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| UK coronavirus live: hospitals 10 days off 'critical' stage due to rising cases, health minister says | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: Nadine Dorries says hospital are 10 days from reaching ‘critical’ stage; warning of ‘one last blow out’ if pub restrictions delayed | |
| At FMQs, Nicola Sturgeon went into some detail about yesterday’s Scottish government evidence paper (pdf) which showed that both the R number and the growth rate of infection in Scotland was the highest in the UK. | |
| The R value is thought to be less meaningful when there is not widespread community transmission and where the rise in cases is driven by clusters, which can make the value much higher. | |
| The rate of positive cases by health board for the week ending 5 October was 146.1 per 100,000 for Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board, the highest in Scotland, while in Manchester local authority, another area currently threatened with pub closures, it is 512.4 per 100,000. | |
| Responding to a question about whether she had made a strategic error in trying to drive the virus as low as possible over the summer. She said: | |
| Allegra Stratton, the former Guardian, BBC and ITV journalist who currently works at the Treasury as Rishi Sunak’s communications chief, has been appointed as Boris Johnson’s new press secretary, the BBC’s Vicki Young reports. Stratton will be fronting the new daily televised press briefings that No 10 plans to launch soon. She has been seen as the favourite to get the job for some time. | |
| NHS England has recorded 43 further coronavirus hospital deaths. There were 13 in the north-east and Yorkshire, 11 in the north-west, 10 in the Midlands, six in London, two in the east of England, one in the south-east and none in the south-west. The details are here. | NHS England has recorded 43 further coronavirus hospital deaths. There were 13 in the north-east and Yorkshire, 11 in the north-west, 10 in the Midlands, six in London, two in the east of England, one in the south-east and none in the south-west. The details are here. |
| Today’s total is below the figures for Tuesday and Wednesday (50 and 54 respectively), and one lower than the figure for last Thursday (44). | |
| But these headline figures only include patients who tested positive. The NHS England bulletin for today also records another eight deaths where a positive test was not received but Covid was mentioned on the death certificate. This time last week there were five deaths in this category. | |
| The backlog of criminal cases waiting to go to trial continues to lengthen due to the pandemic, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Justice. | The backlog of criminal cases waiting to go to trial continues to lengthen due to the pandemic, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Justice. |
| The number of crown court cases outstanding at the end of August in England and Wales was 47,255; the number of magistrates court cases stood at 444,177. Although the backlog declined very slightly in the lower courts, delays have increased significantly in crown courts. | |
| Some trials are already being postponed to 2022 because of problems hearing cases when the courts cannot work at full capacity under coronavirus-safe conditions. Lawyers point out out that the backlog was already growing before the pandemic because of austerity cuts to judges’ sitting days. | |
| The Ministry of Justice has established a number of emergency, socially distanced Nightingale courts in alternative locations, such as theatres, offices, council chambers and decommissioned courts. Labour has criticised the measures as inadequate. | |
| Responding to the latest figures, Amanda Pinto QC, chair of the Bar Council, said: | Responding to the latest figures, Amanda Pinto QC, chair of the Bar Council, said: |
| In response to the figures out this morning showing a huge increase in the number of patients waiting for tests and treatments as a result of the backlog created by the coronavirus crisis (see 11.04am), the NHS says it is seeing three times as many patients for surgery now as in April. A spokesperson said: | In response to the figures out this morning showing a huge increase in the number of patients waiting for tests and treatments as a result of the backlog created by the coronavirus crisis (see 11.04am), the NHS says it is seeing three times as many patients for surgery now as in April. A spokesperson said: |
| It also says that, between April and August, the number of hospital patients being admitted for non-urgent treatment increased by 300% and between April and September the number of diagnostic tests being carried out was up by 150%. | It also says that, between April and August, the number of hospital patients being admitted for non-urgent treatment increased by 300% and between April and September the number of diagnostic tests being carried out was up by 150%. |
| These figures partly reflect the fact that much non-urgent hospital work ground to a halt in April because at that point the pandemic was at its peak. | |
| In an interview on BBC Radio 4’s World at One, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, restated his criticism of the government for its failure to implement new restrictions in partnership with local authority leaders. He said he still did not have clarity on what was planned. | |
| He said the government was “losing the dressing room” in the north. | |
| At the Downing Street lobby briefing we did not learn any more about the plans to implement a three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions in England next week. The prime minister’s spokesman did not challenge the reports about what is planned (which all broadly say the same thing - see 9.35am, 10.14am and 12.36pm) but he would not confirm them either. He just said: | At the Downing Street lobby briefing we did not learn any more about the plans to implement a three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions in England next week. The prime minister’s spokesman did not challenge the reports about what is planned (which all broadly say the same thing - see 9.35am, 10.14am and 12.36pm) but he would not confirm them either. He just said: |
| But the spokesman did provide figures showing why action was needed in the north-east and the north-west. | But the spokesman did provide figures showing why action was needed in the north-east and the north-west. |
| In the north-east, hospital admissions are up by 35% from 65 to 88 in the seven days to 1 October, in comparison to a peak of 507 on 1 April. | In the north-east, hospital admissions are up by 35% from 65 to 88 in the seven days to 1 October, in comparison to a peak of 507 on 1 April. |
| There were 69 patients on ventilators on 1 October compared to 43 on 24 September and a peak of 302 on 11 April. | There were 69 patients on ventilators on 1 October compared to 43 on 24 September and a peak of 302 on 11 April. |
| And in the north-west, admissions are up 60% from 80 to 128 in the seven days to 1 October, compared to a peak of 477 on 9 April. | And in the north-west, admissions are up 60% from 80 to 128 in the seven days to 1 October, compared to a peak of 477 on 9 April. |
| There were 89 patients on ventilators on 4 October, compared to 60 on 24 September and a peak of 350 on 18 April. | There were 89 patients on ventilators on 4 October, compared to 60 on 24 September and a peak of 350 on 18 April. |
| Labour will not vote against the 10pm compulsory closing time next week, Sir Keir Starmer has said. | Labour will not vote against the 10pm compulsory closing time next week, Sir Keir Starmer has said. |
| Last week he called for a rethink of the rule. And at PMQs yesterday Starmer challenged Boris Johnson to publish the scientific evidence justifying the rule before MPs voted on it. This has not happened. | Last week he called for a rethink of the rule. And at PMQs yesterday Starmer challenged Boris Johnson to publish the scientific evidence justifying the rule before MPs voted on it. This has not happened. |
| But today, as Arj Singh reports at HuffPost, Starmer said that Labour would not vote against the rule because it was a simple yes/no vote on a set of regulations, and it did not want to vote down the entire package. Starmer said: | But today, as Arj Singh reports at HuffPost, Starmer said that Labour would not vote against the rule because it was a simple yes/no vote on a set of regulations, and it did not want to vote down the entire package. Starmer said: |
| At FMQs in the Scottish parliament Ruth Davidson told Nicola Sturgeon it was “beyond belief” the first minister did not recall an initial meeting about complaints against Alex Salmond, as she said in her evidence – published yesterday - to the Holyrood inquiry investigating her government’s botched handling of sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister. | At FMQs in the Scottish parliament Ruth Davidson told Nicola Sturgeon it was “beyond belief” the first minister did not recall an initial meeting about complaints against Alex Salmond, as she said in her evidence – published yesterday - to the Holyrood inquiry investigating her government’s botched handling of sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister. |
| In angry exchanges, Davidson, the Conservative leader in the parliament, said that the SNP took people for fools: | In angry exchanges, Davidson, the Conservative leader in the parliament, said that the SNP took people for fools: |
| Sturgeon countered that she would focus on the pandemic until she’s called under oath to the inquiry, where she would “relish” giving evidence after having “all sorts of nonsense levelled against me”. | Sturgeon countered that she would focus on the pandemic until she’s called under oath to the inquiry, where she would “relish” giving evidence after having “all sorts of nonsense levelled against me”. |
| Sturgeon was challenged by Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard about why trade bodies and unions say there was no consultation before announcing a crackdown on indoor drinking and a full hospitality shutdown for central Scotland. | Sturgeon was challenged by Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard about why trade bodies and unions say there was no consultation before announcing a crackdown on indoor drinking and a full hospitality shutdown for central Scotland. |
| Sturgeon said that her government regularly consulted with stakeholders and updated the Scottish public, but added: | Sturgeon said that her government regularly consulted with stakeholders and updated the Scottish public, but added: |
| The argument over where the north of England starts and ends is a hardy perennial. But the leak to the Times and Sun this morning (see 10.14am) announcing the closure of all hospitality in “the north” has turbo-charged this debate, with leaders across the regions arguing against being lumped in with any new restrictions imposed across England’s upper half. | The argument over where the north of England starts and ends is a hardy perennial. But the leak to the Times and Sun this morning (see 10.14am) announcing the closure of all hospitality in “the north” has turbo-charged this debate, with leaders across the regions arguing against being lumped in with any new restrictions imposed across England’s upper half. |
| In Lancaster in north Lancashire — where cases are still under the national average at 33 per 100,000 people and no infections at all have been reported in the last two days — council leader Erica Lewis said she couldn’t support any additional measures which would affect residents’ wellbeing and livelihoods, without guarantees of government help. She said: | In Lancaster in north Lancashire — where cases are still under the national average at 33 per 100,000 people and no infections at all have been reported in the last two days — council leader Erica Lewis said she couldn’t support any additional measures which would affect residents’ wellbeing and livelihoods, without guarantees of government help. She said: |
| Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, said the government was making arbitrary decisions about geography. “For 16 days now in Warrington we have been lumped in with the Liverpool city region and been subject to two different sets of restrictions, despite the fact Warrington is in Cheshire,” she said. | Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, said the government was making arbitrary decisions about geography. “For 16 days now in Warrington we have been lumped in with the Liverpool city region and been subject to two different sets of restrictions, despite the fact Warrington is in Cheshire,” she said. |
| In Cumbria, Simon Fell, the Conservative MP for Barrow-in-Furness, said he and local leaders had agreed to ask government for restrictions on household mixing to be put in place in Barrow but not across the whole county. | In Cumbria, Simon Fell, the Conservative MP for Barrow-in-Furness, said he and local leaders had agreed to ask government for restrictions on household mixing to be put in place in Barrow but not across the whole county. |
| Agreeing on the geography of lockdowns was not easy, said Fell, noting that many people from Ulverston – which is in the council district of South Lakeland – work in Barrow at BAE Systems, making nuclear submarines. “We would be in the danger of erecting false walls,” he said. | Agreeing on the geography of lockdowns was not easy, said Fell, noting that many people from Ulverston – which is in the council district of South Lakeland – work in Barrow at BAE Systems, making nuclear submarines. “We would be in the danger of erecting false walls,” he said. |
| MPs will get a vote on the 10pm compulsory closing time for England on Tuesday next week, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, told MPs this morning. He said: | MPs will get a vote on the 10pm compulsory closing time for England on Tuesday next week, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, told MPs this morning. He said: |
| Speaking to more bar and restaurant owners, especially across the central belt, this morning, it becomes clear that there’s a real loss of faith in government messaging and a fear that this 16-day shutdown will go on for longer. | Speaking to more bar and restaurant owners, especially across the central belt, this morning, it becomes clear that there’s a real loss of faith in government messaging and a fear that this 16-day shutdown will go on for longer. |
| Making the announcement yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon left her options open. She said: | Making the announcement yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon left her options open. She said: |
| James Rusk, who owns a chain of high-end restaurants in Glasgow, told me just now: “It’s a bitter pill to swallow when your employees hear what is happening to them from a government announcement.” | James Rusk, who owns a chain of high-end restaurants in Glasgow, told me just now: “It’s a bitter pill to swallow when your employees hear what is happening to them from a government announcement.” |
| He said there was “fear and panic” in the trade that the restrictions would last longer, and argued that a full shutdown was a blunt tool to sanction such a diverse range of businesses. “The Scottish government are basing things on assumptions, and we’re being treated like we can’t manage our way through this ourselves.” | He said there was “fear and panic” in the trade that the restrictions would last longer, and argued that a full shutdown was a blunt tool to sanction such a diverse range of businesses. “The Scottish government are basing things on assumptions, and we’re being treated like we can’t manage our way through this ourselves.” |
| Boris Johnson contacted the Irish prime minister on Sunday night to express concern the republic was about to impose a near lockdown across the country, putting it out of kilter with looser arrangements north of the border. | Boris Johnson contacted the Irish prime minister on Sunday night to express concern the republic was about to impose a near lockdown across the country, putting it out of kilter with looser arrangements north of the border. |
| The call, reported in the Irish Times, comes amid alarm in the Irish government that Northern Ireland has become a hotspot for Covid, with the number of cases in the Derry and Strabane area now higher than anywhere in England. | The call, reported in the Irish Times, comes amid alarm in the Irish government that Northern Ireland has become a hotspot for Covid, with the number of cases in the Derry and Strabane area now higher than anywhere in England. |
| The area is currently experiencing 636 cases per 100,000 compared to Liverpool, at 552 cases per 100,000. | The area is currently experiencing 636 cases per 100,000 compared to Liverpool, at 552 cases per 100,000. |
| The high incidence of Covid in Donegal, the Irish county to the west of Derry, has been the cause of concern for some weeks with rates now at over 300 per 100,000 partly put down to cross-border working and shopping. | The high incidence of Covid in Donegal, the Irish county to the west of Derry, has been the cause of concern for some weeks with rates now at over 300 per 100,000 partly put down to cross-border working and shopping. |
| The taoiseach told fellow politicians on Wednesday night that he had spoken to Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill and one of the concerns was they did not have the same tools as other parts of the UK to introduce curbs. | The taoiseach told fellow politicians on Wednesday night that he had spoken to Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill and one of the concerns was they did not have the same tools as other parts of the UK to introduce curbs. |
| The Northern Ireland executive was not in a position to offer the same financial incentives to affected businesses and vulnerable entities because of budgetary constraints, he said. | The Northern Ireland executive was not in a position to offer the same financial incentives to affected businesses and vulnerable entities because of budgetary constraints, he said. |
| This is from Prof Tim Spector from King’s College London who runs the Covid symptom study (CSS), which uses self-reported information from an app to track the spread of coronavirus. | This is from Prof Tim Spector from King’s College London who runs the Covid symptom study (CSS), which uses self-reported information from an app to track the spread of coronavirus. |