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| Coronavirus UK: test slots run out for second day running – latest updates | Coronavirus UK: test slots run out for second day running – latest updates |
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| Questions over independence of Sage group come as UK death toll nears 20,000 | Questions over independence of Sage group come as UK death toll nears 20,000 |
| NHS England has announced a further 711 deaths in hospital of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total to 18,084. | |
| Of the 711 new deaths announced today, 105 occurred on 24 April, 236 on 23 April and 66 on 22 April. | |
| The figures also show that 235 of the new deaths took place between 1 and 21 April while the remaining 69 deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 11 March. | |
| NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago. This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for postmortem examinations to be processed and for data from the tests to be validated. | |
| The figures published by NHS England show 8 April continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 855. | |
| A total of 1,231 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, a rise of 47 from 1,184 on Friday, the Scottish government has confirmed. | |
| The number of people who have tested positive is 10,051, up 354 from Friday’s figure of 9,697. | The number of people who have tested positive is 10,051, up 354 from Friday’s figure of 9,697. |
| The figures published on the government’s website confirmed 1,748 patients were in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a rise of 38 from 1,710 the previous day, 140 of whom were in intensive care, down one. | |
| A further 23 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales, taking the total to 774, health officials said. | |
| Public Health Wales said following data cleaning, 22 previously reported deaths which did not have a positive test result have been removed. | Public Health Wales said following data cleaning, 22 previously reported deaths which did not have a positive test result have been removed. |
| A further 299 people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 8,900. | |
| Dr Chris Williams of Public Health Wales, said: | |
| The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has urged the government to advise the public to wear “non-medical face coverings” in environments where it is difficult to maintain a safe distance from others. | The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has urged the government to advise the public to wear “non-medical face coverings” in environments where it is difficult to maintain a safe distance from others. |
| The former Brexit secretary David Davis has said no political appointee should attend Sage meetings to ensure there are no outside influence on the formulation of scientific advice. | The former Brexit secretary David Davis has said no political appointee should attend Sage meetings to ensure there are no outside influence on the formulation of scientific advice. |
| Labour urged the government earlier this morning to bar the prime minister’s chief political adviser, Dominic Cummings, from meetings of the secret scientific group advising on the coronavirus pandemic over concerns that its independence has been compromised. | Labour urged the government earlier this morning to bar the prime minister’s chief political adviser, Dominic Cummings, from meetings of the secret scientific group advising on the coronavirus pandemic over concerns that its independence has been compromised. |
| The president of the Dutch football association has cast doubt on the feasibility of the Premier League playing matches behind closed doors in June after the government suggested it might be possible for some sports to resume within a few weeks. | The president of the Dutch football association has cast doubt on the feasibility of the Premier League playing matches behind closed doors in June after the government suggested it might be possible for some sports to resume within a few weeks. |
| Just Spee’s intervention comes after the Dutch Eredivisie became the first major European football league to cancel its season in response to the coronavirus crisis. For the first time since 1944-45, the Dutch top flight will not have a champion and there will be no relegation or promotion either from the 18-team division. He said: | Just Spee’s intervention comes after the Dutch Eredivisie became the first major European football league to cancel its season in response to the coronavirus crisis. For the first time since 1944-45, the Dutch top flight will not have a champion and there will be no relegation or promotion either from the 18-team division. He said: |
| The public has been told to stay at home as forecasters predict warm and sunny weather across most of the country for the UK’s fifth weekend under lockdown. | The public has been told to stay at home as forecasters predict warm and sunny weather across most of the country for the UK’s fifth weekend under lockdown. |
| The long spell of high temperatures is prompting concerns that people may defy lockdown rules, which came into force on 23 March. | The long spell of high temperatures is prompting concerns that people may defy lockdown rules, which came into force on 23 March. |
| The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, urged people on Friday to continue to adhere to the restrictions despite some encouraging signs that the coronavirus crisis is beginning to ease. | The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, urged people on Friday to continue to adhere to the restrictions despite some encouraging signs that the coronavirus crisis is beginning to ease. |
| Chelsea Football Club have announced they will not furlough any full-time staff and that they continue to be paid 100% of their wages. | Chelsea Football Club have announced they will not furlough any full-time staff and that they continue to be paid 100% of their wages. |
| In a statement, several weeks after Liverpool reversed a controversial decision to put around 200 non-playing staff on furlough, Chelsea – thought to be one of the 10 richest football clubs in the world – said they were not planning to make any staff redundant and that match day staff employed directly would be “compensated as if we had been operating as normal”. | In a statement, several weeks after Liverpool reversed a controversial decision to put around 200 non-playing staff on furlough, Chelsea – thought to be one of the 10 richest football clubs in the world – said they were not planning to make any staff redundant and that match day staff employed directly would be “compensated as if we had been operating as normal”. |
| Liverpool sparked outrage after they announced they would follow Newcastle, Tottenham, Norwich and Bournemouth in using the coronavirus job retention scheme to cover 80% of wages due to staff whose work has stopped since the football calendar was suspended on 13 March. | Liverpool sparked outrage after they announced they would follow Newcastle, Tottenham, Norwich and Bournemouth in using the coronavirus job retention scheme to cover 80% of wages due to staff whose work has stopped since the football calendar was suspended on 13 March. |
| The Premier League leaders had confirmed they would pay the remaining 20% to those on furlough, with almost 90 of those affected working in the club stores, and would consider reimbursing monies received at a later date. | The Premier League leaders had confirmed they would pay the remaining 20% to those on furlough, with almost 90 of those affected working in the club stores, and would consider reimbursing monies received at a later date. |
| Low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced plans to resume flights from Luton Airport on 1 May. | Low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced plans to resume flights from Luton Airport on 1 May. |
| The airline said it would implement measures to encourage physical distancing, as well as enhancing cleanliness on board. Destinations will include Budapest, Lisbon and Tenerife. | The airline said it would implement measures to encourage physical distancing, as well as enhancing cleanliness on board. Destinations will include Budapest, Lisbon and Tenerife. |
| Owain Jones, managing director of Wizz Air UK, said: | Owain Jones, managing director of Wizz Air UK, said: |
| This week, the Ryanair chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said that its planes would not return to the sky if the airline had to leave middle seats empty. He told the Financial Times: | This week, the Ryanair chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said that its planes would not return to the sky if the airline had to leave middle seats empty. He told the Financial Times: |
| Downing Street has removed China from a list of nations from which it draws international comparisons over the spread of coronavirus amid concerns about the accuracy of the country’s figures, according to the Times. | Downing Street has removed China from a list of nations from which it draws international comparisons over the spread of coronavirus amid concerns about the accuracy of the country’s figures, according to the Times. |
| Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said: | Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said: |
| A government spokeswoman said: | A government spokeswoman said: |
| Although not a major revision, an additional 40 previously unreported coronavirus deaths occurred in England and Wales in March, according to official backdated figures that suggested almost one in five coronavirus deaths are occurring outside hospitals. | Although not a major revision, an additional 40 previously unreported coronavirus deaths occurred in England and Wales in March, according to official backdated figures that suggested almost one in five coronavirus deaths are occurring outside hospitals. |
| It has also been reported that people who have died in the UK and had Covid-19 mentioned on their death certificates have been underreported. | It has also been reported that people who have died in the UK and had Covid-19 mentioned on their death certificates have been underreported. |
| In case you missed it, here is the exclusive story from the Guardian’s environment editor Damian Carrington that coronavirus has been detected on particles of air pollution by scientists investigating whether this could enable infections at longer distances. | In case you missed it, here is the exclusive story from the Guardian’s environment editor Damian Carrington that coronavirus has been detected on particles of air pollution by scientists investigating whether this could enable infections at longer distances. |
| The research is still in its infancy but other research has indicated correlations between increased Covid-19 deaths and higher levels of air pollution before the pandemic. And long-term exposure to dirty air is known to damage lung health, which could make people more vulnerable to Covid-19. | The research is still in its infancy but other research has indicated correlations between increased Covid-19 deaths and higher levels of air pollution before the pandemic. And long-term exposure to dirty air is known to damage lung health, which could make people more vulnerable to Covid-19. |
| Matt Hancock has shared a picture of himself taking part in the clinical trial to establish if plasma from the blood of recovered patients could help treat others who have contracted the coronavirus. | Matt Hancock has shared a picture of himself taking part in the clinical trial to establish if plasma from the blood of recovered patients could help treat others who have contracted the coronavirus. |
| The health secretary recovered after testing positive for Covid-19 in late March and urged people to take part in the trial if asked, adding: “It’s painless.” | The health secretary recovered after testing positive for Covid-19 in late March and urged people to take part in the trial if asked, adding: “It’s painless.” |
| An NHS trust is to offer maternity care at Aston Villa’s home ground, following the success of a similar tie-up with West Bromwich Albion. | An NHS trust is to offer maternity care at Aston Villa’s home ground, following the success of a similar tie-up with West Bromwich Albion. |
| The Sandwell and West Birmingham trust said Villa Park’s North Stand would host weekday clinics for expectant mothers and new parents from Monday. | The Sandwell and West Birmingham trust said Villa Park’s North Stand would host weekday clinics for expectant mothers and new parents from Monday. |
| Postnatal and antenatal care by midwives is already being hosted at Albion’s Hawthorns ground, including health visitors holding appointments for new parents, as well as newborn hearing screening tests. | Postnatal and antenatal care by midwives is already being hosted at Albion’s Hawthorns ground, including health visitors holding appointments for new parents, as well as newborn hearing screening tests. |
| The service at Villa Park will be staffed by 10 midwives and two support workers, with two health visitors taking appointments. | The service at Villa Park will be staffed by 10 midwives and two support workers, with two health visitors taking appointments. |
| The trust’s deputy director of midwifery Louise Wilde, who is also a Villa fan, said: | The trust’s deputy director of midwifery Louise Wilde, who is also a Villa fan, said: |
| Guy Rippon, head of foundation and community partnerships at Aston Villa, said: | Guy Rippon, head of foundation and community partnerships at Aston Villa, said: |
| The UK could hit the grim milestone of 20,000 Covid-19 deaths later today, when the daily count is added to the current toll of 19,506 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus and died in hospital. | The UK could hit the grim milestone of 20,000 Covid-19 deaths later today, when the daily count is added to the current toll of 19,506 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus and died in hospital. |
| The death toll from Covid-19 in hospitals across the country increased on Friday by 684 in 24 hours to 19,506. | The death toll from Covid-19 in hospitals across the country increased on Friday by 684 in 24 hours to 19,506. |
| Passing the 20,000 mark will be an uncomfortable moment for the government, whose chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said on 17 March that keeping the toll under that number would be “a good outcome in terms of where we would hope to get”. | Passing the 20,000 mark will be an uncomfortable moment for the government, whose chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said on 17 March that keeping the toll under that number would be “a good outcome in terms of where we would hope to get”. |
| The UK has the fifth highest official coronavirus death toll in the world, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France. Scientists have said that the death rate will start to decline quickly only in another couple of weeks. | The UK has the fifth highest official coronavirus death toll in the world, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France. Scientists have said that the death rate will start to decline quickly only in another couple of weeks. |
| The total number of fatalities is likely to be thousands higher once more comprehensive but lagging figures that include deaths in nursing homes are added. As of 10 April, the hospital toll underestimated deaths by around 40%. | The total number of fatalities is likely to be thousands higher once more comprehensive but lagging figures that include deaths in nursing homes are added. As of 10 April, the hospital toll underestimated deaths by around 40%. |
| Burberry said it has donated more than 100,000 pieces of PPE while it has also transformed its Yorkshire trench coat factory to produce protective equipment for hospital staff. | Burberry said it has donated more than 100,000 pieces of PPE while it has also transformed its Yorkshire trench coat factory to produce protective equipment for hospital staff. |
| The fashion giant said it had donated PPE, including masks the company has sourced, and has transformed its Castleford factory to manufacture non-surgical gowns and supply them to the NHS. | The fashion giant said it had donated PPE, including masks the company has sourced, and has transformed its Castleford factory to manufacture non-surgical gowns and supply them to the NHS. |
| It added that it will maintain its base pay for employees who have been unable to work due to closures and senior bosses announced they will take a 20% pay cut from April to June. | It added that it will maintain its base pay for employees who have been unable to work due to closures and senior bosses announced they will take a 20% pay cut from April to June. |
| Meanwhile, rival fashion brand Mulberry said it has switched its handbag factory in Somerset to making 8,000 gowns for NHS workers in Bristol. | Meanwhile, rival fashion brand Mulberry said it has switched its handbag factory in Somerset to making 8,000 gowns for NHS workers in Bristol. |