Coronavirus - 4th May

Summary for Monday, 4th May

Hello and welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. We're writing to you from Singapore this morning, and will be joined by our colleagues in London later. Here's a quick glance at the main news over the past few hours:

• US President Donald Trump has said he is "very confident" the US will have a vaccine by the end of the year. However, he said he would also be happy for another country to beat US researchers to it, saying: "I don't care. I just want to get a vaccine that works"
  
• Mr Trump acknowledged he was more optimistic than some advisers, but said: "I'll say what I think"
  
• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier said there was "significant" evidence that the virus emerged from a Chinese lab. But he did not dispute intelligence agencies, who said the virus was not man-made
  
• In Brazil, President Bolsonaro again downplayed the impact of the pandemic, even as the number of cases in the country passesd the 100,000 mark
  
• In Europe, France, Italy and Spain have recorded their lowest daily death tolls in weeks as they begin moving towards easing restrictions
  
• The worldwide death toll now stands at almost 250,000, with some 3.5 million confirmed cases according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University
  

First day of zero cases in New Zealand

There have been zero new virus infections in New Zealand for the past day - the first time since 16 March.
There was also no new fatality, leaving the number of people whose deaths have been linked to Covid-19 at 20.
Overall, there have been only 1,137 confirmed infections and already last week, New Zealand had only single-digit daily cases.
The country has already begun easing lockdown measures, gradually restarting businesses and allowing people to socialise beyond their bubbles.

Trump says vaccine will be ready this year

US President Donald Trump has said he believes the United States will have a vaccine for the coronavirus before 2021.
"We are very confident that we're going to have a vaccine at the end of the year, by the end of the year," he said during a Fox News town hall on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Scientists around the world are currently racing to develop such a vaccine but most experts expect it will only be ready for mass distribution sometime in 2021.
Trump seemed to accept he was getting ahead of his own medical advisors on the prediction of such a fast timeline.
"The doctors would say 'well, you shouldn't say that.' I'll say what I think," he said.

Australians back on beaches

Australians in several states have just enjoyed a weekend of relaxed restrictions with household visits allowed in Sydney, and beaches and parks re-opened in Queensland and the Northern Territory among other freedoms.
Here are some of the other developments:

• Victoria, the second-worst affected state, has not budged in its lockdown and this morning reported a new cluster of 19 cases at a meatworks factory - the biggest increase in weeks
  
• A national review of restrictions will go ahead this Friday as the government keeps pressing Australians to download a tracing app
  
• And New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will join Australian authorities at their weekly meeting tomorrow. Both nations have had comparative success in containing the virus and may open their borders to each other soon.
  

The latest from Asia

As most people across Asia begin waking up to a brand new week, here's the latest from the region:

• China recorded three new cases on Sunday, all of which were imported, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 82,880. With no new deaths reported, the death toll remains at 4,633
  
• South Korea will relax social distancing rules further starting from 6 May, to allow gatherings and events to take place. The government is also set to announce the date that students will be allowed to return to school.
  
• And over in Japan, parks, museums and other public facilities in certain parts of the country could soon be allowed to re-open, minister Yasutoshi Nishimura has said. He added that the government would allow these things to restart if sufficient measures were put in place.
  
• It's a similar tale in Singapore, which will from 12 May begin easing some curbs - allowing home-based food businesses, selected food outlets and manufacturing firms to resume operations
  

Brazil infections surge beyond 100,000

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Brazil now stands at 101,147 while more than 7,000 deaths have been linked to Covid-19.
Despite the rising numbers, President Jair Bolsonaro continues to argue against most of the lockdown measures imposed by local governors and advised by health officials.
"The destruction of jobs by some governors is irresponsible and unacceptable. We will pay a high price in the future," he told supporters on Sunday.
With the number of daily infections rising sharply, observers believe the peak of the pandemic in South America to be still some weeks away. Experts fear that in Brazil as well as other neighbouring countries, the actual number of cases is several times higher than the official toll.

Hong Kong heads back to work

Government employees across Hong Kong have started returning to their offices today, as the city marked more than two weeks without any local infections.
Outdoor sports facilities, libraries and museums will also reopen from today, though they will still be subject to a ban on gatherings of more than four people.
However, facilities like gyms, cinemas and bars still remain closed.
The government had earlier said social distancing and travel curbs would be extended until at least 7 May - it's not clear if these will be extended.
Last Friday however, protesters defied social distancing measures, with around 100 people gathering to sing a protest song at a central shopping mall.
And as virus measures ease, it's likely we'll begin seeing more of the pro-democracy protests which rocked Hong Kong last year until they were overshadowed by the virus outbreak.

• Why are there protests in Hong Kong?
  

Global cases top 3.5 million

As a new week starts for some of us still under tight lockdowns and for others with a bit more freedom here is a snapshot of global cases.
As of 4 May, there have been 3,505,761 cases of the new coronavirus recorded worldwide. Many of those have already recovered though and the number of currently active infections stands at around 2.4 million.
Here are the countries with the most confirmed cases:
US (1,157,945 total, 939,758 active, 67,680 deaths)
Spain (217,466 total, 73,300 active, 25,264 deaths)
Italy (210,717 total, 100,179 active, 28,884 deaths)
UK (187,842 total, 158,421 active, 28,520 deaths)
France (168,925 total, 93,140 active, 24,900 deaths)
Germany (165,664 total, 28,198 active, 6,866 deaths)
Russia (134,687 total, 116,768 active, 1,280 deaths)
Turkey (126,045 total, 59,497 active, 3,397 deaths)
Brazil (101,147 total, 51,131 active, 7,025 deaths)
The data is from the Johns Hopkins University and only counts confirmed cases - in many countries the actual numbers are thought to be higher.

Pompeo claims 'enormous evidence' virus came from Chinese lab

In case you missed this last night, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has said in a television interview that there is "enormous evidence" that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Mr Pompeo did not present any facts to support his claim.
The WHO maintains that the virus is of "animal origin" and not manufactured in a lab.
Two laboratories in Wuhan have come under the spotlight since the pandemic began - including one near a market where Chinese authorities said the outbreak started. But evidence that the virus was released from one of the labs - intentionally or accidentally - is highly circumstantial.
It comes as US President Donald Trump has ratcheted up criticism of China - accusing the country of a cover-up in its handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking to the US network ABC, Mr Pompeo accused the Chinese government of stonewalling any investigations and refusing to co-operate with experts.

Air passengers told to start wearing face masks

From this week, many major airlines are now requiring passengers to wear face mask on flights to limit the spread of viruses.
Many of the big US airlines are bringing in new health and safety policies for both passengers and cabin crew from Monday. The mandatory wearing of face masks is one of the main measures.
Airlines have also introduced major pre-flight cleaning measures to disinfect heavily used areas along with reducing the number of people on each flight.
Passengers are also being encouraged to pack their own food and drinks to decrease contact.

Indian superstars perform in Covid-19 concert

More than 70 of India's biggest stars performed from their homes in a four hour concert to help raise funds for the fight against Covid-19 in India, where cases have steadily surged to 38,956.
Among them were Bollywood heavyweights like Shah Rukh Khan, who made jokes about his bad singing voice before proceeding to sing.
“I can, I will, and I must help,” Khan told fans after.
Over five million viewers tuned in for the I For India concert, which was live-streamed via Facebook on Sunday. Other superstars who made an appearance included legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra, who reminded fans that "we will get through this together".
All donations will go to non-profit GiveIndia and their Covid-19 relief efforts.
The concert had some international guests too. US singer Nick Jonas strummed the guitar and sang his single, Jealous. Popular YouTuber and US late night show host Lily Singh did a mini comedy skit.
Actor Will Smith made an appearance towards the end, and referenced the hundreds of millions of migrant workers in India who have been forced to walks hundreds of kilometres as they were stranded from their homes when the lockdown was announced in March. "We need initiatives like this to garner our support and donate," Smith told fans.

How soon can a vaccine be ready?

US President Trump has said he believes a vaccine could be ready by the end of the year. But how likely is this?
It's been over a month since the first human trial of a vaccine took place in the US city of Seattle.
But there's still lots to do - even if the initial safety tests go well, the vaccine will still need to go through clinical trials, medicine regulators must approve it and a way of producing it on a huge scale must be developed.
Vaccines normally take years, if not decades, to develop. Most experts think a vaccine is likely to become available by mid-2021, about 12-18 months after the new virus, known officially as Sars-CoV-2, first emerged.
That would be a huge scientific feat and there are no guarantees it will work.
Four coronaviruses already circulate in human beings. They cause common cold symptoms and we still don't have vaccines for any of them.
Read more from our health and science correspondent James Gallagher on this here.

Christ the Redeemer wears a face mask

In Rio de Janeiro, the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue has gotten a new look, with a light projection of a face mask on his face along with the message "Masks save (lives)".
A few weeks ago, a lightshow tribute to healthcare workers around the world was also projected on the statue.

Could 'travel bubbles' be our future?

Both Australia and New Zealand have completely shut off their borders but as outbreaks in both countries appear to be under control - the idea of a "travel bubble" is being considered.
Winston Peters, NZ's deputy prime minister, expressed hope that the "Trans Tasman Bubble" between the two countries, could be created soon.
Australia's PM Scott Morrison appeared to be open to the idea saying: "I can't see international travel happening any time soon. The only exception is... New Zealand and we have had some good discussions about that."
However, it's not clear when this could become a reality - both countries currently still have travel restrictions in place.
Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are also forming their own bubble of sorts. They've agreed to facilitate the resumption of essential cross-border travel between them - though travel will only be allowed for trade reasons and we don't know when it will start.
Find out more about what global travel could look like here.

If you're just joining us...

Welcome to the BBC's live coverage of the extraordinary times we are living through. Here are the headlines from across the world:

• France, Italy and Spain have registered the lowest daily death tolls for weeks as they prepare to ease more restrictions - read more about that here.
  
• But the virus is surging ahead in Russia, with 10,000 new infections
  
• Some major airlines are now requiring passengers to wear face mask on flights to limit the spread of viruses. While around 90% of international flights have been cancelled, airlines hope to gradually resume air travel starting this month
  

• Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is optimistic about having a vaccine by the end of the year. But is this likely? You can read more on that here.
  
• Government employees across Hong Kong have started returning to their offices today, as the city marked more than two weeks without any local infections
  
• And in India, new relaxations in lockdown rules means private offices can open with 33% of their total staff
  
• New Zealand continues its successful fight, with zero new cases in the past 24 hours
  

Who starts rumours? And who spreads them?

Conspiracy theories, misinformation and speculation about the coronavirus have flooded social media. But who starts these rumours? And who spreads them?
The BBC has investigated hundreds of misleading stories during the pandemic. It's given us an idea about who is behind misinformation - and what motivates them.
We found seven types of people who start and spread falsehoods: The joker, the scammer, the politician, the conspiracy theorist, the insider, the relative, and the celebrity.
Click here to find out more about who spreads fake news

Cleaners, cooks and plumbers back to work in India

Good morning to those joining us from India, where a third phase of the lockdown has begun but with some relaxing of restrictions.
From Monday, private offices can open with 33% of their staff in the space, and standalone shops - those not in markets or malls - can also restart business.
Self-employed professionals like cleaners, cooks, electricians and plumbers can also resume work.
But none of these relaxations will apply to containment zones and public transport will remain shut, which means many will not be able to go out.
While the new guidelines come from the federal government, states can reject certain relaxations depending on their situation.

Tennis stars battle it out online

With most actual sports off limits at the moment, some athletes have taken their skills to the virtual realm. A few of the world's top tennis pros have played each other on the Nintendo Mario Aces game.
The Stay At Home Slam took place on Sunday and paired up tennis stars with other celebrities for doubles matches, with American tennis great John McEnroe as one of the commentators.
The line-up included the Williams sisters, Japan's Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, and the recently retired Maria Sharapova from Russia.
The tournament was won by US player Taylor Fritz and his doubles partner, Tik Tok personality Addison Rae, beating Japan's Nishikori who'd teamed up with DJ Steve Aoki.
The tournament was organised by talent management company IMG and Facebook Gaming with all the prize money donated to the struggle against the virus pandemic.

Italy begins to emerge from lockdown

Italy became the first country in the world to order a nationwide lockdown. And now, after more than two months of enforced quarantine, Italians are being allowed to resume some activities.
They will be able to move more freely within their region, visit relatives, go to re-opened parks and get takeaways from restaurants.
An estimated four million people are heading back to work.
There are 210,717 confirmed cases and 28,884 deaths in Italy - which was once the worst hit country in Europe.

Guinea pig no more

Mark Lowen - BBC News, Rome
Eight weeks ago, Italy became a guinea pig for draconian virus containment. From today, it’s easing: restaurants are allowed to offer takeaway service, parks are reopening, outdoor exercise is permitted, people can visit relatives albeit with masks, funerals with a maximum of 15 people can resume and some businesses are restarting.
The prime minister has warned Italians not to squander the progress they’ve made by being lax with hygiene controls and allowing new infections. “More than ever”, he said, “the future of our country is in our hands”.
Having just recorded the lowest daily rise in deaths since the measures were imposed, the lockdown has been Italy’s salvation. But it’s been the economy’s curse, with an expected contraction of 9% this year. And many businesses won’t be able to reopen, crushed by a shutdown that will leave deep scars.

Australians celebrate the easing of restrictions

With cases of Covid-19 falling in several states, Australia last week lifted some of the tighter restrictions.
So where they could, people got out to enjoy Australia's great outdoors, while others made the most of being able to see people they don't live with.
Click here to read how Australians were enjoying their first day out in weeks

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Italy's not the only country that's slowly easing its lockdown. Others are slowly starting to see light at the end of the tunnel:

• In Spain, adults were able to exercise outdoors over the weekend for the first time in seven weeks
  
• France is also set to lift its lockdown next week, on 11 May. Children will return to school in phases and some businesses will reopen
  
• After a six-week state of emergency, Portugal has today begun a three-phase reopening plan
  

• About half of the states in the US have also began easing restrictions
  
• In Asia, Thailand has begun easing its lockdown across certain sectors - some businesses and public parks have been allowed to re-open
  
• In Hong Kong, government workers are returning to work today as the city's lockdown eases. Outdoor facilities, libraries and museums will also reopen
  
• Several states in Australia are also allowing for more outdoor activities and public gatherings - though these rules differ across states
  
• Over in the Middle East, Jordan says it has lifted all restrictions on economic activity, allowing all businesses and industries to resume production. In Tunisia, half of the public administration and industry sectors are returning to work, although face masks must be worn. Egypt is allowing hotels to reopen for domestic tourists on condition they operate at no more than 25% capacity.
  
• And in Iran, mosques are reopening in many towns and cities where the risk from the virus is considered to be low
  

Hong Kong's gradual return to normalcy

Lam Cho Wai - BBC News Chinese
Hong Kong has earned praise for its handling of the coronavirus crisis. It has reported no local case for two weeks and life is returning to normalcy gradually and cautiously in one of the world’s densest cities.
Today, civil servants are returning to the offices after weeks of working from home. The government is also set to relax some social-distancing measures, and gyms and cinemas might be allowed to reopen this week, according to local media.
No lockdown has been put in place in the city of seven million, but it has become compulsory for restaurants to check customers’ temperature before allowing them in and provide hand sanitisers. Most staff wears masks and gloves to serve customers.
But health authorities warn against complacency. Over the Labour Day weekend, crowds were seen on beaches and in shopping malls as residents appear to be tired of staying home for months.

How do you come out of a lockdown?

As countries worldwide slowly begin easing lockdown measures - here are some of the things they're doing to help get a step closer to normality:

• Coming out of lockdown - in phases. The goal is not to throw away all lockdown restrictions at once, but to approach it in a phased way so the effects can be controlled
  

• Thermal screening is slowly being implemented across more countries. It's certainly not perfect - those who are asymptomatic won't be detected, for example - but it will definitely help identify who has fever
  

• Contact tracing apps are being rolled out. In South Korea, for example, the government used one heavily to alert people who had come into contact with someone who tested positive
  

Read more on how to come out of a lockdown here.

Nigeria begins unlocking Africa's biggest economy

Nigeria is beginning to relax coronavirus lockdown measures in the capital Abuja and its biggest city, Lagos, in an attempt to limit the damage to Africa's largest economy.
The government says Monday's reopening is the first phase of a six-week easing process. It says the situation will be assessed in the next two weeks - if things go well, the lockdown will be further relaxed.
Shops and markets will now open until mid-afternoon and it's hoped some people will be able to return to work.
But a ban on public gatherings remains in place and a nationwide curfew from 20:00 local time (19:00GMT) to 06:00 is in force. Schools and places of worship remain closed.
Nigeria has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus infections over the past week, with 2,558 cases and 87 deaths now confirmed. Lagos state in the southwest remains the epicentre, accounting for nearly half of confirmed cases.

Is there any evidence the virus was released from a lab?

Yesterday Dr Maria Van Kerkhove - a lead member of the World Health Oganization's coronavirus task force - told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that evidence suggested the virus was not man-made, and had a "natural origin".
Throughout the pandemic, there has been speculation that the virus was released - intentionally or accidentally - from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
China rejects this, and there is no public evidence that it is true.
At a press conference, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there was "enormous evidence" of it starting in a Wuhan lab, but didn't provide any supporting facts.
A Washington Post article last month also revealed that US embassy officials were worried about biosecurity at one of Wuhan's virus labs. However the Post conceded there was no evidence that the lab was the source of the outbreak.

Millions travel across China over May Day

Chinese travellers flocked to major tourist sites over the country's five-day May Day holiday, which began on Friday - a clear sign that things in the country are quickly returning to normal.
Nearly 85 million domestic tourist trips were made in the first three days of the holiday, according to state media quoting the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In the capital Beijing alone, 1.67 million people visited the city's 1,030 parks, according to a CGTN report.
Elsewhere in the country, the festivities continued:

A beach over the weekend in the Chinese city of Beihai


People watching firework celebrations in Hunan province

'No safe plan' for increasing UK rail services

Rail union leaders say there is currently no "safe" plan to be able to increase UK rail services while also maintaining social distancing.
Union bosses have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with "severe concerns" over proposals to increase services as part of a staggered approach to easing the lockdown.
Speaking on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, the RMT's Mick Lynch warned workers and passengers could be put at risk by a "blanket increase" which may also undermine attempts to suppress the virus.
"We’ve been told that from 18 May, the rail service will go up to between 85-100%.
"If you take any of the major stations in London like Euston, King's Cross, Waterloo - controlling passengers and numbers even in a mid peak will be virtually impossible.
"We don’t feel there are concrete plans for how the services will run, how the crowd will be controlled, how loading will be managed. If you encourage ridership where controls are not in place, you may create a system where the virus is reinvigorated."

Trump warns US death toll could hit 100,000

US President Donald Trump has warned that as many as 100,000 people could die of coronavirus in the US.
Speaking at a two-hour virtual "town hall", Mr Trump also denied that his administration had acted too slowly.
More than 67,000 people have already died with Covid-19 in the US.
But Mr Trump expressed optimism about the development of a vaccine, saying one would be ready by the end of this year - although public health experts believe it will take 12 to 18 months.
Read more here.

Outrage as India tells stranded migrants to pay own fares

India has asked migrants seeking to return to their home states to pay their own train fares, in a move that has caused outrage in the country.
Millions of daily-wage earners were stranded with no means of income after India went into lockdown on 24 March to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Thousands fled to their home villages on foot, but many others are still stuck.
India's main opposition Congress party has said it will pay the fares, but the government has defended the move. It said the fee was necessary to ensure that only those who were "really stranded" would use the train services.
You can read the full story here

Many migrants are struggling to pay the fare

Leaked US report claims China downplayed outbreak while buying up medical supplies

US officials believe that China "intentionally concealed the severity" of the pandemic, a leaked report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says, according to news agency AP.
The Trump administration has stepped up its criticism of China in recent days, with both the president and Secretary of State Pompeo directly condemning Beijing.
The DHS paper says China increased imports and cut back exports of medical supplies, while downplaying the severity of the outbreak.
The report is also cited as saying China didn't inform the World Health Organization properly in January so it could order medical supplies from abroad.

Creating a safe factory environment 'totally doable' but costly

Creating a safe working environment in factories is "totally doable" but comes at a price, according to a director at a British sausage manufacturer.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Declan Ferguson of Finnebrogue Artisan says its social distancing measures have included staggering shifts and breaks, providing face masks on the factory floor, and paying workers more to keep the rules.
"We've introduced a social distancing bonus so workers get one pound an hour extra when they follow rules - and we have also introduced social distancing marshals, they are the policemen on the factory floor," he says.
"We are spending around £100,000 per week to pay for additional staff, bonuses and the cost of the PPE.
"People need to feel safe - we have things like hand sanitiser stations as people arrive, doors are left open where possible, and physical markings on the ground are vital to be able to do that."

Volunteer paramedic honoured after dying of coronavirus

A volunteer paramedic has been honoured after succumbing to coronavirus in New York City.
Paul Cary, 66, had travelled from the western US state of Colorado to join a coronavirus task force with private medical firm Ambulnz.
For three weeks he had helped to transport patients to local hospitals, and had signed up for a second 30-day deployment when he began to feel ill.
On Sunday a huge procession - including hundreds of emergency services personnel - escorted his body to Newark Liberty Airport to be flown back to Colorado.
"All of our first responders honoured him as if he had been a lifelong New Yorker," said the city's Mayor Bill de Blasio. "He ended up coming to New York City to help us in our hour of need, and then so painful that this disease has taken him."

Japan extends state of emergency

Japan has extended its state of emergency until the end of May after a government meeting late on Monday.
The country has so far avoided a widespread outbreak of the virus, but still has around 15,000 confirmed cases and just under 500 deaths that have been linked to Covid-19. Observers have warned there is insufficient testing and that hospitals are already pushed to the limit.
The state of emergency was due to expire on Wednesday, but will now remain in place until 31 May. It gives governors the authority to ask residents to stay at home and businesses to close. There are no penalties for non-compliance, however.

Greece and Croatia acted fast - now they need to save summer

Greece has always prided itself on its sunny weather, beaches and islands. And anyone familiar with the coast of Croatia will know that finding towel room on its increasingly crowded beaches is a challenge.
But despite both countries moving fast to stop the spread of coronavirus, it's threatening to ruin the summer season - a period vital to their economies.
About half of Croatia's 20 million annual visitors arrive in July and August, and tourism is responsible for at least a fifth of its economic output.
Tourism also accounts for around 25% of GDP in Greece, where the economy is only beginning to recover from an eight-year financial crisis.
Read more here.

'Military discipline' will help workplaces reopen - UK minister

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says “strong personal discipline” like that seen in the military will help keep people safe if the two-metre distancing rule is relaxed in workplaces.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Mr Wallace said: “When you and I go to the supermarket and queue up at the till, we are not two metres away from that person - but they use shielding.
"The two-metre rule is a combination of factors designed to limit the likelihood of catching something, which includes time spent next to each other. And I think there are methods around rotating your workforce, how you meet, plus very basic personal discipline (which can help).
"At the outbreak there was lots of talk about washing hands and taking precautions when you sneeze. That is as important today and will be tomorrow, as it was then.
"Soldiers have a high level of personal discipline in their training and what we have seen is the absentee rate in the army is sub 10%, which is much, much lower than the national average.
"Part of that is driven by the discipline imposed in the workplace - and that is one of the key factors we will have to do across the community when we go back to work."

Lockdown eased across Europe

Lockdown restrictions are easing across Europe on Monday as governments move to the next phase of their response to the pandemic.

• After eight weeks in lockdown, Italy is finally lifting some of its restrictions. People will be able to visit relatives, parks are reopening, and bars and restaurants can do takeaway. About four million people are expected to go back to work, although face masks will be mandatory at work and on public transport
  
• Small businesses like hairdressers are opening their doors in Spain, though they can only serve customers who have made appointments. Some of the country's islands will loosen restrictions even further, as they have not been as badly affected as the mainland
  
• Zoos, museums and hairdressers reopen in Germany, with some students also returning to school
  
• School leavers go back to class in Austria, and senior exams take place for pupils in Hungary - though schools there remain closed
  
• Poland allows hotels, libraries, museums and shops to reopen, but hairdressers, restaurants and playgrounds remain shut
  

'Nothing magical' about two-metre rule

A member of the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) says there is “nothing magical” about the two-metre rule in workplaces, as how long we spend close to other people is also key to avoiding infection.
The government's first draft of its strategy to reopen workplaces, encourages employers to keep staff two metres apart - or if that's not possible, to bring in extra hygiene procedures, physical screens and protective equipment.
Speaking about the two-metre rule on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Sir Jeremy Farrar said: “It’s based on old data about how far, when we cough and we sneeze, the droplets and the aerosols that may come from that spread.
“There’s nothing magical about two metres. Perhaps more important is the time you spend in contact with somebody else. Not just the distance but also the time.”

Card plea for war veteran's 100th birthday

UK war veteran Bert Vincent was supposed to celebrate his 100th birthday on 24 May.
But the outbreak has meant he can only see his family through the garden gate, his card from the Queen might not arrive in time - and even the event itself might be curtailed. So staff at his care home in Barnsley have sent out a nationwide appeal for people to send a card to Bert.
Care home manager Louise Nelson said Bert, a holder of the Legion D'Honneur medal for his part in World War Two, was "a gentleman" and a much-loved figure at the home.
"We had been going to celebrate with a party. But if we can get lots of cards instead, that would be brilliant."
Read more about Bert here

Italy begins 'softly, softly' lockdown easing

This morning, after more than two months of enforced quarantine, Italy has begun easing some of its lockdown restrictions.
It was the first country to impose a nationwide stay at home order, and was once at the epicentre of the pandemic.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says his approach to ending lockdown will be adjusted depending on contagion trends.
He stressed that the latest easing - though it brings relief for many - "must not be seen as a signal that we’re all free".

Far-right spreads Covid-19 'infodemic' on Facebook

"What if [they] are trying to kill off as many people as possible?" reads one Facebook post.
"Eventually, these scum will release something truly nasty to wipe us all out, but first they have to train us to be obedient slaves," reads another.
A third: "Coronavirus is the newest Islamist weapon."
By now, many of us will have seen something of the "infodemic" that the World Health Organization warned is swirling across society.
While false claims about coronavirus have been hard to miss, the interests and ideologies underneath them have been far less visible.
Now, an investigation by BBC Click and the UK counter-extremism think-tank the Institute of Strategic Dialogue, has uncovered how both extremist political and fringe medical communities are exploiting the pandemic online. Read the full story here

Arrests after UK lockdown parties and '17-mile kebab run'

UK police have arrested 13 people and fined 11 others after raiding two lockdown parties in Liverpool.
A dozen people were arrested on suspicion of burglary at a property in Duke Street where a party was being held at 01:20 BST on Sunday.
Separately, on Saturday, people travelled up to 20 miles from Greater Manchester for a party in Wavertree.
Twins were also stopped in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on Saturday night after allegedly driving 17 miles to buy a kebab.
Police impounded their VW car for "serious vehicle defects". The driver had no insurance and the pair had travelled from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire to Rochdale, officers said.

'Fraudsters' tried in France over fake police checks

People in France can be required to produce a certificate stating their reason for being away from home

Since 17 March, people across France have only been allowed to leave their homes to go to work, shop, exercise, seek care or conduct urgent family business. While out, they are required to carry a certificate stating the reason for their trip.
Now a woman and three men are going on trial, accused of conducting fake police checks on people's permits.
Police say the gang approached people in fake uniforms and wearing face masks. After asking to see their victims' forms, they allegedly searched bags and took whatever cash or valuables they could find.
Police say the suspects, who are Iranian nationals, spoke poor French and targeted foreigners. It is believed they stole €25,000 (£22,000; $27,000).
They are being tried in Meaux, east of Paris, as France prepares to ease its lockdown curbs from next week.

Russia reports second day of over 10,000 new cases

Russian authorities have confirmed 10,581 new coronavirus infections, bringing the national total to 145,268.
It's the second day running that the country has reported over 10,000 new cases. Russia's official infection figures now surpass those of China, Turkey and Iran.
Last week it was also confirmed that Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
President Putin has extended a nationwide non-working period until 11 May, and a lockdown remains in place in the capital Moscow.
Officials are urging the public to stay at home, and not be tempted to flout the lockdown measures during Russia's May public holidays.

Coronavirus stokes Middle East boiling points

Jeremy Bowen - BBC Middle East editor


Protesters returned to the streets of Lebanon last week

Young people were leading demonstrations against their governments before the pandemic hit.
Every country has its own grievances, but in the Arab Middle East the protests have centred on corruption, cronyism and reform. Corrupt elites are accused of siphoning off public money that should have gone into public services, not least hospitals.
In Algeria, Lebanon and Iraq they forced out a president and two prime ministers. Protesters who refused to budge occupied the main squares of capital cities. In Iraq, they stayed put even after around 600 protesters were shot dead and thousands more were wounded.
When young people emerge from the coronavirus lockdowns they will find the economies that failed miserably to generate jobs for them are now in even worse shape.
The result will be more anger, deepened but not created by the dangers and frustrations of this pandemic year. Leaders will have even fewer options.
Read Jeremy's analysis here

US 'nurse imposters' caught stealing packages

US police say women dressed as nurses are stealing packages from outside residents' homes in Washington state.
The two women are dressed in scrubs and lanyards with identification badges, and have been spotted on surveillance videos taking packages from people's front porches. The local Kennewick Police Department doesn't believe they're real healthcare workers.
"The nurses we are fortunate to know only give their time, lives, and take the vitals of their patients (not their property)," police posted on Facebook.
The officers also shared a photo of the two women, asking the public to help them as they investigate this "case of porch piracy".

Fritz wins star-studded online tennis tournament

US Tennis star Taylor Fritz has won a celeb-heavy online tournament to earn $1m (£800,000) for hungry children.
Fritz, ranked 24th in the men’s world rankings, and social media star Addison Rae beat Japan's Kei Nishikori and DJ Steve Aoki to win the 'Stay at Home Slam', where players and celebrities faced off on a Nintendo tennis game while isolating.
Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka were among the other tennis stars taking part from their homes, along with models Gigi Hadid and Hailey Beiber, while John McEnroe provided commentary. The showdown was streamed via Facebook.
"I was more nervous there than in any of my real matches," Fritz told the ATP Tour site. "This was so much fun. Addison absolutely carried the team."
Fritz and Rae will donate their prize money to "No Kid Hungry", which fights child hunger in the US. All participants in the one-day event received $25,000 for a charity of their choice.

Migrants moved from Greek camps over virus fears

A group of migrants have arrived in mainland Greece from an overcrowded camp on the island of Lesbos to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
The government plans to move about 2,300 migrants - including families and the elderly - away from centres on Greek islands to facilities in the mainland, where they will be quarantined for two weeks.
On Sunday, Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said there had not been "a single death" from the virus in the camps so far, but said testing needed to be "greatly increased" to make sure the outbreak does not reach them.
The charity Human Rights Watch criticised the Greek government last month, saying it had not done enough to control the pandemic in these camps.

Theatres could be shut until 2021, says leading producer

Theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh believes West End and Broadway theatres are unlikely to be able to stage musicals until early next year.
Speaking to Michael Ball on BBC Radio 2, Sir Cameron said it's impossible for theatres to plan for the future while social distancing is in place.
"We want the audience to feel safe, and we want the actors to feel safe."
Theatres in many countries have been closed indefinitely in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the UK, all West End performances have been cancelled until at least 31 May.
Read more

Don't expect fans at English football 'any time soon'

England's Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has said it is hard to see fans returning to matches "any time soon".
If the Premier League and EFL were to resume this season matches would take place behind closed doors, while clubs are also preparing for the possibility of playing the 2020-21 campaign without fans.
"The reality is that we just don't know how things are going to pan out," Clarke wrote in a letter to the FA governing council.
"With social distancing in place for some time to come, we do face substantial changes to the whole football ecosystem. For example it's hard to foresee crowds of fans - who are the lifeblood of the game - returning to matches any time soon."
Clarke's letter also spelled out the financial crisis facing the governing body and warned a budget cut of £75m will be "sensible" this year, with a worst-case scenario projecting a £300m loss over four years.
Read more

Scientists may never find the 'missing link' species

Victoria Gill - Science reporter, BBC News

A number of early cases in the pandemic were linked to the Wuhan Seafood Market

An "intermediate host" animal passed the coronavirus from wild bats to humans, evidence suggests.
But while the World Health Organization says that the research points to the virus's "natural origin", some scientists say it might never be known how the first person was infected.
It remains unclear whether this host animal was sold in the now-infamous Wuhan wildlife market in China.
But the wildlife trade is seen as a potential source of this "spillover".
Prof Andrew Cunningham, from the Zoological Society of London, explained: "We've actually been expecting something like this to happen for a while.
"These diseases are emerging more frequently in recent years as a result of human encroachment into wild habitat and increased contact and use of wild animals by people."
Read more here

London's Nightingale hospital 'to stand down'

Lauren Moss - Health correspondent
The Nightingale Hospital in London is being "stood down" in the coming days.
The Abu Dhabi-owned ExCeL Centre in London's Docklands was turned into a field hospital for coronavirus patients and opened on 3 April by Prince Charles via video link, a week after he had tested positive for Covid-19.
The BBC understands there are fewer than 20 patients being treated there at the moment and once they've been discharged, the UK government has confirmed that the 4,000-bed hospital will be placed on standby with staff and some equipment redeployed and redistributed.
In a briefing to staff, Charles Knight, chief executive of the new hospital, said: "Thanks to the determination and sacrifice of Londoners in following the expert advice to stay home and save lives we have not had to expand the Nightingale's capacity beyond the first ward."
Mr Knight added that the hospital would be "placed on standby, ready to resume operations as and when needed in the weeks and potentially months to come".

A recap of today's key news

In case you're just joining us, here are some of the main headlines so far today:

• Italy is easing some of its restrictions, with deaths at their lowest level since just after its lockdown began two months ago
  
• But the virus is rapidly spreading in Russia, with 10,000 new infections for the second day running
  
• European leaders have pledged support for a plan to raise €7.5bn (£6.6bn; $8.3bn) to find a coronavirus vaccine in a jointly signed open letter
  
• The UK Government is exploring options to allow workplaces to reopen gradually. According to a draft plan, staggered shift times, home working and and reduced hot desking are among a range of things being considered
  
• Japan has extended its state of emergency until the end of May after a government meeting late on Monday
  
• Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is optimistic about having a vaccine by the end of the year. But is this likely? You can read more on that here
  

Transparency and make-up of Sage body criticised

James Gallagher - Health and science correspondent, BBC News
At the heart of the UK’s strategy for tackling the coronavirus has been the advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).
However, it has been criticised for a lack of transparency, including by a former chief science adviser to the government - Sir David King.
Sir David is also concerned there are too many government and not enough independent scientists on Sage, so he is currently chairing an "Independent Sage" meeting of scientists and broadcasting it on YouTube.
Their conclusions will be made public later and sent to the government.
Meanwhile, the government has now published a list of its advisory group's membership - though some attendees have chosen to remain anonymous.

'No change' to UK social distancing rules

The rule saying people should stay two metres apart is "solid" and has not changed, Downing St has insisted.
The prime minister's spokesman said suggestions that other measures could be put in place in workplaces where such distancing was not possible were simply "reflecting existing advice", which says the distance should be maintained "wherever possible".
The BBC has seen one of seven plans drafted by the government, which says additional hygiene procedures, physical screens and the use of protective equipment should be considered where maintaining a distance of two metres between workers is impossible.
The government is expected to review the UK's lockdown at the end of the week.

African nations see some easing of lockdowns

A number of countries in Africa are beginning to ease lockdown restrictions.
In Nigeria, businesses have reopened to try to restart the continent's largest economy.
Rwanda has loosened restrictions after 45 days of lockdown, even though a nationwide night-time curfew will be enforced and movement in and out of the capital, Kigali, is prohibited.
In South Africa people have been allowed to return to work but must continue to observe distancing, the wearing of masks and washing hands.
In Kenya, the health ministry has recorded a low turnout in its mass testing campaign after encountering unwillingness among members of the public.
In Tanzania, videos of night burials have been circulating on social media causing some to call into question the government's approach to the coronavirus pandemic. See here for more on the controversy surrounding the country's night burials during the coronavirus

Chinese province bans anti-foreigner discrimination

Kerry Allen - BBC Monitoring, Chinese Media Analyst
In China’s southern Guangdong province, laws have kicked in across nine service industries (including public transport, hospitality, catering and the medical sector), preventing workers from discriminating against foreigners.
It follows multiple claims of mistreatment, driven by public fears that imported cases could prompt a second wave of coronavirus infections in China.
The South China Morning Post newspaper notes that China has recently seen “consistent reports of racism against African people”.
In early April, a branch of fast food chain McDonalds caused outrage by refusing entry to black people.
Hundreds of Africans were also evicted from hotels and apartments amid online rumours that the coronavirus was spreading among African people.
According to the national Global Times newspaper, taxi and bus drivers could now be punished if they refuse foreign customers, and landlords are banned from attempting to cancel or modify tenancy agreements.

The bay that's become a city of cruise ships

Howard Johnson - Philippines Correspondent, BBC News


The normally empty blue expanse of Manila Bay currently resembles a small city, as 11 towering cruise ships undergo Covid-19 quarantine measures enforced by the Philippine Coastguard.
Ten of the ships belong to the company Carnival Corporation and one to Dream Cruises. The bay has become busy because of the large number of returning Filipinos who work in the cruise ship industry.
Non-Filipino crew members had hoped they would be able to leave through the country’s main international airport in Manila after undergoing a 14-day quarantine. But at the weekend the Philippine government suspended international flights into the country for a week.
One crew member told me: “Many of them have not seen families in a long time. We've worked for months and months now. If only one country would let us go from the ship, to their airport and fly out. Nobody wants to be anywhere other than home.”

The latest from the Middle East

• Iran has allowed the re-opening of mosques in 132 cities that have been consistently free of the coronavirus and are considered "low risk". The capital Tehran and the Shia holy city of Mashhad are not among them. The step is part of a phased relaxation of activities that has been under way for weeks. President Hassan Rouhani has nevertheless warned Iranians to prepare for “bad scenarios”. More than 6,200 people with Covid-19 have died in Iran
  
• Lebanon is letting restaurants and hairdressers operate again, but only at 30% capacity. People will also be allowed to go for walks on seaside promenades during the day
  
• Egypt has permitted a limited re-opening of its hotels for domestic tourists. The hotels must operate at no more than 25% capacity and implement a range of health measures
  
• Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed until October 2021, organisers say. The six-month fair is now "gearing up to help shape a post-pandemic world and create a better future for all".
  

US Supreme Court to hold proceedings over phone

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing the US Supreme Court to adopt some extraordinary changes.
Over the next two weeks, America's highest court will hear court arguments over the phone for the first time in its history. Audio from the proceedings will also be live-streamed.
Most lawyers will be making their cases from the comfort of their homes - though the government's lawyers will be in the office of the Solicitor General, a few blocks from the court.
And in a nod to formality, they'll wear their usual formal attire during the proceedings.
Several high-profile cases are scheduled to go ahead, including one about President Trump's financial records.

England hospital death toll rises by 204

England's National Health Service (NHS) has reported a further 204 people with confirmed coronavirus have died in hospitals.
It brings the total number of patient deaths linked to Covid-19 in England to 21,384, the NHS said.
Meanwhile, a further five deaths have been reported in Scotland, taking the total there to 1,571.
A further 14 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of deaths to 997. While six more deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland, taking the total there to 387.
The Department of Health said UK-wide figures on deaths in all settings would be published later.

Boris Johnson to ask European countries to pull together for vaccine

Michelle Roberts - Health editor, BBC News online
As coronavirus continues to spread around the world and claim more lives, there is an ever-pressing need for a vaccine to stop the disease.
Currently, there is no proven prevention or cure. But there is hope that could change. Today, Europe is hosting a virtual conference for world leaders and philanthropists in an effort to raise €7.5bn (£6.6bn; $8.3bn) to drive vaccine research.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is co-hosting the event, is expected to ask countries to pull together.
Johnson will explain how a coronavirus vaccine is “the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetime”. There are more than 90 vaccine candidates being tested around the world, but only some will become front-runners.
Even with more financial commitment, it will take time to know which ones might work and how well. Most experts think it could take until mid-2021, about 12-18 months after the new virus first emerged, for a vaccine to become available.

ER nurse who died of Covid-19 documented her fight

She was a 56-year-old ER nurse from New Jersey - a single mum to two boys who took three jobs to keep her family going. Pamela Orlando treated coronavirus patients until one day she became one.
Orlando started recording a video diary as a way of documenting her fight with the virus. On the first two days, she filmed herself at home. On the third day she was taken to hospital.
"I feel horrible. Almost like I'm not going to make it," she said on her fifth day. On 16 April, 24 days after falling ill, she died.
"I begged my mother to not go to work, I really did, but that's not who my mum was," her son Reid told CBS News. "This is a woman who had everything to lose - but she still went out on the front line saving lives."
Hear more of Pamela's story here.

Germany cases 'may be 10 times higher' than official number

The number of people in Germany who have been infected with Covid-19 could be more than 10 times the number of officially confirmed cases, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Bonn estimate that about 1.8 million have contracted the coronavirus. Germany has about 160,000 confirmed cases.
The study - which has yet to be peer reviewed - focused on a sample of 919 people living in a town in the municipality of Heinsberg, one of the worst-hit areas of the country.
The study also found that more than one in five people infected showed no symptoms.
Germany is starting to ease its lockdown measures. Zoos, museums and hairdressers have reopened, with some students also returning to school.

What's behind Pompeo's China lab theory?

Paul Rincon - Science editor, BBC News website
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks on Sunday about the origins of the novel coronavirus echoed those of President Donald Trump. But the US secretary of state was more emphatic, claiming there was "enormous evidence" of an accidental lab release of the virus from China.
The Trump administration has mounted a seemingly co-ordinated effort in recent weeks to blame China for the spread of the virus, leading to accusations Trump is attempting to divert attention away from his own much-criticised response to the pandemic. China has rejected the theory and criticised the US response.
There is some confusion about what the words "lab origin" means. Theories about the virus being a bioweapon, or genetically engineered, aren't taken seriously by scientists. One study analysed the virus's molecular structure and concluded it was entirely natural in origin.
The potential accidental release of a naturally occurring bat coronavirus from a research institute in Wuhan is another matter, although no clear evidence has been made public.
A great number of scientists favour the theory of a natural "spillover" for the origins of Sars-CoV-2, without the involvement of a lab accident. Under this scenario, encroachment on animals' habitats, along with the wildlife trade, created the conditions for a virus prevalent in bats to "jump" the species barrier into humans, perhaps via another unknown animal species.
Yet lab accidents have happened in the past. An error at a laboratory in Singapore in 2003 led to a graduate student being infected with Sars, while in another case two researchers at a Beijing institute were infected when measures intended to inactivate the Sars virus failed.

BBC's 'lockdown orchestra' invites you to play along

The BBC's orchestras and singers are asking the public to join them for a mass rendition of Candi Staton's gospel classic You Got The Love.
Participants are invited to dust off their instruments and film themselves playing along to the track.
Those without musical skills can submit paintings, videos and photos showing their creativity during the lockdown.
The results will be edited together into a performance which will premier on TV and radio on 14 May.
You can find out more details here.

What does the list of UK science advisers tell us?

Pallab Ghosh - Science correspondent, BBC News
There are no surprises on the list of experts on the UK's Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage). There have been assertions the group might be too insular or have too many people on the government’s payroll to be able to stand up to ministers and tell them hard truths.
But the individuals on both the main Sage committee and its subgroups are mostly experts in their fields from a variety of universities.
The list comes amid mounting criticism over secrecy and the involvement of the PM’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings at meetings, which raised the suspicion that, rather than the government’s policy being “guided by the science”, it was the other way round.
The publication should bring some much-needed transparency, with the aim of restoring trust in the Sage process.
One of the many criticisms is that Sage treated Covid-19 as if it were flu for too long rather than the more deadly disease it has turned out to be.
Scientists outside the group have said lockdown was imposed several weeks too late and that there was insufficient consideration to stopping the outbreak in care homes.

Mexican drug lord's villa auctioned to fund virus fight

The Mexican government has auctioned off the villa of drug lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes to raise funds for the public health service and its fight against coronavirus.
Carrillo Fuentes, who was known as the "Lord of the Skies", died in 1997 after botched plastic surgery.
His former house went for more than $2m (£1.6m) and the auction - which also included cars, planes and jewellery - raised more than $4.5m in total, all of it going to tackle Covid-19.
Read more about Amado Carrillo Fuentes here.

Can video surveillance enforce social distancing?

The city of Cannes has trialled the new surveillance software

France begins to relax its lockdown restrictions next week. But authorities will use video cameras to check people are complying with social distancing rules, and wearing masks in public.
The resort city of Cannes on the Côte d'Azur has trialled the monitoring software, installed at outdoor markets and on buses.
It is not clear how many other cities will adopt this digital surveillance. You can read more about it here.

Anxiety surged during lockdown, ONS survey suggests

Nearly half of Britain's over-16s said they experienced "high anxiety" as the country went into lockdown, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) statistics.
Anxiety levels were highest among an estimated 8.6 million people whose income fell, according to the weekly survey on the impact of coronavirus, with an estimated 2.6 million people saying they were struggling to pay bills.
Renters and the self-employed were also particularly affected.
Measures of well-being were at their lowest levels since records began in 2011, the ONS said.
The survey suggested that more than 25 million people - 49.6% of over-16s in Britain - rated their anxiety as "high", more than double the amount who did so at the end of 2019.

Attempts to reopen Canada meatplant despite massive outbreak

US firm Cargill is attempting to reopen a meat plant that was the site of Canada's largest coronavirus outbreak, despite union protests.
Nearly half of the 2,000 staff at the Cargill plant in High River, Alberta, have tested positive.
The plant, which processes about 36% of Canada's beef, closed on 20 April after a worker died.
Now Cargill wants the plant reopened, but employee unions are seeking a stop-work order to force the plant to remain closed. A survey the union conducted of 600 staff found that 85% were afraid to return to work.
The debate mirrors similar concerns in the US. Donald Trump invoked war-time powers to force meat plants to stay open, despite the Smithfield pork plant in South Dakota becoming the site of the largest outbreak in the US.

What did we learn from the UK briefing?

Today's government press conference was held by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. He was joined by deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, and the government's testing co-ordinator, Prof John Newton.
Here's what they told us:

• A pilot of the government's track and trace strategy, with human contact tracing and an app, will start on the Isle of Wright this week. It will allow people to log coronavirus symptoms and inform those who may have been exposed to the virus that they need to isolate
  
• The government aims to have the entire track and trace network, including an initial 18,000 contact tracing workers, set up by the middle of May
  

• The daily capacity for testing is 108,000, but not all of the capacity is being used. There has also been some progress on developing antibody tests, which could tell if someone has had the virus
  
• New cases need to fall further for the government to consider policy changes
  
• A huge scientific study is looking into why people from ethnic minorities are more likely to get coronavirus and why they are more likely to die if they become ill
  

UK death toll rises by 288

The number of people who have died with confirmed coronavirus across all settings in the UK has risen by 288 to 28,734, Hancock says. He says that the reported figure could be lower than the actual number because of delays in reporting weekend deaths.
The health secretary says that 85,186 coronavirus tests were provided in some form on Sunday, below the government's 100,000 tests-a-day target.

Can I still go to university in September? And other questions

We should be hearing from the UK government in the next few minutes.
While we wait for Health Secretary Matt Hancock to take to the lectern, we've compiled some questions that you have been asking - including whether students will be able to go to university in September.
Read more here.

Mike Pence admits he should have worn mask

US Vice-President Mike Pence has acknowledged that he should have worn a face mask when he visited a US hospital treating coronavirus patients last week.
His 28 April visit to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota was criticised after video showed him as the only person in the ward not wearing a mask as he met patients and doctors.
“I didn’t think it was necessary, but I should have worn a mask at the Mayo Clinic and I wore it when I visited the ventilator plant in Indiana” two days later, Pence told Fox News on Sunday.
He had earlier defended his decision not to wear a mask - despite being told of the hospital's requirement - saying that he received coronavirus testing “on a regular basis”.
The clinic tweeted after the visit to say it had asked everyone to wear masks, but later deleted the tweet.

Italy death toll may be far higher, report suggests

Italy may be relaxing its lockdown but the death toll from coronavirus could be far higher than has currently been reported, a new report says.
The Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) says thousands of fatalities not officially attributed to Covid-19 could have been caused by the virus.
The official death toll in Italy stands at 28,884, the second highest total in the world after the US. But from 21 February, when the first Covid-19 deaths occurred in Italy, until March 31, nationwide deaths were up 39% compared to the average of the past five years.
Of the 25,354 excess deaths during the period, coronavirus was registered as the official cause for 13,710, leaving around 11,600 unaccounted for.
ISTAT said these people may either have died of coronavirus without being tested or that the extra pressure on the health system meant they died of other causes they were not treated for.

Concern rises over deaths in Swedish care homes

Maddy Savage - BBC News, Stockholm
Sweden has now recorded around three times as many deaths as its Nordic neighbours combined.
The country’s Public Health Agency says a key reason is how rapidly coronavirus has spread in care homes.
In Stockholm, the epicentre of the virus, 212 out of a total of 400 elderly care homes have now reported cases of Covid-19, the agency said on Monday.
It also reported that it had carried out an online survey of managers at care homes in Stockholm and Sörmland, south of the capital in mid-April. It suggested it had been difficult to maintain safe distances between staff and residents.
Per Follin, a Stockholm region infectious disease doctor, said “a lot more has been done and very very quickly” since the survey, including changes to cleaning routines and how staff and residents interact.
A nationwide ban on visiting care homes came into force on 1 April.
A total of 2,769 people are known to have died with the coronavirus in Sweden. Sweden has focused on voluntary social distancing, in contrast to Denmark, Norway and Finland, which introduced stricter measures.

St Petersburg doctors face probe before being compensated

Health workers in St Petersburg have been offered compensation if they fall ill with Covid-19, but only on the condition they are investigated for how they contracted the disease.
The city’s government has pledged to pay health workers 300,000 roubles ($3,800) if they are diagnosed with Covid-19 while treating infected patients, Russian media report.
Last week, St Petersburg’s health committee said a special commission would establish the eligibility of health workers to claim compensation.
The commission will investigate the extent to which workers were at fault for contracting the virus “as a percentage”, according to the Moscow Times.
Russia’s health workers have come under increasing pressure. Last month President Putin admitted there was a shortage of protective kits.
On Monday, Russia recorded more than 10,000 new Covid-19 infections for the second day in a row, bringing the total to 145,268.

The Stranglers' Dave Greenfield dies after positive test

The Stranglers keyboard player Dave Greenfield has died at the age of 71 after testing positive for Covid-19.
Greenfield died on Sunday having contracted the virus after a prolonged stay in hospital for heart problems.
He penned the band's biggest hit, Golden Brown, a song about heroin, which went to number two on the UK singles chart in 1982.
The Stranglers bass player Jean-Jacques "JJ" Burnel paid tribute to Greenfield as a "musical genius".

On the streets of Madrid as the lockdown eases

Bruno Boelpaep - Madrid
Spain has been hit hard by the pandemic. BBC senior producer Bruno Boelpaep went out in the capital as the country slowly eased its lockdown restrictions.
Walking the streets of Madrid, you come across many police cars patrolling, a few taxis here and there, blue buses and an army of food deliverers.
Sweating on their bicycles or mopeds, you see the food deliverers everywhere. Around dinner time, groups of 7 or 8 form outside sushi restaurants and burger joints.
One is Fredi. “People mainly order burgers and pizzas. I make around €20 ($22; £18) to €30 where I used to make €40 or €50," he says.
"The first two weeks of lockdown there was a lot of work but then it slowed down. You can feel people have less money now."
A few hundred metres away, coming out of a metro station, Asuncion readjusts her face mask. She has spent the lockdown in the house of her employers - an elderly couple she looks after.
“I’m so glad to be finally able to walk outside for a bit. The people I work for are nice and treat me well but 48 days inside is a long time," she says.
Just off the deserted Plaza Mayor square, Valentin makes up his bed. He’s been homeless for a while and has spent the lockdown on the same street corner but is in high spirits.
"For me it's just the same, only quieter. I have fewer problems than many as I don't have to worry about paying rent," he says.

Fears rise over Afghanistan's infection rate

There are fears that the number of infections in Afghanistan could be much higher than reported after one third of people randomly tested in the capital Kabul tested positive, AP news agency reports.
On Monday the number of positive cases rose to 2,894, with 90 deaths.
Although official figures seem relatively low, Afghanistan has limited access to testing and the health system has suffered under decades of conflict.
More than 150,000 Afghans returned from virus-stricken Iran during March, while tens of thousands of others returned from Pakistan, leading to concern that the virus may have spread inside the country.
Last month there were reports that dozens of members of staff at the presidential palace had also tested positive for the virus.

US memo predicts daily deaths up 72% by 1 June - report

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) internal memo shows that the daily US Covid-19 death rate is forecast to rise from 1,750 now to around 3,000 by 1 June, according to a report in the New York Times. The White House has disputed the report.
The CDC document warns officials to expect around 200,000 new infections per day by the end of May, up from around 25,000 new cases now.
“There remains a large number of counties whose burden continues to grow,” the document warns.
Some states that have partially reopened their economies are seeing cases climb. Scientists say this is a worrying trend that could prolong the US recovery.
On Sunday, President Trump doubled his initial estimate for the ultimate death toll, telling Fox News that perhaps 100,000 Americans would die.
But after the Times published the report on Monday, White House spokesman Judd Deere disputed its accuracy.
“This is not a White House document nor has it been presented to the Coronavirus Task Force or gone through interagency vetting," he said in a statement provided to BBC News. "This data is not reflective of any of the modelling done by the task force or data that the task force has analysed."

US Senate returns, but House stays away

The Republican-controlled US Senate returned to Washington today, but the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives remains closed.
The House Democratic leadership last week abruptly reversed course and told the chambers’ 535 members to continue to stay away from the Washington area, where the rate of new infections is still climbing.
Monday’s first order of business for the 100 US senators is voting on the confirmation of a US nuclear regulatory commission inspector. The senators - many of whom are elderly - are expected to wear masks and keep their distance from each other as they cast their votes.
“We will continue to stand together for the American people - even as we stand six feet apart,” said Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell.

China lab theory ‘remains speculative’ - WHO expert

The US government has provided no evidence to support “speculative” claims that the coronavirus originated from a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) expert has said.
Dr Michael Ryan, speaking at a WHO briefing in Geneva, was questioned about the unsubstantiated theory, often touted by US President Donald Trump.
“We have not received any data from the US government relating to the purported origin of the virus. From our perspective, this remains speculative,” Dr Ryan, head of the WHO’s Covid-19 response unit, said.
Dr Ryan said all the evidence suggested “the virus is of natural origin”. He called for a science-based, not a political, inquiry into the origins of the virus.
Read more: Is there any evidence for lab release theory?

How will the UK's tracing app work?

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced the start of a trial involving an app to track and trace the coronavirus.
Using Bluetooth, the free app tracks when its users come into contact with each other, automating the tracing process. If a user develops coronavirus symptoms, it is up to them to let the app inform the NHS.
Their disclosure may trigger an anonymous alert to users with whom they recently had significant contact, again potentially asking those people to go into quarantine or be tested.
For those without smartphones, an alternative could be a Bluetooth-enabled wristband, like those being used in other countries to detect lockdown breaches.
But there are privacy concerns due to the fact contact data from app users is shared with the NHS and a central database if a user declares symptoms.
Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said this may "open the door to pervasive state surveillance and privacy infringement, with potentially discriminatory effects."
But NHSX, which developed the app, says it only asks for the first half of a user's postcode and that all data in the app is anonymous. The information does not leave a user's phone until they volunteer to share it with the NHS.
Read more here, including whether the app could help end lockdown.

Second death at Skye care home with 56 cases

Two residents of a care home on the Isle of Skye, which has 56 cases of coronavirus, have now died.
The outbreak at the care home in the island community was detected last week.
HC One, the company that runs the home, says 29 of the 34 residents and 27 members of staff have tested positive for the virus. All residents are being isolated.
An Army-run mobile testing unit - as shown in the image above - has been set up on Skye.
For the full story, click here.

US social distancing fatigue worsens

Fewer Americans are remaining at home each day, according to a new study of mobile phone tracking data from the University of Maryland.
The anonymous location tracking data indicate a growing level of "social distancing fatigue", say the researchers at the Maryland Institute of Transportation.
The researchers created a software code that creates a score for each state, called the Social Distancing Index, to determine how many residents are travelling away from their homes.
Across the nation scores are dropping, indicating that gradually more and more Americans are venturing into public.
Washington DC, where the rate of new cases is still growing, has the best social distancing score. Wyoming has the worst.

Finland to roll back lockdown measures on 1 June

Finland is going to allow restaurants, public services including libraries and sports facilities to reopen on 1 June.
A ban on public meetings will also be eased from a maximum of 10 people to 50 people on the same day, the government said on Monday.

What do we know about UK lockdown easing?

Laura Kuenssberg - Political editor
We are, declared the prime minister at the end of last week, past the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK.
But he said we'd have to wait until this week to learn more about how we'll start to move out of the lockdown that has changed the country so dramatically in the past six weeks.
Given that the crisis has affected pretty much everyone in one way or another, there is a fevered guessing game well under way about what moving out of the lockdown might look like - and it involves huge dilemmas for the government.
With another six days to go before the prime minister is expected to spell out those choices, some things are clear. First and foremost, the government is not about to throw the country's doors open.
Read more here on what easing lockdown could look like from our political editor Laura Kuenssberg

UK's Royal Society: Public should wear masks

David Shukman - Science editor, BBC News
Every time people cough, sneeze, talk or even breathe they can spread droplets containing the virus.
That’s the rather graphic conclusion of the Royal Society, Britain’s oldest and most prestigious scientific academy.
It highlights the risk of the virus being spread by people who don’t realise they have it - either because they’ve yet to develop symptoms or because they never show symptoms at all.
This is how an estimated 40-80% of coronavirus infections happen and that’s why the panel recommends face masks.
The report stresses that high-quality masks should be reserved for medical and care workers.
But it says homemade face coverings can be effective, not at protecting the wearer but at preventing the wearer from infecting others where social distancing isn’t possible, on public transport and in shops and workplaces.
The issue has become highly divisive. Some researchers say the Royal Society’s report has ignored the risk to the public, for example, of contaminating themselves when handling masks.
The UK government is still considering the evidence.

Headteacher pays for food amid voucher 'shambles'

A British headteacher says he has spent £2,000 of his own money buying food for vulnerable families who are waiting to receive an alternative to free school meal vouchers.
Lloyd Mason-Edwards, from Bradford in Yorkshire, said only about half the families eligible at his school had received them.
The UK government has in England been converting free school meals for poorer children into supermarket vouchers since closing schools in March.
He said the system was a "shambles" and was failing those in need.
Read more.

Hungary's pupils back in class for exams

Nick Thorpe, BBC News
In Hungary 84,000 pupils were back in classrooms on Monday to sit their high school exams, despite the country's lockdown.
Most appeared relieved that the exams were not postponed, but teachers’ unions and parents voiced concerns that pupils and staff might spread coronavirus.
Written exams have been condensed into two weeks, and no oral exams will be held.
The mood was festive outside the Bela Bartok music gymnasium in central Budapest. Pupils who hadn’t seen each other for six weeks gathered in their best clothes, bumping elbows or knuckles in greeting, but there was no hugging or kissing.
They filed into classrooms one by one, and about half wore face masks. At some schools police patrolled to enforce social distancing, but not here.
Inside, seven students sat in each classroom. Masks were not compulsory during the exam, although supervisors kept theirs on.
The main teachers’ union was not consulted by the government, and opposed the decision to go ahead with the exams.
With 3,000 known coronavirus infections and 350 deaths, the peak has still not been reached in Hungary.

France could ease limits on religious services early

France could allow religious services to resume earlier than planned if the easing of the lockdown this month does not result in an increase in the infection rate of coronavirus.
France is set to ease its lockdown on 11 May but it had been indicated that religious ceremonies would still be banned until at least 2 June.
The Christian holy day of Pentecost, celebrated 50 days after Easter Sunday, falls on 1 June.

UK mulls how next restrictions will affect age groups

UK officials said on Monday it was "perfectly reasonable" to look at how guidance about the next stage of coronavirus restrictions could apply to different age groups.
The prime minister’s spokesman pointed to the fact that over-70s had already been advised to take particular care and minimise contact with others outside their households, due to the fact they were classed as a clinically vulnerable group.
He said: “As we go forward it’s perfectly reasonable we look at how the guidance will apply for different age bands and we will continue to be guided by the science.”
People over 70 are more likely to have serious symptoms of the virus, but they are not automatically in the "extremely vulnerable" group of people who have been asked to "shield".
Over the weekend, several public figures, including actor Michael Palin, called on the government to ensure older people were not unfairly separated from society as lockdown was lifted.

Footballers in Spain to return to training

Players in the top two flights of football in Spain will return to training this week with the hope of the leagues restarting in June.
They will initially train alone but a "staggered return to training" will be implemented with players training together at a later date.
Football in Spain was suspended indefinitely in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In the UK, the Premier League hopes to resume on 8 June but there is disagreement between the clubs on how to move forward.
In Germany, clubs have been training in groups before a planned return to training as teams. The German league could restart on 16 or 23 May.
It has already been announced that the top leagues in France and the Netherlands will not resume.

Austrian unemployment hits record high

The number of unemployed Austrians reached a record high in April, the country's news agency ANA reports. Figures showed 571,477 people, or 12.8% of the population, were unemployed - up more than 210,000 from the same time last year.
Austria, which has 15,621 coronavirus cases and 600 deaths according to Johns Hopkins University, began relaxing its restrictions and allowing some shops to reopen in mid-April.

How will lack of fans impact Premier League clubs?

Football matches in the UK are likely to be played behind closed doors for an extended period because of bans on mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
FA chairman Greg Clarke has said it is hard to see fans returning "any time soon" and the Premier League is preparing for the possibility of playing next season without fans.
So what would be the impact of a season without fans on the Premier League clubs? BBC Sport and football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire has taken a look.
Research suggests Arsenal generated nearly a quarter of their total income from matchday last season, making them vulnerable financially.
Read more here

More US states reopening

At least six more US states are loosening social distancing measures starting on Monday.
Gyms in Arkansas can resume operation, as long as clients have their temperatures screened before entering. Florida beaches and parks can reopen, but not in the Miami area.
Missouri businesses can open, but customers must keep six feet (two metres) apart. Nonessential businesses in Colorado are also permitted to reopen, but with limited capacity.
Ohio’s governor is allowing manufacturing, construction and office work to resume starting on Monday. Retail shops are expected to reopen on 12 May.
Indiana is moving towards its second stage of reopening and is allowing social gatherings of up to 25 people. But residents over 65 are encouraged to remain at home.
Around half of US states have begun taking steps to reopen, even as health officials warn that the pandemic is not yet under control.

Global death toll passes 250,000

The number of people who have died with coronavirus around the world has passed a quarter of a million - rising to 250,134, according to figures published by Johns Hopkins University.

Turkey to start easing lockdown in mid-May

Cagil Kasapoglu - BBC News, Turkish
Turkey's coronavirus containment restrictions will be eased by mid-May, including reopening of shopping centres, hair saloons and some stores, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
Turkey has been imposing blanket curfews over the last few weekends in 31 cities.
Over-65s will be allowed to go out "only within walking distance" for a few hours a day from 10 May. Similar rules will apply to children.
Erdogan said shopping malls, barber shops and some stores will be allowed to reopen on 11 May. Universities will return on 15 June.
But Erdogan warned that much stricter measures would be put in place if the public does not abide by the rules.
“This normalisation plan does not mean we’ll be back to our days as of the first days of March,” he said.
According to Turkey’s Ministry of Health, the death toll in the country has risen to 3,461.

We're pausing our live coverage here.
Contributors today were: George Wright, George Bowden, Vicky Bisset, Max Matza, Joshua Nevett, Matthew Henry, Emma Harrison, Paul Seddon, Gary Kitchener, Joshua Cheetham, Steven Sutcliffe, Ben Collins, Andreas Illmer, Yvette Tan, Krutika Pathi, Saira Asher and Tessa Wong.

Disease meets deforestation at heart of Brazil's Amazon
By Katy Watson - BBC South America correspondent
4 May 2020

Coronavirus has overwhelmed the city of Manaus, where people are being buried in mass graves

In the middle of the rainforest, the virus has taken hold. Manaus, the Amazon's biggest city, is at breaking point. They are digging mass graves, or trenches. It is the only way overwhelmed authorities can cope with the deaths from Covid-19.

People are asking whether this city, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, will become the next Guayaquil. It is hard not to compare the two, as the images of unburied bodies in Ecuador are still etched on many peoples' minds here.

Amazonas has one of Brazil's highest infection rates and also one of the most underfunded health systems, a combination that has brought chaos to the heart of the jungle.

In April, Manaus saw a rise of 578% in the number of people who died from respiratory problems. They are not officially noted as victims of Covid-19 but experts believe there can only be one explanation. With testing still low, there is a massive underreporting of the real numbers.

But even the official figures - about 92,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,500 deaths - saw Brazil reach a grim milestone as it passed China where the outbreak started.

"We don't want miracles," said the mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgilio Neto. It was a dig at President Jair Bolsonaro, who mocked the rising numbers of deaths by joking that his middle name was Messiah but he did not work miracles.

"What we need is a plane full of scanners, ventilators, medicines and PPE," he said, referring to protective equipment for health workers. But help has been slow, while Mr Bolsonaro continues to downplay the severity of the virus.

Feeling of abandonment

Home to nearly two million people, Manaus is the seventh-biggest city in Brazil and its most isolated urban centre. Amazonas also has the largest number of indigenous in the country, many of whom now live in the city.
Poverty, malnutrition and displacement make tackling the virus an even bigger challenge for these communities, some of Brazil's most vulnerable.

In Parque das Tribos, on the outskirts of Manaus, several women are busy at sewing machines. History has taught people that viruses from outside bring devastation. Their only defence now are home-made masks, but much more is needed to protect them.

"We already have lots of people in the community with symptoms," says resident Vanderleia dos Santos. "We don't have a doctor here, or a nurse to look after us."

During the coronavirus crisis, she says, indigenous communities in the city are being attended to by the public health system, known as SUS. Rural indigenous communities have their own special health service, the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (Sesai).

She worries though that the system masks the true numbers of indigenous suffering from Covid-19. She says indigenous are not being registered as such, instead they are put down as "white".
"Our identity is being questioned all the time," she says. "And it means we can't map the relatives who could be infected."

With nearly half of Brazil's indigenous communities now in cities, it is not a small problem.
"The indigenous in urban areas feel abandoned," says Sonia Guajajara, who heads up the Association of Brazil's Indigenous People. "They're exposed to contagion and death because they're not being attended to straight away."

'Double whammy'

For those living deep in the rainforest, the closest medical help is often days away by boat. Some communities have shut themselves away, fearful of contagion. Others remain uncontacted, but their livelihoods are at threat when there is also less oversight from indigenous and environmental agencies.

"It's a double whammy," says Jonathan Mazower of Survival International. "Many of the field agents who would have been working to protect reserves from invasions have pulled back and are not patrolling anymore."

That has huge consequences in a country where illegal loggers and miners have been emboldened by a government set on getting rid of protected areas and developing the Amazon.
"Many people are eyeing up these lands," Mr Mazower says. "Undoubtedly they're taking advantage and staking their claim."

The figures speak for themselves. In the first three months of the year, deforestation rose 51%.
"At the same time as adopting measures to combat Covid-19, we can't forget the incursions and attacks that keep happening and are never resolved," says Sonia Guajajara. "Looking out for Covid-19 makes the other issues invisible."

She says illegal miners, loggers, hunters and evangelicals wanting contact with uncontacted tribes "aren't in quarantine", adding: "They are using this time to explore and they are the principal vectors."
And there is an added urgency as fire season begins.

Last year an unprecedented number of fires devastated huge swathes of forest in the Amazon. Peak fire season is from July which some experts worry could coincide with the peak of the coronavirus crisis.



"This will be double-trouble," says Romulo Batista of Greenpeace in Manaus.
In 2019, there were more than two and a half times the number of people with lung problems than usual, he said. And municipalities closer to the fire areas, like Porto Velho in the state of Rondônia, will suffer the most.
"When you have a lot of fires, you have a lot of people going to hospital and when you have a hospital full of Covid-19, it will be madness when the fires start this year."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-52502369