on Twitter @amyrwalker. | |
| Police leaders have told MPs they hope to have access to Covid-19 testing before the end of the month but face “difficult decisions” about which officers will have access to the screenings. | Police leaders have told MPs they hope to have access to Covid-19 testing before the end of the month but face “difficult decisions” about which officers will have access to the screenings. |
| Chief Supt Paul Griffiths, the president of the Police Superintendents’ Association, and Sgt Simon Kempton, the operational lead for Covid-19 at the Police Federation of England and Wales, told a remote session of the home affairs select committee they understood coronavirus tests had been ordered but were unsure on timetables for rolling them out. | |
| Yvette Cooper, the chair of the committee, asked when police might be able to access testing as part of the government’s testing strategy. Griffiths said: | |
| Griffiths said he understood the tests were to ascertain whether the subject had the disease, rather than an antibody test. | Griffiths said he understood the tests were to ascertain whether the subject had the disease, rather than an antibody test. |
| Kempton said they hoped to have the tests by the end of the month. “Even then, there’s going to be some difficult decisions about who gets them first,” he said. “One of the jobs of my senior colleagues is managing that effect.” | |
| Keir Starmer, has named his full shadow cabinet, including Ed Miliband as shadow business secretary and the return of Lord Falconer as shadow attorney general. | Keir Starmer, has named his full shadow cabinet, including Ed Miliband as shadow business secretary and the return of Lord Falconer as shadow attorney general. |
| He said: | He said: |
| Here’s the full list: | Here’s the full list: |
| · Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition | · Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition |
| · Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Labour party | · Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Labour party |
| · Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | · Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| · Lisa Nandy, Shadow Foreign Secretary | · Lisa Nandy, Shadow Foreign Secretary |
| · Nick Thomas-Symonds, Shadow Home Secretary | · Nick Thomas-Symonds, Shadow Home Secretary |
| · Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | · Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster |
| · David Lammy, Shadow Justice Secretary | · David Lammy, Shadow Justice Secretary |
| · John Healey, Shadow Defence Secretary | · John Healey, Shadow Defence Secretary |
| · Ed Miliband, Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary | · Ed Miliband, Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary |
| · Emily Thornberry, Shadow International Trade Secretary | · Emily Thornberry, Shadow International Trade Secretary |
| · Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary | · Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary |
| · Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | · Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care |
| · Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Education Secretary | · Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Education Secretary |
| · Jo Stevens, Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | · Jo Stevens, Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
| · Bridget Phillipson, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | · Bridget Phillipson, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury |
| · Luke Pollard, Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary | · Luke Pollard, Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary |
| · Steve Reed, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary | · Steve Reed, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary |
| · Thangam Debbonaire, Shadow Housing Secretary | · Thangam Debbonaire, Shadow Housing Secretary |
| · Jim McMahon, Shadow Transport Secretary | · Jim McMahon, Shadow Transport Secretary |
| · Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow International Development Secretary | · Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow International Development Secretary |
| · Louise Haigh, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary (interim) | · Louise Haigh, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary (interim) |
| · Ian Murray, Shadow Scotland Secretary | · Ian Murray, Shadow Scotland Secretary |
| · Nia Griffith, Shadow Wales Secretary | · Nia Griffith, Shadow Wales Secretary |
| · Marsha de Cordova, Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary | · Marsha de Cordova, Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary |
| · Andy McDonald, Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary | · Andy McDonald, Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary |
| · Rosena Allin-Khan, Shadow Minister for Mental Health | · Rosena Allin-Khan, Shadow Minister for Mental Health |
| · Cat Smith, Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement | · Cat Smith, Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement |
| · Lord Falconer, Shadow Attorney General | · Lord Falconer, Shadow Attorney General |
| · Valerie Vaz, Shadow Leader of the House | · Valerie Vaz, Shadow Leader of the House |
| · Nick Brown, Opposition Chief Whip | · Nick Brown, Opposition Chief Whip |
| · Baroness Smith, Shadow Leader of the Lords | · Baroness Smith, Shadow Leader of the Lords |
| · Lord McAvoy, Lords’ Opposition Chief Whip | · Lord McAvoy, Lords’ Opposition Chief Whip |
| Boris Johnson in ‘good spirits’ but remains in hospital | Boris Johnson in ‘good spirits’ but remains in hospital |
| Boris Johnson has tweeted that he is in “good spirits” but No 10 has stopped describing his symptoms as “mild”. As the prime minister continues to be observed by doctors, Downing Street said it was too early to say whether he would be staying for another night and did not deny that he had been given oxygen treatment. | Boris Johnson has tweeted that he is in “good spirits” but No 10 has stopped describing his symptoms as “mild”. As the prime minister continues to be observed by doctors, Downing Street said it was too early to say whether he would be staying for another night and did not deny that he had been given oxygen treatment. |
| Tuesday’s cabinet meeting postponed | Tuesday’s cabinet meeting postponed |
| Dominic Raab chaired Monday’s coronavirus meeting, while a cabinet meeting planned for Tuesday has been postponed. The chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, has reportedly returned to work after self-isolating with coronavirus symptoms. Dominic Cummings is yet to return to work in Downing Street but remains in communication with officials, a spokesman said. | Dominic Raab chaired Monday’s coronavirus meeting, while a cabinet meeting planned for Tuesday has been postponed. The chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, has reportedly returned to work after self-isolating with coronavirus symptoms. Dominic Cummings is yet to return to work in Downing Street but remains in communication with officials, a spokesman said. |
| Nicola Sturgeon warns of ‘worse to come’ | Nicola Sturgeon warns of ‘worse to come’ |
| Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon has warned “there is almost certainly worse still to come” after Scotland’s death toll increased to 222. Among the latest two deaths were a home care worker from West Dumbartonshire. Sturgeon stressed that this would not be a “true figure” and would be “artificially low” as officials change the way deaths are reported. | Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon has warned “there is almost certainly worse still to come” after Scotland’s death toll increased to 222. Among the latest two deaths were a home care worker from West Dumbartonshire. Sturgeon stressed that this would not be a “true figure” and would be “artificially low” as officials change the way deaths are reported. |
| Sturgeon defends initial decision not to sack Scotland’s CMO | Sturgeon defends initial decision not to sack Scotland’s CMO |
| Earlier Sturgeon defended her decision not to sack Catherine Calderwood as soon as it emerged that Scotland’s chief medical officer had twice visited her second home while fronting the stay at home campaign. But she said by Sunday evening it became clear the Calderwood’s behaviour was “undermining” the message that people should stay at home. | Earlier Sturgeon defended her decision not to sack Catherine Calderwood as soon as it emerged that Scotland’s chief medical officer had twice visited her second home while fronting the stay at home campaign. But she said by Sunday evening it became clear the Calderwood’s behaviour was “undermining” the message that people should stay at home. |
| Deaths in England increase by 403 | Deaths in England increase by 403 |
| The number of people who have died from coronavirus in the England has increased by 403 to 4,897. NHS England said the latest victims were aged between 35 and 106 years old. Of the 403 patients (aged between 52 and 94 years old), 15 had no known underlying health condition. | The number of people who have died from coronavirus in the England has increased by 403 to 4,897. NHS England said the latest victims were aged between 35 and 106 years old. Of the 403 patients (aged between 52 and 94 years old), 15 had no known underlying health condition. |
| Deaths in Wales increase by 27 to 193 | Deaths in Wales increase by 27 to 193 |
| The death toll in Wales from coronavirus has increased by 27 to 193. A Covid-19 testing centre at Cardiff City’s stadium is due to open on Tuesday. The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has said he believes the lockdown will have to continue beyond Easter. | The death toll in Wales from coronavirus has increased by 27 to 193. A Covid-19 testing centre at Cardiff City’s stadium is due to open on Tuesday. The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has said he believes the lockdown will have to continue beyond Easter. |
| Antibody test ‘at least a month away’ | Antibody test ‘at least a month away’ |
| A mass antibody test is at least a month away, a leading government scientific adviser has said. Professor Sir John Bell, from Oxford University, who advises the government on life sciences, said the search was on for an antibody test that would prove effective, but those tested so far had failed. He also warned the test was at least a month a way. | A mass antibody test is at least a month away, a leading government scientific adviser has said. Professor Sir John Bell, from Oxford University, who advises the government on life sciences, said the search was on for an antibody test that would prove effective, but those tested so far had failed. He also warned the test was at least a month a way. |
| Labour frontbencher taken to hospital | Labour frontbencher taken to hospital |
| Tony Lloyd, 70, the Labour MP for Rochdale, has been taken to hospital in Manchester with coronavirus. Lloyd is the shadow Northern Ireland secretary. Richard Burgon, the former shadow justice secretary, has been sacked by Labour’s new leader Keir Starmer Andrew Gwynne has stepped down as shadow communities secretary, complaining of being sidelined as election coordinator under Jeremy Corbyn. | Tony Lloyd, 70, the Labour MP for Rochdale, has been taken to hospital in Manchester with coronavirus. Lloyd is the shadow Northern Ireland secretary. Richard Burgon, the former shadow justice secretary, has been sacked by Labour’s new leader Keir Starmer Andrew Gwynne has stepped down as shadow communities secretary, complaining of being sidelined as election coordinator under Jeremy Corbyn. |
| Jenrick warns councils against park closures | Jenrick warns councils against park closures |
| The communities secretary warned councils to only close parks as a “last resort”. South London’s Brockwell Park was reopened after closing on Sunday a day after thousands appeared to ignore physical distancing measures in the park. | The communities secretary warned councils to only close parks as a “last resort”. South London’s Brockwell Park was reopened after closing on Sunday a day after thousands appeared to ignore physical distancing measures in the park. |
| Surge in domestic abuse calls | Surge in domestic abuse calls |
| There was a 25% surge in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in a five-day period during the coronavirus lockdown, according to the charity Refuge. There was also increase of about 150% in visits to nationaldahelpline.org.uk compared with the last week in February. The warning came after dozens of organisations helping domestic violence victims reported an increase in their caseload since the start of the UK’s outbreak. | There was a 25% surge in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in a five-day period during the coronavirus lockdown, according to the charity Refuge. There was also increase of about 150% in visits to nationaldahelpline.org.uk compared with the last week in February. The warning came after dozens of organisations helping domestic violence victims reported an increase in their caseload since the start of the UK’s outbreak. |
| Debenhams set to go into administration | Debenhams set to go into administration |
| The department store chain Debenhams is on the brink of collapse after bosses confirmed it has filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators affecting around 22,000 workers. The majority of its employees in the UK are currently being paid under the government’s furlough scheme, after its stores closed following the shutdown of non-essential stores. | The department store chain Debenhams is on the brink of collapse after bosses confirmed it has filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators affecting around 22,000 workers. The majority of its employees in the UK are currently being paid under the government’s furlough scheme, after its stores closed following the shutdown of non-essential stores. |
| Nearly 13,000 retired health professionals and students have offered to work in Scotland’s health service to help cope with the extra demands of the coronavirus crisis, Jeane Freeman, the Scottish health secretary, has said. | Nearly 13,000 retired health professionals and students have offered to work in Scotland’s health service to help cope with the extra demands of the coronavirus crisis, Jeane Freeman, the Scottish health secretary, has said. |
| Freeman said that by Monday morning 12,725 people had answered an appeal for retired staff and students to come forward, including more than 2,600 former nurses, more than 3,000 nursing students, 1,272 retired doctors and more than 1,650 with social care experience. | Freeman said that by Monday morning 12,725 people had answered an appeal for retired staff and students to come forward, including more than 2,600 former nurses, more than 3,000 nursing students, 1,272 retired doctors and more than 1,650 with social care experience. |
| The remainder were physiotherapists, biomedical students, occupational therapists; dentists and midwives, paramedics. Students would be fully paid, and be able to complete their studies, while all the recruits would be entitled to sick pay equivalent to an employee with five years’ experience, she added. | The remainder were physiotherapists, biomedical students, occupational therapists; dentists and midwives, paramedics. Students would be fully paid, and be able to complete their studies, while all the recruits would be entitled to sick pay equivalent to an employee with five years’ experience, she added. |
| “That response in a relatively short period of time shows the incredible dedication of our health care community, current, retired and future, to give us all their skills and expertise to help us meet the challenge ahead,” Freeman said. | “That response in a relatively short period of time shows the incredible dedication of our health care community, current, retired and future, to give us all their skills and expertise to help us meet the challenge ahead,” Freeman said. |
| They had registered directly with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian or via a national “accelerated recruitment portal”. Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, said on Monday about 6% of NHS staff in Scotland were off work with coronavirus-related illnesses or responsibilities. | They had registered directly with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian or via a national “accelerated recruitment portal”. Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, said on Monday about 6% of NHS staff in Scotland were off work with coronavirus-related illnesses or responsibilities. |
| Boris Johnson is still in hospital suffering from coronavirus and had a “comfortable night” but No 10 has dropped the description of his symptoms as mild. | Boris Johnson is still in hospital suffering from coronavirus and had a “comfortable night” but No 10 has dropped the description of his symptoms as mild. |
| As the prime minister continues to be observed by doctors, Downing Street said it was too early to say whether he would be staying for another night and did not deny that he had been given oxygen treatment. | As the prime minister continues to be observed by doctors, Downing Street said it was too early to say whether he would be staying for another night and did not deny that he had been given oxygen treatment. |
| The prime minister’s official spokesman said he was in St Thomas’ hospital in south London and was in “good spirits”, while continuing to work on his red box of government papers. | The prime minister’s official spokesman said he was in St Thomas’ hospital in south London and was in “good spirits”, while continuing to work on his red box of government papers. |
| A dairy farmer in Wales says he has been forced to dump 11,500 litres of milk because of the pandemic. | A dairy farmer in Wales says he has been forced to dump 11,500 litres of milk because of the pandemic. |
| Llyr Griffiths provides milk to Freshway, which supplies a number of high-profile companies including Starbucks and British Airways. | Llyr Griffiths provides milk to Freshway, which supplies a number of high-profile companies including Starbucks and British Airways. |
| In a post on Facebook, he wrote: | In a post on Facebook, he wrote: |
| The number of people who have died from coronavirus in the England has increased by 403 to 4,897. | The number of people who have died from coronavirus in the England has increased by 403 to 4,897. |
| The UK figure will be available later. | The UK figure will be available later. |
| It is the second day in a row that the rise is lower than the day before. Last weekend there was also a dip in the rise in recorded deaths which was attributed to a lack of officials available over the weekend to verify the latest numbers. | It is the second day in a row that the rise is lower than the day before. Last weekend there was also a dip in the rise in recorded deaths which was attributed to a lack of officials available over the weekend to verify the latest numbers. |
| The NHS said the patients were aged between 35 and 106 years old. Of the 403 patients (aged between 52 and 94 years old), 15 had no known underlying health condition. | The NHS said the patients were aged between 35 and 106 years old. Of the 403 patients (aged between 52 and 94 years old), 15 had no known underlying health condition. |
| The death toll in Wales from coronavirus has increased by 27 to 193. | The death toll in Wales from coronavirus has increased by 27 to 193. |
| Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: | Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: |
| The Scottish government has confirmed that 222 people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland have died. | The Scottish government has confirmed that 222 people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland have died. |