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    Coronavirus - 9th May

    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Coronavirus - 9th May Empty Coronavirus - 9th May

    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 10:22

    Summary for Saturday, 9th May


    Welcome to our live coverage of the global coronavirus pandemic, brought to you by writers working from home in London and Manchester. If you're joining us in the UK, good morning.

    As it's a weekend, our colleagues in Singapore, Sydney and Delhi are having a well-deserved rest but we'll continue to bring you the latest news from around the world as it comes in.
    Here are the key headlines this morning to get you up to speed:

    • UK airlines say they have been told the government will bring in a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in the UK from any country apart from the Republic of Ireland
    • People are expected to be urged to continue to work from home if possible and walk and cycle to workplaces to take pressure off public transport, even as some restrictions are lifted
    • Unions have warned that key measures, including a national test, track and trace scheme, must be in place before schools are allowed to reopen
    • In the US a top aide to Vice-President Mike Pence has tested positive for the virus, not long after President Donald Trump's valet
    • Italy has become the first country in the European Union to register more than 30,000 coronavirus-related deaths
    • Paraguay’s President Mario Abdo Benítez says the spread of coronavirus in Brazil is threatening his country's success in containing it


    Magician Roy Horn dies with virus

    Roy Horn, the illusionist who mesmerised audiences as one half of Siegfried and Roy, has died aged 75 after contracting coronavirus.
    Horn and his German compatriot, Siegfried Fischbacher, were known for their stunning costumes and including white tigers and other animals in their act.
    They began performing in Las Vegas in 1967, and hosted sell-out shows for decades.
    Horn was forced to stop performing in 2003 after a white tiger attacked him during one of their shows, dragging him offstage in front of a large audience and leaving him in a critical condition.
    "Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend," Mr Fischbacher said in a statement. "From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world."

    Scottish police chief on challenges of easing lockdown

    Boris Johnson’s speech to the nation on Sunday is due to set out a road map for how the UK will come out of lockdown, but as devolved nations implement their own measures, the head of Scotland Police has urged a degree of "realism" when drawing up plans.
    Chief Constable Iain Livingstone told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that policing will become more challenging if England and Scotland take a different approach.
    "I think it would make the consistency of public messaging harder," he said.
    "Thus far, they (the public) have done it really, really well but we do have to keep our eye on the reality of people’s behaviour, as well as the regulations that are in place."
    Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned it could be "catastrophic" to drop the stay at home message as she announced on Thursday that the lockdown is to be extended in Scotland.
    Meanwhile, Wales announced "modest" changes to its lockdown from Monday, which will allow people to exercise outside more often.

    'No Plan B' for Tokyo Olympics

    A senior figure at the International Olympic Committee has reaffirmed that there are no plans to defer the Tokyo Olympics again.
    Tokyo 2020 is now scheduled to run from 23 July to 8 August in 2021 after being delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
    John Coates, head of the IOC’s inspectorate, said the Games could end up as the "greatest ever" - citing examples that followed the two world wars of the 20th Century - but followed Tokyo Games' chief Yoshiro Mori in saying that they could not be rescheduled again.
    "We're proceeding on the basis that there is no Plan B of deferring the Games again or anything like that,” Coates said.

    Airlines and airports worry over quarantine plan

    Tom Burridge - Transport correspondent
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    Airlines say that people arriving in the UK will have to go into quarantine from the end of May under government plans - and they are worried about the effects on the already devastated travel industry.
    Sources say people will have to provide an address when they arrive in the UK and self-isolate there for two weeks, unless they’re coming from the Republic of Ireland.
    Lorry drivers and other key workers would be exempt. But it is not clear how long the restrictions will be in place. Airlines and airports say the measure should come with a clear exit strategy and want it reviewed weekly.
    They fear it will compound damage the pandemic has done to their industry because it may put people off travelling. The aviation minister is due to brief airlines and airports on the matter this morning after the Home Office said it would not comment on leaks.
    If a quarantine is necessary now, some will question why it wasn’t weeks ago. Hundreds of thousands of people have flown into the UK during the pandemic but the government has said the vast majority were returning home.

    Aide to US vice-president tests positive for virus

    Another day, another case in the White House.
    A top aide to the US Vice-President Mike Pence - his press secretary Katie Miller - tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.
    Pence had not been in recent contact with Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller, a senior aide to US President Donald Trump, reports say.
    Katie Miller’s diagnosis came two days after the White House said a member of the US military, a valet to Trump, had tested positive for the virus.
    But spokespeople said Trump and Pence had tested negative and remained in "great health" after coming into contact with that aide.
    Separately, a personal assistant to Trump’s daughter Ivanka has also tested positive, CNN reports. The assistant had been working from home, so had not been in recent contact with Ivanka, who tested negative for the virus on Friday, the US broadcaster said.

    Watch: The first 100 days of coronavirus in the UK


    The first confirmed case of coronavirus in the UK was on 31 January.
    Since then more than 30,000 people have died with the virus across the UK and thousands more have needed hospital treatment.
    On a global level, the country is now second in total confirmed deaths of people who had the virus, behind only the US.
    How has the crisis evolved and how has the government's strategy changed?

    China and Russia 'spreading anti-US propaganda'

    The US has accused China and Russia of conducting propaganda campaigns designed to spread false information about the coronavirus.
    A US state department official said social media accounts linked to China and Russia were pushing similar anti-American messages.
    "Even before the Covid-19 crisis, we assessed a certain level of co-ordination between Russia and the PRC (People's Republic of China) in the realm of propaganda," Lea Gabrielle said.
    China and Russia were trying "to shape public understanding of the Covid-19 pandemic for their own purposes", she said.
    The US is locked in an information war with China over the origin and handling of the Covid-19 outbreak, with both pushing contradictory narratives.
    Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, has repeatedly promoted the idea - without evidence - that Covid-19 might have originated in the US.
    In turn, the US has repeatedly suggested that the coronavirus was leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the first cases of the disease were detected.

    Young men 'more likely to ignore lockdown'

    Young men are more likely than young women to break lockdown rules, psychologists have suggested, after questioning just under 2,000 young people aged between 13 and 24.
    Half of the men aged 19-24 had met friends or family members they did not live with during lockdown, compared to 25% of women.
    The researchers from the University of Sheffield and Ulster University called on the government to better target messages for young people.

    China offers to help North Korea with Covid-19

    Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered to help North Korea in tackling coronavirus, in a message to its leader Kim Jong-un.
    President Xi told Kim China would provide support “based on North Korea's needs”, a leading Communist Party newspaper reported.
    The Global Times said Xi had thanked Kim “for his congratulations on China's hard-won victory over the Covid-19 epidemic”.
    Not much is known about the coronavirus situation in North Korea.
    The country has repeatedly insisted it has no confirmed Covid-19 infections, crediting this supposed success to strict containment measures and the closure of its borders.
    South Korean intelligence officials have said it is implausible that North Korea does not have any cases, given its links with neighbouring China.
    North Korea is seen as highly vulnerable to infectious diseases, and its healthcare system ill equipped to deal with them.

    Russia's cases continue to soar

    Russia has recorded 10,817 new cases in the past 24 hours, increasing the country’s total to 198,676.
    The Russian coronavirus taskforce said 104 people died overnight, taking the national death toll to 1,827.
    The number of infections in the country has been rising by more than 10,000 a day since Sunday. Russia now has the fifth-highest number of cases in the world.
    It overtook France (176,202) and Germany (170,588) on Thursday and is closing on the UK total of 212,629 cases, according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University.
    The US has by far the largest number of cases, with over 1.2 million, while Spain (222,857) and Italy (217,185) have the highest number of cases in the EU.

    Garden centres in England to reopen

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    Garden centres in England will be allowed to reopen next week as one of the early steps to ease lockdown measures, the BBC has learned.
    A senior government source said that if the centres comply with social distancing, they will be allowed to open from Wednesday.
    The number of people inside shops will need to be controlled so customers can keep 2m (6ft) apart. In-store cafes will remain closed.
    Garden centres in Wales are allowed to reopen from Monday.
    UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will confirm the announcement regarding garden centres when he addresses the nation on Sunday.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 12:18

    Social distancing on aircraft 'challenging if not impossible'

    Any social distancing on aircraft when passenger numbers return to normal would be “challenging if not impossible”, the head of the body representing UK airports has said.
    The government is expected to bring in a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in the UK, apart from those coming from the Republic of Ireland.
    Airports suggested that a quarantine would have a devastating impact on the aviation industry.
    Karen Dee, CEO of the Airport Operators’ Association, told BBC Breakfast that if social distancing was not possible, measures had to be put in place to ensure staff and passengers travel safely.
    "Is it better cleaning and sanitation or hand sanitisers in the airport? Is it face masks and gloves for passengers to avoid touching?
    "Is it some form of temperature checks at the airports or before they travel? Or other kind of testing that might evolve in the next few days or weeks?"

    Pakistan loosens restrictions despite rising cases

    Ethirajan Anbarasan - South Asia Editor, BBC World Service
    Pakistan is loosening an economic lockdown despite the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.
    Shops and businesses have begun to re-open in the capital Islamabad as part of a phased easing of restrictions.
    Clothing and shoe shops and small markets are among the first to start trading, but shopping centres are still shut.
    On Friday, more than 2,000 new cases were reported, taking the number of those infected to more than 27,000 with around 600 deaths so far.
    But business associations in Pakistan have welcomed the move, saying the country cannot afford to remain shut for long and that millions of jobs will be saved.
    Pakistan's economy is already suffering because of falling remittances from abroad and declining exports.
    When he announced the easing of restrictions earlier this week, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan's poor could not afford to live under lockdown and that people now had to stick to social distancing rules.

    Wales' easing of lockdown likely to match England's

    Wales' "very modest" easing of lockdown restrictions is likely to be in line with what Boris Johnson will announce for England on Sunday, the Welsh First Minister has said.
    Mark Drakeford announced limited changes to the lockdown on Friday, including garden centres reopening and people being allowed to exercise more than once a day. Schools in Wales will not reopen next month.
    Drakeford told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "We were clearly convinced that only the very smallest and most modest steps... were allowable at this time.”
    He said the PM thinks "maximum caution is the way to approach the immediate future".
    "We'll hear from the prime minister on Sunday the details of what he proposes for England, my view is we'll be very much in line with one another."

    Slovenia cyclists hold anti-government protest

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    Many protesters wore face masks and tried to comply with distancing rules

    Thousands of people cycled through Slovenia's capital Ljubljana on Friday in protest against the lockdown, which has been in place since mid-March.
    Slovenia eased some measures two weeks ago but protesters have accused Prime Minister Janez Jansa of using the pandemic as a pretext to restrict freedoms.
    So far, the country has confirmed 1,450 cases of the disease and 100 deaths.

    The UK picture

    Just joining us in the UK? Here's what you need to know:


    • Unions have warned that whenever schools are allowed to reopen, key measures must be in place to stop the spread of coronavirus



    South Korea scrambles after nightclub outbreak

    South Korean authorities are scrambling to contain an outbreak of new coronavirus cases linked to people who visited bars and clubs in the capital Seoul.
    The country’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 18 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total number in the country to 10,840.
    Of those new cases, 17 were linked to a 29-year-old man who went for a night out in the capital Seoul's Itaewon district last weekend.
    Health authorities are trying to trace and test people who patronised venues there, telling them to self-isolate.
    The mayor of Seoul has now closed down bars and clubs in the city until further notice. "Carelessness can lead to an explosion in infections,” he said.
    South Korea has received international plaudits for its coronavirus containment strategy, which involves aggressive contact tracing, monitoring and testing. The country is in the process of relaxing restrictions.

    UK public will be encouraged to walk and cycle more

    Walk or cycle to your workplace if you cannot work from home, the UK government is expected to announce later, in a bid to protect the public transport network when the lockdown is eventually lifted.
    The BBC understands that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps will urge people to consider more active ways to commute.
    Extra funding is likely to be announced for English local authorities to help alter road networks to facilitate this.
    Matters concerning cycling and walking are handled by the UK's devolved nations. For example, Wales has had legislation in place to boost both activities since 2013.
    It comes as a coalition of environmental and transport pressure groups demands a big increase in spending on walking and cycling.
    They've sent a letter to the government calling for a fundamental redesign of the transport network to improve public health, clean the air and protect the climate.

    UFC fighter withdraws after testing positive

    Saturday's UFC 249 - the first major sporting event in the US since the lockdown - will not feature fighter Ronaldo Souza after both he and two of his cornermen tested positive for coronavirus.
    The 40-year-old Brazilian was supposed to face Uriah Hall in the middleweight contest.
    "We administered 1,200 tests this week, on 300 people," UFC president Dana White said. "It's not unexpected one person would test positive."
    The live-streamed event, featuring 22 fighters, will take place in Jacksonville, Florida, behind closed doors.

    UK travel advice 'slow and confusing'

    The shadow foreign secretary has sharply criticised the government's advice for those returning to the UK.
    Talking about the 14-day quarantine for people flying into the UK, Lisa Nandy called for clarity.
    "The big problem is actually getting that advice to people in the first place and it's been far too slow and far too confusing for most people," she told BBC Breakfast.
    "For weeks we've had mixed messages being briefed out of government."
    She said her office was in touch with about 3,000 British nationals who are still stranded abroad.
    And those who have returned to the UK have not been given guidance on what they should be doing when they get home, she said.

    Russian air parade over deserted Red Square

    Coronavirus - 9th May 596f9110

    With coronavirus restrictions still in place, the streets of Moscow were unusually empty on Saturday morning, as the country marked the 75th anniversary of Victory Day.
    Russian military aircraft swooped through the skies above an empty Red Square which, in normal circumstances, would be packed with spectators.
    Plans for a grand Victory Day parade in the Russian capital had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.
    Instead, President Vladimir Putin and other officials took part in low-key commemorations.
    Mr Putin laid flowers near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin walls and delivered a televsed speech.
    "Our veterans fought for life, against death. And we will always be equal to their unity and endurance," Putin said.
    Victory Day, which marks the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, takes place on 9 May in Russia, a day later than similar celebrations in Europe.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 12:33

    False claims by politicians debunked

    Dubious claims, conspiracy theories and speculation have been rife during the coronavirus pandemic.
    Much of this misinformation has been spread online, but leading politicians have played a role too.
    From US President Donald Trump to Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini, politicians have popularised ideas that have not stood up to scrutiny by fact checkers.

    Air France to introduce temperature checks and masks

    Air France will check passengers' temperatures from Monday and customers will be required to wear masks on all flights, the airline has announced.
    Those whose temperature exceeds 38C will not be allowed to board the aircraft and their reservation will be changed to a flight at a later date at no extra cost, it added.

    Lockdown halts repairs for flood-hit homes

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    Residents in the north of England whose homes were devastated by floods six months ago have had work on their properties delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
    The village of Fishlake, near Doncaster, was evacuated in November when the nearby River Don burst its banks, flooding about 160 homes and businesses.
    Work, which had begun to repair some of the properties, has ground to a halt because of lockdown restrictions.
    Some residents have been spending lockdown in caravans or away from home, like Dave Liddle who is waiting for building work on his home to restart.
    "Once they got started it was going very well and then the coronavirus lockdown and everything just stopped," he said.
    "We're just in limbo, same as everybody else at the moment."

    'Finally, a virus got me' - Scientist reflects on facing death

    Coronavirus - 9th May 8ec04210

    Peter Piot, the director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, is used to fighting infectious diseases. He helped discover Ebola and headed the UN's programme on HIV/Aids for over a decade.
    And he has now outlined his personal battle with Covid-19 after testing positive in March:
    "I’m glad I had corona and not Ebola, although I read a scientific study that concluded you have a 30% chance of dying if you end up in a British hospital with Covid-19.
    "That’s about the same overall mortality rate as for Ebola in 2014 in West Africa.
    "That makes you lose your scientific level-headedness at times... They got me, I sometimes thought. I have devoted my life to fighting viruses and finally, they get their revenge. For a week I balanced between heaven and Earth, on the edge of what could have been the end."
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 13:43

    Belarus WW2 parade defies pandemic

    Belarus' president Alexander Lukashenko has largely ignored advice during the coronavirus pandemic, so perhaps it came as no surprise that the country held a parade to mark the 75th anniversary of victory in World War Two in front of large crowds.
    Lukashenko had labelled fears about Covid-19 a "psychosis", and warned a shutdown would harm the economy. He allowed the country's football leagues to continue in front of crowds.
    On Saturday, there were marches by soldiers while tanks moved along Victors Avenue in capital Minsk.
    Many of the European allies held muted celebrations this week.
    Read more here.
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    Quarantine measures must be medically effective - Heathrow

    Heathrow Airport has said that any quarantine measures must be medically effective, meet public expectations and be deliverable by airports.
    The comments come in response to the prospect of a 14-day quarantine being implemented for travellers arriving in the UK.
    "We will continue to do everything we can to support the government in tackling the health crisis whilst keeping vital trading routes open for British businesses in every corner of the UK,” a spokesman said.
    "Heathrow is more than just an airport, it is the heart that keeps economic blood flowing for this country and it is vital our industry has the ability to bounce back quickly when the UK is ready to build back Britain together."
    Heathrow bosses said there needs to be a common international standard for health in aviation.

    Vuelta a España cancels Portuguese stages

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    The Vuelta a España has altered its route so that it does not pass through Portugal in this year’s race.
    The Vuelta, one of cycling’s three Grand Tours, has already been moved from its original start date on 14 August and been shortened after its first three stages in the Netherlands were cancelled.
    The revised 18-stage race will now begin on 20 October. It had been due to go through northern Portugal on stages 15 and 16, visiting Matosinhos in Porto before leaving Viseu to head back to Salamanca in Spain.
    In such "exceptional" circumstances, race director Javier Guillénas said, "we have to be flexible and understand these kinds of decisions and changes". He confirmed that alternative stages would be announced in the coming weeks.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 14:40

    Greggs reopens small number of shops

    Folks in Newcastle, in north-east England, might soon feel some sense of normality returning with the reopening of some Greggs stores there.
    The popular bakery chain - which hails from the city - is taking this next step following a series of trials with staff testing working practices while remaining shut to customers.
    A Greggs spokesman said: "We are initially operating shop trials behind closed doors in order to test the effectiveness of our new operational safety measures.
    "We will continue to review this and will invite walk-in customers into our shops only when we can do so in the controlled manner we intended."
    The UK government has stipulated that while restaurants, cafés and other food establishments cannot offer a sit-in service they can provide takeaway.

    Triple-drug trial reports hopeful results

    Researchers in Hong Kong have revealed positive results from a trial involving a three-drug antiviral cocktail.
    A new study, published on Friday in the medial journal The Lancet, said patients with milder forms of Covid-19 appeared to recover faster if they were given the treatment.
    The study involved 127 adults, including 86 who were given the combination of three medicines: interferon beta-1b, opinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin.
    The authors described the findings as "early but important" and have called for further research, including on more seriously ill patients.
    "Our trial demonstrates that early treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 with a triple combination of antiviral drugs may rapidly suppress the amount of virus in a patient's body," said Kwok-Yung Yuen, who led the research.

    What do I need to know if I decide to fly?

    As we've been hearing, a two-week quarantine period is expected to come into force for anyone flying into the UK from abroad - except those arriving from the Republic of Ireland.
    Some airports are also introducing new rules on face coverings and gloves.
    So what do you need to know if you're planning to fly during the pandemic?
    Our explainer answers some of the questions you might have.

    Further 36 coronavirus deaths in Scotland and nine more in Wales

    A further 36 people have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths recorded there to 1,847, the Scottish government has announced.
    In Wales, nine more people have died after testing positive for the virus, taking the total there to 1,099, Public Health Wales has said.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 14:48

    Coronavirus: What do I need to know if I decide to fly?
    A two-week quarantine period is expected to come into force for anyone flying into the UK from abroad - except those arriving from the Republic of Ireland.
    Some airports are also introducing new rules on face coverings and gloves.
    So what do you need to know if you're planning to fly during the Covid-19 pandemic?

    What are the new quarantine rules?

    UK airlines and airports say they have been told the measures will come in at the end of May - but they are waiting for full details from the government.
    Passengers touching down in the UK would have to self-isolate for 14 days at a private residence. Key workers such as lorry drivers who transport goods and people working in the shipping industry are expected to be exempt.
    Speaking ahead of an official announcement, industry body Airlines UK said the policy needed "a credible exit plan" and should be reviewed weekly. UK airports fear the measures will have devastating impact on their industry and the wider economy.

    What about face masks, gloves and temperature checks?

    People travelling through Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports will now be told to cover their faces and wear gloves.
    Passengers will be given face coverings and gloves initially. Airport staff will also wear them.
    Manchester Airports Group, which owns the sites, said the measure will show "one way in which air travel can be made safe".
    Some temperature screening trials will also be conducted at Stansted. Heathrow, one of the world's busiest airports, is already trialling large-scale temperature checks.
    Chief executive John Holland-Kaye has called for a common international standard for health screening at airports "to build confidence in international travel".
    Air France says passengers will be temperature checked before flying from 11 May. The carrier is also making face masks compulsory - similar to several US airlines.

    What about social distancing on flights?

    Aer Lingus has said it will review procedures following a claim it did not maintain social distancing among passengers on a Belfast-London flight.

    EasyJet has said it plans to keep the middle seats on planes empty for a time once UK lockdown restrictions are lifted. Emirates and the US airline Delta have announced similar plans.
    But Michael O'Leary, the boss of Ryanair, has said empty seats do not ensure safe social distancing and are financially unviable.
    The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the body representing global airlines, says leaving the middle seat empty would not improve passenger safety. It says most airlines would not have made money last year if a third of the seats had been removed.

    How many people are still flying?

    Far fewer people are flying since the Foreign Office advised against international travel.
    Between 16 and 22 April, for example, the number of air passengers coming into the UK was 99% lower than the same period in 2019.
    American Airlines said social distancing had been possible "for all passengers", suggesting that its aircraft have a lot of empty seats. And Virgin Atlantic said many of its flights in April were only a quarter full.
    Meanwhile, Ryanair carried 40,000 passengers in April - down from 13.5 million in the same month last year.

    How safe is air travel?

    If you have to fly, it's a common belief that you are more likely to become ill on an aeroplane, because you're breathing "stale" air.
    However, according to the World Health Organization, the quality of air in a plane cabin is very carefully controlled and changed up to 30 times an hour.
    However, there is a greater likelihood of the virus being transmitted if passengers are close together - usually as a result of an infected individual coughing, sneezing or touching surfaces.
    This is the same as in any other situation in which people are close to each other, such as on a train or a bus.

    What's the advice for air travellers?

    Public Health England says passengers should sit as far apart as possible.
    The National Travel Health Network and Centre - which was set up by the Department of Health - offers the following advice:

    • Avoid moving from your seat unnecessarily, but exercise your legs (flex and extend the ankles) to encourage blood flow
    • Only use the designated toilet for your area and wash your hands before leaving
    • If you start to feel unwell, stay in your seat and speak to the air crew

    You should not be travelling if you are unwell, or if you have tested positive for Covid-19.



    https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-52544307
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 14:54

    England reports 207 more deaths

    A further 207 people have died in England after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths recorded there to 22,972, NHS England has said.
    These figures are just for deaths in hospitals. Later today, as is now usual, we will get UK-wide statistics that also include deaths in care homes and the community of people who tested positive for the coronavirus.

    Tesla factory ‘must not reopen’ as lockdown tensions grow

    Stay-at-home restrictions have deeply divided opinion in the US, pitting businesses against state governments, and some people against politicians.
    Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, in particular, has regularly bemoaned the restrictions in controversial tweets.
    He was planning to restart limited production at the factory of his electric car firm, Tesla, in San Francisco on Friday.
    But officials in Alameda County, where the factory is based, have thrown a spanner in the works, telling the firm it must not reopen.
    Under the county’s lockdown order, only essential businesses are allowed to reopen.
    "Tesla has been informed that they do not meet those criteria and must not reopen," Alameda County said.
    Read more: Tesla ordered to keep main US plant closed

    Slovakia records no new cases

    Slovakia has recorded no new cases of the coronavirus for the first since time in more than two months, as the country begins to ease restrictions on life.
    As of 9 May, Slovakia had confirmed 1,455 cases and 26 deaths from its outbreak.
    At 0.5% per 100,000 people, the death rate in Slovakia is the lowest in the EU, according to data collated by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Experts have credited Slovakia's success in containing the virus to the swift introduction of a lockdown, compliance with it, and effective messaging by the media, among other factors.
    On Wednesday, Slovakia began restarting its economy, allowing shops outside shopping malls, hotels, museums, galleries and outdoor tourist attractions to reopen.
    Schools remain closed, however, and international passenger travel is still not possible.

    Just joining us in the UK?

    Welcome to those of you who are just joining us.
    The UK government's daily press conference is due to start in about 30 minutes. To get you up to speed, here are today's key headlines:


    Hundreds queue for food parcels in Geneva

    Switzerland might be one of the world's wealthiest countries but on Saturday there was a queue of more than 1,000 people in the capital Geneva waiting to pick up free food parcels.
    The line stretched for more than 1km outside an ice rink where volunteers were handing out around 1,500 parcels.
    In a nation of nearly 8.6 million, 660,000 people in Switzerland were deemed to be poor in 2018, according to the charity Caritas.
    Patrick Wieland, chief of mission for the Doctors Without Borders group, said a survey last week showed just over half the food recipients interviewed were undocumented migrants.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 17:57

    Spain’s PM urges caution before lockdown easing

    Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on people to exercise “total caution” ahead of a partial relaxation of the country’s lockdown.
    More than half of the country, about 23 million people, will start “phase one” of the strategy to ease nationwide social-distancing measures on Monday.
    Restaurants and bars will be able to serve people outdoors, non-essential shops will be allowed to open and gatherings of up to 10 people will be permitted.
    But, in places where the lockdown is loosened, people should “take precautions as if they were infected”, Sanchez said.
    “The virus has not disappeared. It is still on the prowl,” Sanchez warned in a TV address on Saturday.
    Spain’s number of coronavirus-related deaths jumped by 179 to 26,478 on Saturday, the lowest daily rise since mid-March.
    The country has reported more than 220,000 coronavirus infections to date, the second-highest in the world after the US.
    Read more: Spain plans return to 'new normal' by end of June


    What did we learn from UK government briefing?

    (Note from me - Kitkat) [For those of you who actually 'expected' to learn anything of substance ...   ]  shtum
    Here goes:

    Today’s UK government briefing has now finished - if you're just catching up here's a quick summary:

    • Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announces a £250m emergency fund for improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure
    • It means pop-up bike lanes, wider pavements, safer junctions, and cycle and bus-only corridors will be created in England within weeks
    • Trials of e-scooters will also be fast-tracked and rental schemes extended from four local authorities to every region who wants them
    • He would not confirm a 14-day quarantine for passengers arriving in the UK
    • A further 346 people in the UK have died after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths recorded to 31,587
    • The government has missed its target of 100,000 coronavirus tests a day for the seventh day in a row
    • Shapps urged people to stay at home over the bank holiday weekend - stressing that government guidance had not changed
    • He said emerging from the pandemic will be a "gradual process" and the government will be proceeding with "extreme caution", ahead of a statement from the PM on the next steps tomorrow night


    Chinese official admits health system weaknesses

    The coronavirus pandemic is a "big test" that has exposed weaknesses in China's public health system, a senior official has told Chinese media.
    The rare admission, from Director of China's National Health Commission Li Bin, comes after sustained criticism abroad of China's early response.
    The country will now improve its disease prevention, public health system and data collection, he says.
    China has offered to help North Korea fight the outbreak there.
    Li told journalists the pandemic was a significant challenge for China's governance, and that it has exposed "the weak links in how we address major epidemic and the public health system".
    China has been accused of ignoring early signs of the virus in Wuhan, where the outbreak began, and failing to alert the international community quickly.
    China has rejected calls for an independent international investigation into the origins of the virus.

    Arrests after anti-lockdown protest in London

    Marianna Spring - Disinformation and social media reporter
    Coronavirus - 9th May 27da3810

    The protesters who gathered in central London were emotional. Many were angry and distrustful of the police, government and media - although most were polite when I spoke to them.
    They had placards and leaflets detailing a wide range of conspiracy theories - their targets included 5G technology, Bill Gates and vaccinations. Some clustered in front of our camera and joined arms in defiance of social distancing.
    Small groups of up to 40 or 50 people gathered at various points in the capital in the morning.
    Our team saw arrests in St James’s Park, near the Accident and Emergency department of St Thomas’ Hospital, and outside the Houses of Parliament. The Metropolitan Police reported 14 arrests.
    A police statement said: “Despite repeated attempts by officers to engage with the group, explain the current restrictions and encourage them to go home a number refused to leave.”
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Coronavirus - 9th May Empty Re: Coronavirus - 9th May

    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 19:58

    'One third' of US deaths in care homes

    New analysis by the New York Times suggests a third of all US deaths can be traced to care homes and nursing facilities.
    Officials have not yet revealed breakdowns of fatalities but data compiled by the newspaper suggests at least 25,600 care home residents and workers have died with Covid-19.
    Their reporting suggests 143,000 cases have been detected at some 7,500 facilities.
    In some states, including Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, care home deaths account for more than 50% of the state total.
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says in its own guidance that nursing facilities are at the "highest risk" of virus  spread because of their communal living arrangements. They urge facilities to take "aggressive" action to protect their residents, including restricting visitors and implementing mandatory health checks.
    Almost 1.3m total cases and more than 77,000 deaths have been recorded nationally.

    Hospital to open at Brazil's Maracanã stadium

    Coronavirus - 9th May 9af55b10
    The Maracanã - which used to hold over 150,000 fans - has hosted two football World Cups and the 2016 Olympic Games opening ceremony

    Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã - one of the world's most famous football stadiums - is hosting a coronavirus hospital.
    A temporary structure has been built in its grounds and will provide about 400 beds by next weekend.
    Two similar hospitals are due to open soon in Rio, including one in the Olympic Park.
    Brazil has one of the highest rates of infections in the world.
    The medical journal The Lancet wrote a scathing editorial this week saying Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro "needs to drastically change course".

    Further four coronavirus deaths in Northern Ireland

    A further four people have died in Northern Ireland after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths recorded there to 430.

    Musk threatens to move Tesla out of California

    Tesla boss Elon Musk has threatened to move operations of his electric car firm away from California because of coronavirus restrictions.
    Almeda County, where Tesla's main US plant is, said the company did not meet its local criteria for re-opening manufacturing on Friday.
    Responding in a series of Twitter conversations on Saturday, Musk said he was "immediately" filing a lawsuit over their actions, which he said violated "our constitutional freedoms" and "common sense".

    How cities are redesigning transport

    Coronavirus - 9th May 9a4a9910
    Milan has re-allocated space on their roads, with lanes for cyclists, pedestrians, and delivery vehicles

    We've just reported that the UK government is promising £2bn ($2.5bn) to improve cycling and walking infrastructure.
    You might be wondering what those changes could look like.
    Many cities globally have already begun redesigning their transport systems, both to create more space for residents and to prevent a resurgence in car use after lockdown.

    • In Paris, 650km (400 miles) of cycleways are being built
    • , and subsidies offered to cyclists
    • Italian city Milan is building cycle lanes, widening pavements and introducing 30km/h (20mph) speed limits.
    • In the US, 75 miles of streets in New York City
    • will be allocated to pedestrian and cyclists
    • After pop-up bikes lanes were built in Berlin, residents in 133 other German cities have submitted applications to do the same
    • Bogotá, in Colombia, opened up nearly 120km of bike routes in mid-March

    You can read more about how cities could be redesigned here


    More than 500 virus cases at industrial facility in Ghana

    Health officials in Ghana have said more than 500 workers at an industrial facility have tested positive for coronavirus, as the total number of cases jumped by nearly 30% in a single day.
    The facility has not been named but it has more than 1,300 workers.
    More than 4,000 people in Ghana are known to have the virus - the highest number in West Africa - and 18 people have died. However, Ghana has conducted by far the most tests of any nation in the region.
    The jump in new coronavirus cases in Ghana comes just days after the head of public health said infections had reached a peak.
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Coronavirus - 9th May Empty Re: Coronavirus - 9th May

    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 21:17

    SA government defends lockdown criticism

    A spokesman for the South African presidency has defended the government's decision to maintain the lockdown, saying coronavirus continued to pose a grave threat to the country.
    The opposition Democratic Alliance has been arguing that there is no reason for the measures to continue. It's gone to court to try to force the government to release the minutes of all meetings about the lockdown.
    John Steenhuisen, the DA's interim leader, said decisions were shrouded in secrecy as were being made by a small group of ministers.
    The country's lockdown began at the end of March. Food shops are open, but alcohol and cigarette sales are banned.

    France sees lowest number of deaths in more than a month

    France has recorded its lowest daily number of coronavirus deaths for more than a month, with 80 deaths over the past 24 hours.
    There has also been a drop in the number of patients admitted to intensive care.
    The increase in deaths on Friday was 243, and 178 the day before that.
    France is lifting several restrictions on Monday, with some schools reopening and people allowed to travel up to 100km (62 miles) from their homes without getting permission.
    The country has had the fifth highest amount of coronavirus-related deaths in the world: more than 26,000.

    Obama calls US virus response a 'chaotic disaster'

    Coronavirus - 9th May 3d939f10

    Former US President Barack Obama has strongly criticised his successor Donald Trump over his response to the coronavirus crisis.
    In a private call, he called the US handling of the pandemic "an absolute chaotic disaster".
    Obama has said he wants to play a larger role supporting Joe Biden in the presidential election in November.
    His new remarks were made in a call meant to encourage former staff to work for Biden's campaign, CNN reports.
    "It would have been bad even with the best of government," he was quoted as saying in the call. "It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset - of 'what's in it for me' and 'to heck with everybody else' - when that mindset is operationalised in our government."

    Welsh dairy farmers entitled to up to £10,000

    Coronavirus - 9th May 9912a410

    Welsh dairy farmers hit by the coronavirus outbreak will be entitled to government funding to help cover the cost of lost income.
    Wales' devolved government said eligible farmers who have lost more than 25% of their April and May income could get up to £10,000.
    Producers will be eligible for help to cover 70% of their lost income.
    Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said the "closure of the food service sector has had an immediate and significant impact" on the dairy sector, and hard-hit farms need support.
    Eligible dairy farmers in England can already apply under a similar scheme.

    German team in isolation ahead of league restart

    Coronavirus - 9th May D599c210

    Dynamo Dresden, who play in the second tier of German football, have placed their entire squad and coaching staff in isolation after two players tested positive for coronavirus.
    The development comes a week before the restart of the Bundesliga season and scuppers their plans to face Hannover 96 next weekend.
    "The fact is that we cannot train or participate in games in the next 14 days," sporting director Ralf Minge was quoted by AFP as saying.
    German football has been suspended since March and is only being allowed to return with strict rules in place.
    The incident proves that any league will be balanced on a knife-edge when football resumes, BBC Sport reports.
    Read more on this story
    Kitkat
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 22:27

    'I stopped going out, there's no space on pavements for me'

    Coronavirus - 9th May 19bce110
    Anne, an assistant minister in London, avoids going out because pavements are too narrow for her and pedestrians to be 2m apart

    We've been speaking to people who say the way their cities are built makes social distancing impossible.
    Anne Bookless in London uses a wheelchair - she says the narrow pavements mean that there isn't enough room for her and other pedestrians to be 2m apart. She has left her house just five times since the lockdown began seven weeks ago, including once for a hospital visit.
    Once, she took advantage of the rain: "I realised I couldn't see anyone outside, so I put on my brightest raincoat and raced around the green in my wheelchair. It was glorious to be outside, but I had to go back when the rain stopped."
    "I would love to be able to use the pavements safely," she says.
    As part of its transport announcement today, the UK government said it will fast track e-scooter trials. They are currently banned on pavements.
    But disability campaigners have warned previously that e-scooters discarded on pavements, creating a hazard.
    Read more about how our cities could be re-designed for social distancing.

    Worldwide cases hit four million

    There are now more than four million confirmed cases of Covid-19 around the world, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University in the US.  Experts warn the true number of infections is likely to be far higher, with low testing rates in many countries skewing the data.
    The global figure includes 1.3 million confirmed cases in the United States alone.

    PM to announce alert system to track virus threat in UK

    Ben Wright - BBC political correspondent
    Tomorrow, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce the launch of a new Covid-19 alert system that will track the virus threat and explain the relevant measures the government is taking.
    It will rank the virus threat on a scale from one to five and adjust according to data such as the rate of transmission and number of cases.
    On Sunday the prime minister will say we are currently at stage four but moving towards stage three.
    The new system will apply to England only but the government is working with the devolved administrations as they develop their own.
    It is understood the system will be similar to the one used to keep the public informed about the terror threat level.
    The alert system will also reflect the virus threat in different parts of the country. That could mean the threat level in different cities - and possibly the lockdown measures that apply - could differ quite widely.

    Six killed in clashes at Afghanistan food aid protest
    At least six people were killed when protesters angry at the distribution of food aid clashed with security forces in western Afghanistan, officials say.
    The violence began after demonstrators gathered in Firozkoh, the capital of Ghor province, to complain about the perceived failure to help the poor during the coronavirus pandemic.
    Gunmen in the crowd attacked a government office, prompting security forces to open fire, the interior ministry says.
    Two policemen and four civilians died.
    Local volunteer radio presenter Ahmadkhan Nawid was among those killed, according to the Afghanistan Journalists' Centre.
    Nine civilians and ten police officers were also injured, the interior ministry said.
    The human rights group Amnesty International called for an independent and effective investigation into what it said was the "use of unnecessary and excessive force" that led to the killing of the civilians.
    Read more
    Kitkat
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    Coronavirus - 9th May Empty Re: Coronavirus - 9th May

    Post by Kitkat Sat 09 May 2020, 22:50

    Migrant crossings: 227 people intercepted amid lockdown spike
    A further 82 were intercepted on Saturday.
    Those picked up by Border Force officials said they were Iranian, Iraqi, Kuwaiti, Syrian and Afghan nationals.
    Friday's total included 51 people packed on board a single inflatable boat, the Home Office said.
    Of 82 people detained on Saturday, 70 were aboard inflatable boats, while 12 men were found at Dungeness on the Kent coast.
    A Home Office spokesman said French authorities had prevented a total of 44 people from crossing.
    On Sunday and Monday more than 130 suspected migrants were stopped as they attempted to reach the UK from France.
    Home Secretary Priti Patel has acknowledged that a recent increase in the number of migrant boats making the dangerous crossing is linked to the Covid-19 lockdown.
    Since lockdown was announced in Britain on 23 March, at least 609 migrants have been intercepted by UK authorities and brought ashore.
    Read more

    Headlines from around the world

    As our coverage winds down for the day, here are some of the latest developments:


    The end to Saturday's coverage

    Thank you for joining us throughout the day, as we followed the latest news about the coronavirus pandemic around the world.
    We are pausing our coverage overnight, but will be back tomorrow morning with the latest breaking news and analysis.

    Our live page today was written and edited by: Kevin Ponniah, Henri Astier, Vicky Baker, Joshua Nevett, Kelly-Leigh Cooper, Sarah Collerton, Becky Morton, Saj Chowdhury, Steve Sutcliffe, Emlyn Begley, Kathryn Snowdon and Patrick Jackson.

      Current date/time is Thu 28 Mar 2024, 15:38