LiveUpdated
Friday 3 April 2020 14:32
UK deaths from coronavirus could reach as many as 1,000 per day around the peak of the country’s epidemic, which could come around Easter Sunday, health secretary Matt Hancock has warned.
The health secretary’s dire admission was given at the opening of the new NHS Nightingale hospital to fight the Covid-19 outbreak in London.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has said he will remain in self-isolation due to a high temperature, despite completing his planned seven-day period, and the government’s proposal to give immunity certificates to people who have recovered from Covid-19 has been described as “dangerous” by a health expert because it could give people a “sense of false security” over the virus.
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This chart by Statista shows how the UK’s number of Covid-19 tests per day has grown over time.
Queen to address nation amid coronavirus epidemic
The Queen will address the UK on Sunday in a televised broadcast amid the country’s escalating coronavirus epidemic.
The broadcast will be shown on television, radio and social media channels at 8pm on Sunday.
UK death toll rises to 3,605, up by 684
The UK’s coronavirus death toll has risen to 3,605 after an increase of 684, according to government figures.
As of 5pm on 2 April, 38,168 people in the country have tested positive for Covid-19.
Welsh government bails out Cardiff airport
The Welsh government is bailing out Cardiff airport, which – like many regional airports – has no commercial services at present due to the coronavirus crisis, writes our travel correspondent
Simon Calder.
But Ken Skates, minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, is also calling on Westminster to provide “additional state support” as compensation for the impact of Covid-19.
He said: “Our support from Welsh Government is a short-term solution for the airport and this is not a sustainable position.
“The UK government has the key lead in supporting the aviation industry and must change its policy towards further financial help for regional airports.”
Just over half the roles at the airport will be furloughed for a minimum of three weeks.
Brazil cannot take long shutdown, says Bolsonaro
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday his country will not be able to stand two or three months of lockdown to fight the new coronavirus – denouncing social-distancing measures enforced by states and local government across the country.
“You know my stance. It will bring massive unemployment,” he told supporters outside the presidential residence in Brasilia.
Earlier this week Facebook pulled a series of videos posted by Brazil’s far-right president, who has claimed people should get back to work and boost the economy.
The social media giant said it had to remove “misinformation that could lead to physical harm”. It followed a similar move by Twitter.
Dutch coronavirus death toll rises to 1,487
The Netherlands announced a further 148 deaths linked to the coronavirus on Friday, bringing the country’s total to 1,487.
It also confirmed 1,026 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall tally of infections to 15,723, according to the daily report from The National Institute for Health.
How Crystal Palace’s foundation is helping vulnerable
Tom Kershaw has taken a look at what Crystal Palace is doing to support people struggling to get enough to eat during the pandemic, as
The Independent’s
Help the Hungry campaign continues.
The Palace for Life Foundation’s ‘super draw’ – a raffle where supporters can win signed memorabilia and various other prizes – will take place ‘behind closed doors’ this week.
All the money raised will go directly to the Norwood & Brixton Foodbank. “Because of this unique situation, the most urgent need is frontline services who have immediate needs to help their operations run,” says chief executive Mike Summers.
NHS Nightingale offers ‘message of hope’, says Charles
The Prince of Wales has hailed the new NHS Nightingale hospital as a “practical message of hope” for coronavirus patients during a “time of national suffering”.
Charles opened the temporary facility at the ExCel centre in east London via a video-link from Scotland and praised its speed of construction as an “almost unbelievable feat of work”.
He added: “It is symbolic of the selfless care and devoted service taking place in innumerable settings, with countless individuals, throughout the United Kingdom.”
MPs would have to sanction ‘virtual parliament’
The clerk of the House of Commons John Benger has said MPs would have to agree to allow for the creation of a so-called “virtual Parliament”.
On Wednesday, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the parliamentary authorities were looking at how video-conferencing software could be used to maintain oversight during the Covid-19 outbreak.
In response, Benger said: “The introduction of a further virtual element to the House’s formal proceedings would require a resolution of the House, akin to the resolution which permitted virtual meetings of select committees.
“However the House has already shown it is more than willing to change how it works in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and the recent successful work – done at great speed – to enable committee sessions to take place virtually, shows the ingenuity and commitment of colleagues across the House service and parliamentary digital service.”
Coronavirus immunity certificates would be ‘dangerous’, scientist warns
Giving immunity certificates to former coronavirus patients would be “dangerous”, a scientist has warned.
Eleanor Riley, a Professor of Immunology and Infectious Disease at the University of Edinburgh, said the documents – suggested by the government – would give people a “sense of false security” about the virus.
“We do not know yet whether somebody who has had this virus is immune,” she added.
It comes as health secretary Matt Hancock revealed the government was considering handing out the certificates to allow people to “get back, as much as possible, to normal life,” although he stressed they would only be rolled out if testing had proved it was safe.
Long-distance bus services stopped from Monday
The UK’s two leading long-distance bus operators, Megabus and National Express, say no services will run in England and Wales from Monday onwards.
National Express will also axe Anglo-Scottish services but Megabus will continue to run buses in Scotland, as will Scottish Citylink.
National Express told passengers: “In line with government advice on Covid-19, we have been running a reduced network for essential travel only.
“However, as more people rightly stay at home, we have decided to temporarily suspend all services from 11.59pm on Sunday 5 April. When the time is right, we look forward to welcoming you back on board.”
Coronavirus conmen ransack home of 92-year-old
Burglars ransacked the home of a 92-year-old woman after claiming they would help clean her house after her neighbour had died of coronavirus, police said.
The two men knocked on the victim’s door, lying to the pensioner that the woman’s neighbour had died of the virus and offering to clean her house for her in Oldham.
While the woman was fetching the men some cleaning products, the two men snatched her purse, money and jewellery, leaving the victim “distraught”, police said.
They described the suspects as “the lowest of the low” and appealed for information on the crime, at Grasmere Road around 7.30pm on Thursday.
Chief Inspector Trevor Harrison, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “This is an absolutely appalling crime … I would make a direct appeal to anyone who was in the local area around the time of the incident to please get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity.”
One offender is described as having an olive-skin complexion. The other is described as wearing a bobble hat.
UK tourists in Bolivia and Ecuador to be brought home
A flight has been chartered by the government to repatriate UK travellers stranded in South America.
The special flight will pick up tourists in La Paz, Bolivia, and the Ecuadorian cities of Quito and Guayaquil en route to London Heathrow on Saturday.
Jeff Glekin, British ambassador to Bolivia, said seats on Saturday’s flight would be allocated “to those who are in the most vulnerable conditions” and they will only be available to British tourists on short-term stays.
He urged British nationals living in Bolivia, who will not be allowed to buy a ticket for the flight, to “follow local guidance and maintain the quarantine that is current in place in Bolivia until April 15”.
Passengers will pay £500 each for a seat on the charter service. The remainder of the cost will be met by UK taxpayers, after the Foreign Office has launched a £75m operation to charter flights from destinations where routes have been severed due to the pandemic.
Mexico halts production of Corona beer
Plenty of photos of cases of Corona left on supermarket shelves have appeared online since the coronavirus crisis hit.
Corona owner Grupo Modelo, having said last month it was facing its worst quarter in 10 years, announced that it would be pausing production of the beer.
A temporary ban on non-essential activities in Mexico due to the coronavirus pandemic is to put a stop to beer exports from the country.
Family unable to attend funeral of 13-year-old boy killed by coronavirus after developing symptoms
The siblings of Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, the 13-year-old boy who died after contracting the coronavirus, have developed symptoms of the illness and cannot attend their brother’s funeral.
Two of Ismail’s six siblings are displaying symptoms, forcing the whole family including their mother to self-isolate.
The teenager, who died alone in hospital on Monday, will be buried in Brixton on Friday without his family present.
Mark Stephenson, a friend of Ismail’s family, said: “We hope that we can send a livestream of the funeral to his mother and siblings so they can be there remotely, but they are obviously devastated that they can’t be there in person again.”
Boris Johnson to remain in self-isolation over high temperature
Prime minister Boris Johnson will remain in self-isolation despite completing a planned seven day period following his coronavirus diagnosis last week.
Mr Johnson continues to have a high temperature – a symptom of Covid-19.
More on this breaking story can be found below:
A 92-year-old woman’s home has been ransacked by burglars who claimed one of her neighbours had died of coronavirus.
The men knocked on the door of the victim’s home in Oldham on Thursday evening and “offered to clean her house for her”, police said.
They stole her belongings, including her purse and jewellery, while she was fetching products for them to use.
Our home affairs correspondent, Lizzie Dearden, has the full story below:
46 new Covid-19 deaths in Scotland
A total of 172 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up by 46 since Thursday, the Scottish government has said.
3,001 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up from 2,602 the day before.
The government has also said 176 people are in intensive care with Covid-19 or coronavirus symptoms, an increase of 14 on yesterday.
Woman charged with spitting at nursing staff, police say
A 51-year-old woman has been charged with spitting at nursing staff at the Royal Stoke Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent.
Staffordshire Police said the woman, from Blurton, had been charged with assaulting an emergency worker and appeared in court on 1 April.
She has been remanded into custody to appear again on 8 April.
The force said it was investigating another report of an assault and had also received reports of pub premises remaining open in Tamworth and Hednesford despite the government-imposed lockdown in place.
Benefits increase needed for those out of work due to coronavirus, Labour says
Benefits must be increased to help those who have suddenly found themselves out of work due to Covid-19, Labour has said.
Margaret Greenwood, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, has written to the government calling for non-repayable grants for those applying for Universal Credit and a plea to increase the scope and amount of Statutory Sick Pay.
The Department for Work and Pensions has already reported a surge in benefits claims, with almost 950,000 new claims since 16 March – up from around 100,000 in a normal two-week period.
Ms Greenwood has said it is vital people are able to self-isolate if they need to and not worry about financial support.
“The government must extend Statutory Sick Pay to all workers, raise the level of payment and provide support to those who are still in work, but whose hours have been cut,” she said.
“Labour does not believe that advances are the answer to the five-week wait, they are loans that have to be repaid.
“Alongside a number of leading voluntary organisations, we believe that advances should be turned into non-repayable grants.”
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