Coronavirus - 11th May

Summary for Monday, 11th May

• Some European nations are waking up to more freedoms as lockdowns are slowly eased
  
• Across most of France, people will be able to walk outside for the first time in weeks without filling in a permit
  
• Spaniards outside of Madrid and Barcelona will be able to meet in bars and restaurants with outside spaces
  
• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a cautious easing of lockdown conditions in England to begin this week
  
• UK split over the new "stay alert" messaging, which replaces "stay at home"
  
• China reported 17 new virus cases on Monday, its second consecutive double-digit increase
  
• Five of the new cases were reported in Wuhan, where the virus first emerged, and there is concern over an outbreak in the north
  
• New Zealand also announced a further loosening of restrictions
  

Welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll keep you posted on all news from around the world with our teams based across Asia and Australia and later Europe, UK and the US.
Here’s what you need to know as Asia starts a new week.

• There are concerns over a new wave of the virus in north-east China, with the city of Shulan classified as high-risk, the top of a three-tier system
  
• Overall, China continues to see low numbers of new infections. Monday’s data shows 17 cases for the past day, seven of which were imported. There were 12 asymptomatic cases and no new deaths
  
• Five of the new cases were in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak emerged - the highest increase since 11 March
  
• In South Korea, fears of a second wave have prompted renewed restrictions, after a series of new transmissions linked to Seoul's nightlife district
  
• In the UK, the government has unveiled a "conditional plan" to ease the lockdown, allowing people in England to spend more time outdoors from Wednesday
  
• Spain reported its lowest daily death toll in two months, as it emerges from a strict lockdown. Officials said 143 people died over a 24-hour period, taking the total number of deaths to 26,621
  
• In Germany, the reproduction rate of the virus has risen above one, causing concern days after some restrictions were eased
  

Migrants struggle to send money home

Smitha Girish lives in Kerala in south-west India with her young son Ishaan.
Her husband is in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. And due to Covid-19 he is stuck in his accommodation, unemployed.
"For the last month he is simply sitting in the flat," says Smitha.
"He couldn't join his new job, he couldn't withdraw his money from [the] bank. It's very difficult, because he has to pay a large amount for our flat."
Remittances are a lifeline for tens of millions of families around the world.
But as the pandemic limits the ability of migrants to work and send their wages back home, that lifeline is drying up.

• Click here to read our full story on migrants struggling to send money home
  

Saudi Arabia to raise VAT from 5 to 15%

Saudi Arabia is set to raise its consumption tax from 5 to 15% starting from July, its state news agency has reported.
VAT was only introduced in Saudi Arabia at the start of 2018.
The government will also, from June onwards, suspend the cost of living allowances that state employees receive.
The country has been badly hit by the virus outbreak and the collapse of oil prices. There are currently 39,048 confirmed virus cases in the country

Australia opens up this week

People will be able to visit friends and family across all of Australia by the end of the week.
Each state and territory has now signalled when its residents can experience the new freedoms outlined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last Friday.
In Victoria (which includes Melbourne) social visits can resume from Tuesday midnight but restaurants will stay shut. Meanwhile, neighbouring New South Wales (which includes Sydney) has already allowed social visits and now restaurants can reopen with a 10-person limit from Friday. Queensland opens from today.
Australia is following a three-step plan to get society roughly back to normal by July.
Under "Step One", students are urged to go back to school, working from home is being relaxed, people can have five guests at home or join 10-person gatherings outside, and public spaces like libraries and pools will reopen.
There are only around 750 active cases of the virus, but authorities say people must maintain social distancing to prevent a second wave.
"The virus is still out there - it hasn't gone anywhere - it is still out there," Mr Morrison told reporters this morning.
"The reason we're reopening is because we put protections in place."

UK PM unveils 'conditional plan' to reopen society

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has presented a plan to ease the lockdown, allowing people in England to spend more time outdoors from Wednesday.
Those who can not work from home should return to the workplace and some primary pupils will return to school, "at the earliest by 1 June".
The next step could then see some hospitality businesses and other public places reopen - "if the numbers support it" - but not earlier than 1 July.
A new Covid Alert System with five levels will govern how quickly lockdown restrictions can be eased.
The plans presented by Johnson only apply to England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can decide their own schedule for easing - and have indicated they will not follow yet.

• Read more details here
  

School's back in some Australian states

Schoolchildren have gone back into the classroom this morning in two of Australia's biggest states - New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland.
"I know this is a huge relief for families,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. "We know how important it is for students to receive that face-to-face teaching."
The issue of in-classroom teaching has been a huge point of contention between federal and state authorities.
All state schools across Australia had technically remained open during the pandemic, but state leaders had told parents to keep their children at home if they could.
This contradicted the prime minister's views that classrooms should continue operating as normal, allowing parents to go to work.
Now that the virus seems contained in Australia, both sides are making progress. In NSW, the biggest state, students will start off with one or two days in the classroom before resuming full-time.

US deaths edge towards 80,000

The United States has recorded 776 deaths linked to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 79,526, according Johns Hopkins University.
The daily increase was the lowest since March, with daily numbers in recent weeks ranging from 1,000 to 2,500.
The US remains the country with by far the highest number of confirmed infections - partly because of its large population and widespread testing.
There are now 1,329,260 cases, more than five times the tally of Spain, the second-worst affected country.

China closes off Shulan as infections rise

The Chinese city of Shulan has been placed under lockdown after a rise in the number of new cases.
The city saw 11 new virus cases in the past day - all linked to an infected laundry woman, said state media.
The 45-year-old patient, who has infected her husband, sisters and some other family members, is said to have had no recent travel history.
All public places across the city have been shut and all residents told to stay at home. Public transport has been suspended and the city classified as high risk - the highest of a three-tier zoning system.
The new infection has set Chinese social media abuzz, with many speculating how the woman got infected. Others, claiming to be from Shulan, said they felt the virus "draws closer and closer each day".
Shulan is in Jilin province, which sits on the border with North Korea, which claims to have no virus cases.
Many observers have accused the North of covering up an outbreak.

India to resume partial railway services

On Tuesday, for the first time in nearly 50 days, passengers will be able to board inter-state trains in India.
The government organised special trains earlier this month for stranded migrant workers who wanted to return home. But the latest announcement applies to everyone.
The trains will depart from the capital, Delhi, and will go to 15 cities, including Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad. Tickets can be purchased online later on Monday.
India is at the half-way mark of its third lockdown, which began with states easing restrictions. The resumption of partial railway services is the biggest relaxation yet, even as infections continue to rise.
The country has confirmed nearly 63,000 cases, including almost 20,000 who have recovered, and over 2,000 deaths.

Rate of increase drops in Germany

The number of confirmed cases in Germany has increased by 357 to 169,575, official data showed on Monday. The reported death toll rose by 22 to 7,417.
The latest numbers reverse the recent trend of bigger increases, which had people worried there would be a resurgence of infections after Germany eased its lockdown measures.
So what to make of the sudden decline in new cases reported on Monday? It could just be down to reporting delays.
Germany's official data has in the past often seen a slight lag in reporting over the weekend. So we'll have to wait a few more days before we can tell whether infections have really been pushed down again.

Indian navy brings hundreds home from Maldives

Nearly 700 Indians have arrived home from the Maldives on a naval ship, local media reported.
Two passengers who arrived in the southern state of Kerala were taken to hospital after displaying symptoms, police said.
This was the Indian navy's first evacuation under the country's mammoth repatriation, which will see more than 60 flights bring back thousands of Indians stranded abroad this week.
The country's evacuation exercise, billed as one of the world's largest, plans to bring home around 200,000 people.

First Pakistani repatriation flight from US takes off

A flight carrying 200 Pakistani citizens stranded by the pandemic took off from Washington DC on Sunday.
The flight, headed to Islamabad, is the first of six such charter flights arranged by the Pakistani government.
Around 1,500 Pakistanis stranded in the US will be brought home via these flights, the Pakistani embassy said.
Another flight, this one chartered by the US, will take home 150 Pakistani students on Monday. These students were in the US on various exchange programmes.
Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to relax its lockdown, allowing some markets to reopen even as cases surged past 30,000 and deaths crossed 600.

New Zealand announces more reopenings

The New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has announced a further loosening of the country's restrictions, with retail stores, malls, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and other public spaces allowed to reopen on Thursday - with social distancing.
Schools can reopen from 18 May, but bars must wait until 21 May.

• Read more on New Zealand's successful virus response here
  

Ghana extends gatherings ban as infections rise

Thomas Naadi - BBC News, Accra
Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo has extended the ban on public gatherings until the end of the month. as the country's coronavirus cases continue to rise.
Schools will remain closed while religious activities, conferences and festivals are also banned. All border crossings will stay closed.
The West African nation has so far confirmed 4,263 cases and 22 deaths.

• Coronavirus in Ghana: Online funerals, face masks and elections without rallies
  

European infections exceed 1.5 million

While the United States might have the highest number of confirmed infections with 1.3 million, Europe as a whole exceeds that tally.
Here's an overview in numbers. The UK tops the list in terms of deaths, Spain in terms of infections.
Spain (224,350 cases, 26,621 deaths)
UK (220,449 cases, 31,930 deaths)
Italy (219,070 cases, 30,560 deaths)
Russia (209,688 cases, 1,915 deaths)
France (177,094 cases, 26,383 deaths)
Germany (171,879 cases, 7,569 deaths)
Belgium (53,081 cases, 8,656 deaths)
Netherlands (42,826 cases, 5,459 deaths)
These are only the confirmed cases and deaths - with different countries having different testing and recording guidelines.
The data is from the Johns Hopkins University and might differ slightly from official national tallies.

Lockdown eases across most of Europe

Across Europe, countries are easing the lockdown, hoping that it will not lead to a second wave of infections.
In France, primary schools will start with small numbers of pupils today, and clothes shops, bookshops, hair salons and florists will reopen. Restaurants, cinemas and bars will remain shut.
In Belgium, most business will open on Monday albeit with social distancing. Restaurants, bars and cafes remain closed.
In the Netherlands, primary schools will partially reopen today. Libraries, physiotherapists, driving schools and hairdressers will also open.
In Switzerland, both primary and middle schools will reopen but classes will be reduced in size. Restaurants, bookshops and museums can also open but with certain restrictions.
In some regions of Spain, gatherings of up to ten people will be allowed and outdoor spaces at restaurants can reopen with social distancing measures.
In the UK, England will ease some of the lockdown measures this week, but other parts of the UK will keep stricter guidelines.
In Denmark, shopping centres can reopen on Monday while in Poland, hotels can reopen this week - although foreign tourists would still have to quarantine for two weeks.
Other European countries like Germany, Austria and Italy have already begun easing their restrictions.

New Zealand 'close to eradicating' virus

As we've reported, New Zealand will reopen most elements of society from Thursday - with restaurants, shops, and cinemas all to open their doors (bars will remain shut until 21 May).
The nation is close to eradicating the virus, with just 90 active cases said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Unlike neighbouring Australia - which has also been praised for its virus response - New Zealand has not brought in a tracing app for citizens to use.
Instead, it's relying on people to keep their social circles tight and to maintain distance when out and about. The nation lifted its full lockdown only two weeks ago.

What is changing in England?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to reopen society in England during his television address on Sunday. But what is changing?

• People will be allowed to take unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise, sit or sunbathe in parks and play sports with household members from Wednesday
  
• Two people from different households will be able to meet in a park if they stay two metres apart
  
• People who cannot work from home should return to the workplace - but avoid public transport
  
• People should try to stay at home as much as possible
  
• Public transport should be avoided if possible
  
• Stricter guidelines remain in the rest of the UK
  

Mr Johnson will reveal more details of the reopening plan today.

Premier League clubs meet today to discuss restart

The Premier League is set for a decisive few days in establishing whether it is possible to resume and complete the current season.
Club officials will meet on Monday to continue talks on Project Restart.
In other developments:

• A third player at Premier League side Brighton has tested positive for coronavirus. Two team-mates tested positive earlier in the pandemic
  
• Formula 1 bosses are in talks with the UK government as to whether new measures to control coronavirus affect plans to start the season
  
• While other sport is suspended, horse racing resumes in France on Monday behind closed doors with a 10-race card at ParisLongchamp
  

When will English primary schools reopen?

In his speech on Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said primary schools in England could open from 1 June "at the earliest".
He said a phased return to school would begin with pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, if infection rates and the government's other tests at the time allow it.
For most pupils, schools have been closed since 20 March. Secondary schools are likely to stay closed until September.
Read more here.

Chaos or freedom? Lockdown plan divides UK papers

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's statement on Sunday evening has drawn a mixed bag of newspaper headlines in the UK.
From Wednesday, people in England will be allowed unlimited outdoor exercise, can go back to work (if not possible from home), and can meet someone from outside their household in a park.
Here's what some of the papers made of it - with a full round-up here.

What is happening in the rest of the UK?

Last night Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans for England, but what is happening in the rest of the UK?

• A slight change to the lockdown rules means people in Scotland can now exercise more than once a day
  
• But Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stressed the "stay at home" message remains in place there. She stressed that picnics, sunbathing or barbecues are still not permitted
  
• In Wales, rules on the amount of times you can exercise has been relaxed. Some garden centres will be allowed to open from Monday
  
• In Northern Ireland, ministers are set to meet on Monday to discuss a plan to taking the country out of lockdown. The lockdown is in place until at least 28 May
  

R value: Is this the crucial number?

Every country looks like a hawk at the number of new daily infections. So how do experts decide the threshold above which they have to worry things are getting worse?
The crucial number is the R value, which puts a rating on the disease's ability to spread within the community. And every country tries to push that number below one.
Why? If the reproduction number is higher than one, then the number of cases increases exponentially - it snowballs like debt on an unpaid credit card.
Click here to read our full story on why the R value is so important

The latest from South Asia

• Bangladesh woke up to its highest daily number of infections (884) and deaths (14) on Monday as its Covid-19 tally reportedly breached the 14,000 mark
  
• Pakistan will begin plasma therapy trials, which involves transfusing antibody-rich blood into infected patients. The country has reported more than 30,000 cases and 667 deaths
  
• Sri Lanka, which has more than 800 cases, will begin easing lockdown restrictions on Monday. Government and private business can restart with a limited number of staff
  
• Nepal added 10 new infections on Monday, which means the Himalayan country now has 120 Covid-19 cases
  

How to cope with life after lockdown

As many countries begin to ease coronavirus restrictions, mental health experts are noticing an emerging phenomenon; anxiety about life after lockdown.
"It's very stressful for people," explains Dr Steven Taylor, a professor in the psychiatry department at the University of British Columbia, in Canada.
"People are trying to cope by loving being in lockdown, by creating a cocoon of safety, a haven, to make the whole experience more tolerable.
"Ironically that can create problems later on because people can become anxious about going outside."
Click here to read our full story on how to cope with the life after lockdown

'We need to treat people like adults' - UK Foreign Secretary Raab

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has defended the UK government against criticism that its new 'stay alert' slogan is unclear.
"We are going to be treating people like adults," he told BBC Breakfast TV.
He said a 50-page document outlining greater detail on the latest lockdown proposals would be released later on Monday.
Mr Raab is answering a selection of questions from the public - more than 5,000 were submitted.

Labour Party criticises UK PM's speech

The Labour Party has raised more questions about Prime Minister Boris Johnson's strategy announced in a speech on Sunday to ease the lockdown in England.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said he hoped the information on the new lockdown changes "provides clarity as it is urgently needed".
Labour's shadow business secretary Ed Miliband and shadow employment rights minister Andy McDonald earlier said they were "deeply concerned" about the recommendation that those people unable to work from home should go back to work.
They wrote: "Ordering a return to work with 12 hours notice and no official guidance on how workers can keep safe is irresponsible and wrong."
Shortly after the speech on Sunday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Johnson's statement raised "as many questions as answers".
He also questioned how people would be able to go to work without using public transport.

'People cannot mix inside homes' - UK Foreign Secretary Raab

The UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says advice has not changed about meeting in other people's homes.
Asked on BBC Breakfast TV whether someone could meet their dad in the morning and their mum in the afternoon, Raab says: "In the outdoors, staying two metres apart yes."
But he adds: "We are not moving to a stage where we say households can mix inside the home. That advice is not changing."
Raab said it "breaks his heart" that he could not have his family together to celebrate his mother's birthday over the weekend.

Just joining us? Here are the latest global developments

Hello and welcome - the global headlines so far:

• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Boris is to reveal more details of his plans to reopen society in England, after unveiling the "first sketch" of his "road map" out of the coronavirus lockdown on Sunday
  
• Across Europe, countries are easing the lockdown, hoping that this will not lead to a second wave of infections. France and the Netherlands will partially open primary schools, while shopping centres can open in Denmark and hotels in Poland later this week
  
• It’s a big day for the House of Mouse in Shanghai as it reopens. Disney executives estimate that the shutdown of its six theme parks across the world will probably cost the company more than $1bn in profits
  
• China reported 17 new cases on Monday, five of them from Wuhan, where the virus first emerged
  
• The White House has denied that US Vice-President Mike Pence is self-isolating, saying he will be at work on Monday. A top aide to Mr Pence tested positive on Friday
  
• And with just 90 active cases, New Zealand is "close to eradicating" the virus, which means it will reopen restaurants, shops and cinemas from Thursday
  

French passengers exempt from UK quarantine plans

Among the new UK measures, people arriving into the country will have to go into quarantine for 14 days to prevent Covid-19 being brought in from overseas.
The government has clarified this morning that this applies to all types of arrivals - not just at airports.
It has already indicated that people arriving from the Republic of Ireland will be exempt - and this also now applies to people arriving from France.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not specify when the measures would be enforced but said he was "serving notice" that the quarantine measures were coming.
Read more about the quarantine measures here.

Raab: Driving trips not limited, provided rules observed

There are no specific limits on distances drivers can travel within one of the UK nations under the new rules, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said.
"You can drive as far as you want to, for example to walk in a park or particular area you're fond of, as long as you maintain the social distancing," he tells BBC Breakfast.
"But obviously if you're going from one part of the UK to another - from England to Wales or Scotland to Wales - different rules are in place because the devolved governments take a different approach."

More detail promised on new lockdown rules

Further detail on the UK government's new lockdown rules will be published over the next 36 hours, says Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
That 50-page document will be published at 14:00 BST on Monday. It will flesh out the "signalling" made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his televised speech on Sunday evening.
Guidance on workplaces and public transport will follow on Tuesday, he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

Is the UK PM trying to achieve the impossible?

Nick Triggle - Health Correspondent
The prime minister is effectively trying to pull off the impossible.
He wants to try to restart normal life, while keeping the virus at bay with limited means to do so.
With no vaccine, the government is reliant on containing any local outbreaks.
But the problem is that even with the extra testing that has been put in place over the past month, there are big holes in the UK's ability to suppress the virus.
It takes too long to get test results back and those most in need of regular testing, such as care home staff for example, are still reporting they cannot always access tests.
And our ability to trace the close contacts of infected people remains unknown.

• Click here to read the full story
  

Residents should stay in Scotland, says First Minister Sturgeon

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has reiterated that her advice to Scottish residents has not changed, and they should stay at home wherever possible.
"It is too early to lift restrictions. We must err on the side of caution," said Ms Sturgeon - standing next to a 'stay home' poster - on BBC Breakfast.
"We are asking people to stay at home. It’s really important the clarity of message is there."
Asked whether workers could travel between Scotland and England, she replied: "My advice if you’re living in Scotland is to stay in Scotland. People shouldn't be travelling unnecessarily."

Golf allowed to resume in England

New guidelines mean golfers will be allowed to play - on their own or with one member of their own household.
There is no change to the current position in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and so golf courses in these countries must remain closed for now.
"Golf clubs and golfers have observed the lockdown very well and must keep it up and act responsibly as play resumes," said a statement from the England Golf Union.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Twitter: "In tentative steps and in the least risky outdoor environments, we can imminently allow some sports activity like golf, basketball, tennis, fishing - solo/in households. Guidance to follow."

South Korea offers anonymous testing to LGBT club visitors

South Korea is offering anonymous tests for coronavirus to those who visited gay dance clubs in Seoul.
The clubs have become the centre of a recent outbbreak there. More than 80 cases have been linked to a handful of venues in the Itaewon district, which is popular with the LGBTQ community.
More than 3,000 people who visited the clubs last weekend are yet to contact the authorities for testing. It's thought that many visitors provided false names and contact details when entering the bars and clubs.
Homophobia remains widespread in South Korea.

Netherlands care home finds way for families to visit

A care home in the Netherlands has found a way for families to visit during the lockdown.
A customised cabin allows care home residents to sit on one side of a glass wall while their relative sits on the other.
The BBC's Anna Holligan speaks to a family whose relative is a resident.

Mayors urge people to stay at home and avoid public transport

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has urged people to continue staying at home and not to use public transport after the government's announcement of changes to lockdown measures.
He told BBC Breakfast there had been a 10% increase in the use of the London Underground on Monday, compared with the same time last week, but said the figures were still 94% down on last year.
"The key message from the prime minister last night and me today is do not use public transport - public transport is there for essential workers," he said.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham echoed his words.
"We have certainly seen more people out and about over the weekend, and this is my concern. It feels premature to me to make what are quite substantial changes this morning," he said.
He urged people in the North West to be "very cautious" and take time before making major changes as "we are in a different position to London".

Return to school 'reckless', says UK teachers' union

Pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 could return to school from 1 June in England, the prime minister said in his speech on Sunday.
But a teaching union has called the idea "reckless" and raised concerns about how young children can carry out social distancing.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: "Coronavirus continues to ravage communities in the UK and the rate of Covid-19 infection is still far too great for the wider opening of our schools."
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that "social distancing is extremely difficult" with children in Reception and Year 1.
While a return for secondary pupils has not been entirely ruled out, a senior official suggested that "realistically" they would not go back to school in this academic year.

What is commuting like on the Paris metro now?

Hannah Capella - BBC News in Paris
France is back to work today after weeks of confinement, and I was interested to see if it really is possible to be socially distant on a busy Paris metro at rush hour.
I left my flat in the east of Paris at 7.30 this morning, complete with a mask and a form from my employer stating I needed to travel at rush hour for work.
On metro line 11, at Goncourt in the east of the city, there were five other people on the platform, all wearing the same light blue tissue mask.
On the trains, stickers are placed on every other seat, telling people not to sit there to protect everyone’s health. Stickers are also on the floor as a guide for where people should stand to be two metres apart.
In the busier station of Châtelet, in the centre of Paris, guards are standing along the platform to monitor the number of people.
At 8.15 there was still hardly anyone on the platform. French media are showing crammed trains arriving from the suburbs, but here in central Paris on day one of lifting the lockdown, very few people seem to be using the metro to get to work.

UK prime minister's lockdown "road map" - latest reaction roundup

We should get more details today on the UK prime minister's plans for easing the lockdown.
A 50-page document will be published later before Boris Johnson explains his thinking in the House of Commons.
Here is what has been said so far today:

• Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said you can meet your parents separately in a park, "as long as you stay two metres apart", under the lockdown changes but told people to use their common sense
  
• He also said there would be a phased approach to reopening primary schools but teaching unions have branded the plans "reckless"
  
• The chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) has said he does not know on "what basis" the government has made the decision to loosen lockdown rules, pointing out that the number of deaths recorded on Saturday, 346, was higher than when the restrictions were brought in
  
• Nicola Sturgeon has said while the cap on exercise has been scrapped, people in Scotland should not use it as an excuse to meet up and it did not extend to picnics or sunbathing
  
• In Wales, "modest" changes to restrictions come into force today which allow garden centres and libraries to open, and people to take exercise more than once a day. First Minister Mark Drakeford has said the "stay at home" message has not changed
  
• DUP leader Arlene Foster has said Northern Ireland's "road map" will be published on Tuesday. While nothing is decided she said schools were likely to reopen in late August or September
  

What did they do during the Spanish Flu?

It is risky to draw too many parallels between today and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed at least 50 million people around the world.
But the actions taken by governments and individuals to prevent the spread of infection have a familiar ring to them.
Publicity campaigns and leaflets warned against spreading disease through coughs and sneezes.

• Click here to read our full piece on the Spanish Flu
  

There was no centrally imposed lockdown to curb the spread of infection but many theatres, dance halls, cinemas and churches were closed. UK pubs though, mostly stayed open.
Streets in some towns and cities were sprayed with disinfectant and some people wore anti-germ masks, as they went about their daily lives.

Spaniards can return to cafes

A little over half of Spain's 47 million will feel the lockdown ease after the country on Sunday registered its lowest number of daily Covid-19 deaths since mid-March, Reuters reported.
Spain had one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe, which saw children under 14 confined to their homes for six weeks. Earlier in May, the country outlined a plan to lift restrictions. These relaxations will be rolled out in two-week blocks until 10 June, subject to review if cases spike.
From today, some Spaniards can meet at bars and restaurants with outside spaces. Photos on Monday morning showed people enjoying cups of coffee outside cafes under blue skies.
Churches and mosques will be allowed to reopen, but only at limited capacity, and schools may partially reopen from 26 May.
But these new relaxations only apply to certain parts of the country - cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia will remain under lockdown.

Crowd concerns as Australia’s restrictions ease

Australians flocked to shopping centres across the country as coronavirus restrictions began to ease.
But a failure to stick to 1.5-metre physical distancing rules has raised concerns.
Brisbane shopper Richard Low described the rush as similar to "Christmas crowds".

Fines to increase for England lockdown breaches

The starting point for lockdown fines in England will rise to £100 from Wednesday.
The first fine will be lowered to £50 if paid within 14 days, according to the Home Office.
Fines will double for each repeat offence, up to a maximum of £3,200.
Currently the fine for a first offence is £60 and more than 9,000 have been issued across the country.
It is not yet clear if the same changes to fines will be adopted in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Beijing schools trial temperature wristbands

A number of schools in Beijing are trialling temperature-testing bracelets in a bid to control the coronavirus pandemic.
The temperature bands are monitored by schools and parents via an app, according to local media.
Schools have been asked to monitor the data and implement a response plan if a student has a fever.
A teacher at a high school in the city told Global Times that the bracelets are similar to a fitness wristwatch. Students have been asked to wear the device 24 hours a day.
Over the past few weeks schools across the country have been reopening with stricter health and safety measures.
China has deployed thermal cameras in public areas and most places require people to show an app with colour ratings that determine a person’s infection risk based on their travel history.
A new cluster outbreak appeared in Wuhan over the weekend. The northeastern city of Shulan was placed under lockdown on Sunday due to a number of infections.

'Nothing positive' for airlines in PM's speech

The chief executive of British Airways' parent company IAG has told the Commons Transport Select Committee there was "nothing positive" in Boris Johnson's speech on Sunday.
Willie Walsh said the 14-day quarantine for people arriving in the UK was "definitely going to make it worse" and would mean his airline's capacity would be "pretty minimal".
He said: "We had been planning to resume - on a pretty significant basis - our flying in July. I think we'd have to review that based on what the Prime Minister said yesterday."
The airline boss also spoke about a consultation over a restructuring plan involving up to 12,000 redundancies, insisting it was "solely" driven by what he called the biggest downturn the industry had ever seen.

Spain's La Liga hopes to restart on 12 June

The top-flight of professional football in Spain hopes to restart on 12 June, league president Javier Tebas has said.
La Liga has been suspended since March but started testing players last week as it plans to resume training and play matches behind closed doors.
Five players from across Spain's top two divisions tested positive on Sunday but Tebas says regular testing will mean “practically zero” risk to players during games.
“I’d like it [the restart date] to be 12 June,” Tebas told Movistar.
“But we have to be careful. It will depend on many factors such as a potential rise in infections, factors which don’t depend on football but on Spanish society."
Spain is one of Europe's worst-hit countries but has begun easing its strict lockdown. Some Spaniards can meet at bars and restaurants from today.

Jury trials to resume in England and Wales

Jury trials in England and Wales are to resume from next week, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett has announced.
"A limited number of trials will take place, conducted safely and observing social distancing rules, at courts including the Old Bailey in London and at Cardiff Crown Court," he said.
"These will also help us to understand how it might be possible to conduct trials more widely as the situation with coronavirus develops."

Surge of cases takes Russia total above UK and Italy

Russia now has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, overtaking the UK and Italy.
There were 11,656 new cases reported in the past 24 hours in the country, taking the overall total to 221,344.
Only the US and Spain have reported a higher number of coronavirus cases. We should point out though that comparisons between countries are not always accurate because of different factors such as the extent of their testing.
Russia has reported a further 94 deaths, taking the total death toll to 2,009, which is far lower than the numbers reported in many other countries.
President Vladamir Putin was already due to address the country after reviewing the nation's lockdown measures later on Monday. As it stands, Russia's lockdown is set to end on Tuesday.

In Paris, cautious steps out of lockdown

In the French capital, metro and bus services are operating, though only every second seat can be used and masks are compulsory. The public transport network is less crowded than feared as commuter traffic has remained light.
Car traffic is much less dense than in normal times, and with bars and cafés shut - and no tourists to speak of - the city still feels unusually quiet, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.
On the metro and suburban commuter lines, passengers need an authorisation from their employer if they travel during rush hour - and in general, it has been possible to maintain social distancing.
The head of the Paris public transport operator RATP, Catherine Guillouard, noted people were mostly wearing masks around the network - which "even goes beyond 95% in some places".
But on some parts of the system, there have been incidents of commuters struggling to maintain social distancing.
There was some congestion first thing this morning on line 13 of the metro network after water leaks at two stations caused traffic delays, leading to carriages being overcrowded.
And at some RER stations, commuters were also unable to observe social-distancing rules.

Seafarers in limbo during pandemic

Seafarers around the world are feeling the strain from Covid-19.
Travel restrictions currently in place mean that many cannot leave their ships, be repatriated home or receive medical assistance.
Others claim their contracts have been terminated and some have been quarantined on board ships for more than 14 days without being paid, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said.
One example of the complexities involved is the case of a 45-year-old seafarer on a cargo ship who showed signs of having a stroke.
The captain was informed and sent out a request for help. But the ship was more than 220km (118 nautical miles) from the nearest port. The request for medical assistance was denied by port authorities due to coronavirus restrictions, despite calls for help from the seafarer’s trade union and the captain.
It was later confirmed that a medical transfer would be allowed to take place but was cancelled six hours before it was due to take place. The captain was told to head for a different country 600km away.
The IMO and the International Labour Organisation were forced to intervene and the medical evacuation was authorised.
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has called for seafarers to be designated key workers during the pandemic and for severe restrictions not to be applied.
"Seafarers’ own health and welfare are as important as those of anyone else," he said.

How much are children passing on infections?

Michelle Roberts - Health editor, BBC News online
The government's plan for some children to go back to school in England from June has been described as "nothing short of reckless" by the National Education Union.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the phased reopening for primary school pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 will only go ahead if the coronavirus threat level is low enough to allow it.
It will be a judgement, guided by the available scientific evidence. But that evidence is patchy and there are some big unknowns about this new disease.
Children rarely get very ill with coronavirus, which is reassuring, but we still do not know how much they might carry and spread the virus to others. Young children are super spreaders of other diseases, such as flu.
Coronavirus is transmitted in a similar way to the flu virus - through coughing or touching contaminated objects, such as pens and door handles.
Keeping 2m (6ft) away from other people at all times and washing your hands before touching your face or eating food help stop the spread of coronavirus.
But these preventive measures are challenging even for adults to maintain. Now imagine achieving it for a classroom of five- and six-year-olds.
Perhaps that is part of the point of starting with the youngest first. If that tough nut can be safely cracked then maybe getting older children back into schools in September will be a lesser mountain to climb.
Both keeping schools closed and reopening them carry degrees of risk. It is weighing them that is tricky.

Five further deaths in Scotland

Five more coronavirus deaths have been registered among hospital patients who have tested positive in Scotland, taking the country's total to 1,862.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said numbers were usually lower at weekends. She says 13,627 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, a rise of 141 from 13,486 the day before.
There are 1,453 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, down 31 from the previous day, Sturgeon added. Of these patients, 80 are in intensive care, a fall of two.

App 'does not work' on Huawei phones

Huawei and some older mobile phones cannot run the NHS contact-tracing app being trialled on the Isle of Wight, according to NHSX, the health service's digital innovation unit.
Dr Geraint Lewis, who is in charge of the development of the NHS Covid-19 app, said the new tool would only work with newer operating systems on Apple and Samsung phones.
Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, he said phones needed to have the capability of running Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and to be running either Apple ios 11 upwards or Android 8 upwards.
He said there were three reasons why a phone would not run the app. Either the development team had not got around to supporting that particular phone; the phone itself does not have BLE, or the operating system is not supported.

Poland infections high among miners and their families

Adam Easton
Warsaw Correspondent
The majority of new Covid-19 infections in Poland are among the country's coal miners and their families, Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski said.
Poland is the largest producer of hard coal in the EU and the country generates about 70% of its electricity from hard coal and brown coal, known as lignite.
Testing for the infection among miners in Poland’s Silesian collieries, has been increased markedly in the last four days, with drive-through testing centres set up outside collieries.
Poland has tested 23,400 people in the previous 24 hours, a record high. About 5,000 miners from the state-owned coal miner PGG were tested by Sunday and around 500 miners tested positive.
Szumowski said 97% of infected miners are not showing symptoms, which increases the risk of them infecting others. Hot and humid conditions deep underground are good conditions for spreading the virus. Miners also cannot wear face masks due to the nature of their work.
On Monday, Poland recorded 210 new infections, and three new virus-related deaths, raising the totals to 16,206 infections and 803 deaths.
Poland was quick to introduce a lockdown, which it is now in the process of gradually lifting, opening shopping centres - although not food courts nor cinemas - and pre-schools and nurseries last week. However, on Sunday it extended a ban on international air travel until 23 May.

Boris Johnson to hold news conference at 19:00

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a news conference at 19:00 BST, following the announcement of his "conditional plan" for lifting England's lockdown on Sunday.
Johnson will take questions from the media and the public.
The government is also due to publish a 50-page lockdown guidance document.

Lockdown changes - what is happening when in England?

As we have just said, the prime minister will be taking questions later on Monday. You can follow live coverage here with us, and across the BBC.
Below is a chart explaining the government's plans to ease the coronavirus lockdown in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are taking different steps to lift their restrictions.

Delays and frustration on cruise ships in Manilla

Howard Johnson - Philippines Correspondent, BBC News
Last week we brought you the story of cruise ship entertainer Cassandra Snowden who said she was “mentally exhausted” after being out at sea for two months, long after passengers from her ship had disembarked.
In better news we can report that she and around 200 others from the Royal Caribbean ship Voyager of the Seas flew to London Heathrow at the weekend on a special charter flight.
However, thousands of others like Cassandra remain in quarantine on 18 ships in Manila Bay.
The bay has become busy recently because of the large numbers of returning Filipinos who work in the cruise ship industry.
Today I’ve been speaking with workers on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. They say Filipino staff have been in self-isolation in cabins for 23 days, nine days longer than the 14-day period enforced by the Philippine authorities.
A well-placed source believes the delays are being caused by the sheer number of Covid-19 swab-tests the authorities are processing.
There’s also frustration among staff about lack of news regarding repatriation flights. A Cunard spokesman told me: "We have been in discussion with the Philippine authorities for a number of weeks. We have complied with all measures… our priority is for our crew members to get to their loved ones as soon as possible."

What can we expect from roadmap document?

The UK government will soon publish a 50-page guidance document with detail on how England will begin lifting lockdown measures.
It will include more detail on what Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned in his televised address on Sunday night, such as:

• The launch of a five-tier system to measure the threat level of coronavirus
  
• How social distancing measures can be taken in workplaces and across public transport - after the PM urged those who cannot work from home to return to work
  
• Spending more time outdoors - Johnson said people in England would be allowed to leave the house to exercise as much as they like, from Wednesday
  
• And although Johnson did not mention rules allowing us to meet up with friends and family, a government official has told the BBC the new guidance will say you can meet one person from outside your own household in a park, if you stay 2m (6ft) apart
  
• People will also be allowed to drive to parks and beaches in England as long as they observe social distancing while there, according to the official
  

After the document is published Johnson is set to give a statement in the House of Commons.
In that statement he is expected to tell MPs more about the Covid-19 alert system, the use of face masks, and the return of professional football.

Anti-lockdown protests promote conspiracies

Marianna Spring - Specialist disinformation and social media reporter

A protester is detained by police in Germany

Anti-lockdown protests of varying sizes took place across the world over the weekend. Here in the UK a number of arrests were made at a small demonstration in central London, whilst thousands took to the streets in Germany.
Whilst some may have legitimate concerns about lockdown, protesters also promoted widely debunked conspiracy theories. These include false claims that 5G is linked to coronavirus and that Bill Gates created Covid-19.
There were also misleading claims made by demonstrators about vaccinations. One was that recent changes introduced in UK law give the government the power to enforce vaccinations as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Under current UK law, however, this is not the case - vaccines are not compulsory.
Reality Check has looked at these false claims and where they came from.

London public transport passengers told to wear face coverings

Passengers travelling on public transport in London are being told to wear face coverings, such as a scarf, piece of cloth or mask.
The announcement from Transport for London (TfL) also says:

• The requirement to maintain 2m (6ft) social distancing wherever possible means that TfL will only be able to carry around 13-15% of the normal number of passengers on the Tube and bus networks even when 100% of services are operating once again
  
• It is working to gradually build up its services and London Underground is aiming to restore the Circle Line and to re-open some of the 37 stations that have been closed for several weeks
  
• Everyone is asked to consider if their journey is necessary before travelling, and to think about the times, routes and ways they travel
  
• People should walk and cycle if they can and new walking and cycling space is being created through the London Streetspace programme
  
• Passengers should carry a hand sanitizer and wash their hands before and after they travel
  

Hotels demolished in Nigeria for 'breaking lockdown rules'

Two hotels in Nigeria have been demolished after allegedly violating lockdown rules. The managers of the hotels in the southern Rivers State were arrested. The brother of one of the managers told the BBC they had followed the rules. Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike said the decision had been made due to concerns about infections inside the buildings.
In other news from Africa:

• Zambia has closed its border with Tanzania at Nakonde following the discovery of 85 new coronavirus cases in the area. Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said the temporary closure of the border was to allow time to retrain health personnel and conduct more tests
  
• Tunisia has recorded no new cases for the first time since early March, health authorities said. The government announced it would relax restrictions on movement and businesses. The country has reported 1,032 cases and 45 deaths
  
• Burundi has told the regional bloc East African Community (EAC) that any observers sent to monitor its general elections will have to be quarantined for 14 days on arrival. The elections are only nine days away
  
• People in South Africa have been told to prepare to live with the threat of coronavirus for a year or even more. President Cyril Ramaphosa said people would still be expected to follow social-distancing rules, wear masks and wash their hands for a while
  

Government virus guidance published

The UK government has now published its 50-page guidance document with detail on how England will begin easing lockdown measures.
We'll bring you more shortly.

Lockdown guidance: People advised to wear face-coverings

The document sets out details of the government's three step plan - as announced by Boris Johnson on Sunday.

• In Step One, starting on Wednesday 13 May, workers who cannot work from home should travel to work if their workplace is open
  
• Sectors of the economy that are allowed to be open should be open
  
• Workplaces should follow new “COVID-19 Secure” guidelines
  
• The government is also urging more vulnerable children, who are already able to attend school, to do so
  
• And for the first time, people in England are being advised to wear face-coverings in enclosed spaces where they come into contact with other people – including on public transport or in shops
  

Arrivals to UK to be quarantined for 14 days

The government document emphasises that all planned dates for easing restrictions could be delayed if insufficient progress is made in tackling the virus.
It also says restrictions could be re-imposed if there were a further spike in infections – possibly in specific geographical areas.
The government will also introduce a quarantine system for international arrivals, starting as soon as possible.
Most people arriving will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival to the UK. This does not apply to France or the common travel area however.

When will each phase be introduced?

So Step One starts on Wednesday - but when will the next begin?
The government has stressed changes are dependent on the rate of infection staying down. But as it stands, here is the timetable.
In Step Two, which will begin no earlier than 1 June, nurseries and primary schools will begin a phased return.
At first this will only involve early years, reception, and years 1 and 6.
But the government’s ambition is that all primary school children in England should return to school for a month before the summer.
Also in the same phase, some businesses will be able to re-open and sporting events will be able to take place behind closed doors – but hairdressers and beauty salons will not open.
The government is seeking advice on allowing people to expand their household group and examining how small weddings can be better facilitated.
In Step Three, which will start no earlier than 4 July, more businesses will be able to open – although some, which are crowded by design, will not be able to open.
Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be told to continue to shield beyond June.

More on new face coverings advice

For the first time, people in England are being advised to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where they come into contact with other people – including on public transport.
The guidance emphasises that people should use home-made coverings, not the specialist masks used by healthcare workers, for example.
Until now, the advice has been that only those working in health or care settings needed to cover their faces. The government had said there was little evidence that masks helped to stop the spread of the virus among the general public.
But this had been controversial, as other countries had already recommended the use of face coverings.

When will we be able to visit family members in other households?

The government says it is considering allowing people to expand their household group to include one other household "in the same exclusive group", and is also examining how to let people gather in slightly larger groups, including for weddings.
Sage, the government's scientific advisory body, is considering the issue, the new guidance document says.
However, this would be part of the second stage and would not be possible until 1 June at the earliest, depending on the suppression of the virus.

Analysis: 'Beginning to get detail'

Chris Mason - Political Correspondent
We are beginning to get some detail.
It is worth emphasising that it is from the UK government but these are guidelines relating to England.
There are three steps, with the first starting on Wednesday.
That is about being able to go out more - being able to exercise freely.
Central to this advice is that transmission of the virus outdoors is much much harder than indoors.
But, yes you can meet - at a social distance - somebody from another household.

Tennis and fishing allowed from later this week

Unlimited exercise was announced on Sunday by the prime minister and now the strategy document has given more detail on what is and is not allowed.
Playing tennis and going fishing will be fine from Wednesday - as long as you are only with one member of your household.
People can now drive as far as they want to exercise.
However, team sports will not be permitted, except with a person from your own household, according to the strategy.
Playgrounds, outdoor gyms and "ticketed outdoor leisure venues" - where there is a higher risk of close contact - also remain off-limits under step one of the plans.
The reopening of such leisure facilities may only be "fully possible significantly later" depending on the reduction in infections, it added.
Sage - the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies - has said that the risk of transmission of coronavirus outdoors is far lower than in an enclosed space.

Further 210 coronavirus deaths in UK

A further 210 people have died with coronavirus in the UK, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced.
It takes the total death toll in the UK to 32,065.

Will there be a legal requirement to wear a face covering?

Chris Mason - Political Correspondent
On face coverings, the advice from the government is that people should wear a face covering - a homemade face covering, not something used by those in a medical or clinical or care setting.
There is not a legal requirement to wear a face covering. Why?
Because we are told the advice from scientists was sufficiently mixed on whether it may or may not be of vast additional benefit, but it wasn't worth imposing it as a law.
The understanding is that wearing a face covering might help you prevent passing on the virus in the days where you might have it but not have any symptoms.
That is why it is useful in a public space.

'Government relying on common sense'

Daniel Sandford - Home Affairs Correspondent
There is a phrase that runs through this document which is smart or smarter. They’re trying to do smarter controls.
What they’ve been doing thus far is really blunt - everything must stop aside from absolute essentials.
In that time people have started to work out how they can do things in their lives while maintaining social distancing.
What the government is hoping is that we can do more and more with those lessons that we’ve learned in the last few weeks.
I think we’re going to move into a phase where we are relying on people’s common sense.
The concern of people like the Police Federation is that there are lots of people who don’t have much common sense and that’s where the difficulty comes. And the government is saying that we need to start relying on people’s common sense in some of these limited areas.

'No quick return to normality'

The 50-page strategy document released today is called Our Plan to Rebuild and Prime Minister Boris Johnson says in his foreword that it "will not be a quick return to normality".
He said the overwhelming priority was to save lives while recognising the "extraordinary sacrifices" made by the British people.
Read the full strategy here.

Government advice on how to make and wear a face covering

The government is now advising everyone in England to use a face covering in enclosed spaces.
They say a face covering should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably. It can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head.
They are urging people to make their own from an old T-shirt or cloth.
The advice says: "Face-coverings should not be used by children under the age of two, or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly, for example primary age children unassisted, or those with respiratory conditions.
"It is important to use face coverings properly and wash your hands before putting them on and taking them off."
The official advice, including step by step instructions, can be found here

Russia announces end of 'non-working days period'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the end of the nationwide "non-working days period" from Tuesday.
However, it was not immediately clear whether this meant Russians would return to work.
In a televised address, President Putin stressed that the fight against the coronavirus outbreak "goes on".
As we reported earlier, Russia now has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world - 221,344 - though comparisons between countries are not always accurate because of different factors such as the extent of their testing.
Russia has confirmed 2,009 deaths in total.

What are the devolved nations saying?

Much of today's guidance applies to England only, but what are the devolved governments saying?
Scotland and Wales - which have their own powers over the lockdown - have not changed the advice for people to stay at home, and have rejected No 10's new "stay alert" slogan.
Speaking today, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the law and guidance in Scotland had not changed, and said: "I would hope all employers would respect that."
And Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has warned people that they are not allowed to drive from England into Wales for exercise as the two countries move to different lockdown rules.
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster has said a plan to take the nation slowly out of lockdown could be published on Tuesday.
It seems likely that the plan will not include projected dates next to different phases of easing the lockdown.

Analysis: More on primary schools

Chris Mason - Political Correspondent
There is a key line on page 30 of the document, about schools in England.
The government's "ambition" is for all primary school children to get a month back at school before the summer holidays.
Given the holidays start in late July in many places, that means the aim is to get primary schools fully back by late June.
Clearly, all this could very easily get postponed - depending on the transmission of the virus.

What does the plan mean for businesses?

The report makes clear that the longer the virus affects the economy, the greater the risk of long-term scarring with permanently lower economic activity, business failures, persistently high unemployment and lower earnings.
Clearly health is the priority but getting us back to work - and getting the economy moving - is close behind, says BBC business reporter Ben Thompson.
As far as step one is concerned, very little changes for business. Even if your workplace is open, can you get there safely? Many adults will not be able to get back to work until their children are back to school.
Central businesses, those that have not been able to open so far, may start to come in from step two, no earlier than 1 June. Crucially, that excludes the sectors it describes as hospitality and personal care.
It is step three, no earlier than 4 July, where most businesses might be able to operate more normally again - including hair salons, beauty parlours, hospitality, places of worship and leisure places like cinemas.

Analysis: Why the government has changed course on face coverings

David Shukman - Science Editor, BBC News
The key word explaining the government’s U-turn on face coverings is “asymptomatic".
That’s when people are infected with the virus but don’t realise it because they don’t show any symptoms.
Or when they’ve caught the virus but haven’t yet noticed because the coughing and fever haven’t started.
In both cases, people can be spreading the virus unawares, and that could prove dangerous in crowded places.
That’s why a month ago the US government, followed by many others including the Scottish government, decided to advise people to cover their faces.
This isn’t designed to protect the wearer – a homemade mask will not be very effective at that.
Instead a covering made from a scarf or T-shirt is meant to trap any virus that you might otherwise be transmitting to people nearby.

'There is room for manoeuvre' - Prof Chris Whitty

The government's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty has been talking about the new strategy.
He said: "There is a little bit of room for manoeuvre, the numbers are going down.
"We are confident the R is below one already, that's the first bit of background to this.
"Secondly we are confident that the risk of being outdoors, in terms of meeting people, provided it is with social distancing, is significantly lower than that of indoors."
Prof Whitty said provided people stick to social distancing the changes should not have a material affect and said it was important to make the restrictions sustainable.
He said: "Taking a very small risk for something which manages to make it more sustainable for people to do has some clear benefits."
The R number he refers to is the reproduction number - a way of rating a disease's ability to spread. There is more on it here.

Coronavirus strategy: What do we know so far?

As we have been telling you the government has unveiled its strategy to "rebuild" the UK when the country leaves lockdown.
The 50-page document provides new detail on the three phases on the prime minister's road map to easing the restrictions in England.
Lockdown matters are devolved so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be able to enforce their own measures.
Here are some of the main points:

• The government has advised people to wear face coverings for the first time when in enclosed spaces, such as on public transport or in some shops
  
• It has also clarified that you can only meet one person from another household while out in public, and not in a garden
  
• People in England can drive as far as they want to take exercise but not across borders to other nations where the rules are different
  
• Primary schools will have a phased opening, with the aim of this beginning on 1 June, but the government hopes all primary pupils will return to school for a month before the summer holidays if feasible
  
• Professional sports could return behind closed doors no earlier than 1 June
  
• Hairdressers, barbers, pubs and other non-essential hospitality businesses will not be able to reopen until at least 4 July
  

In many countries, wearing a mask has become an act of solidarity, an effort to protect others from the disease.

Analysis: Crowds at beauty spots?

Chris Mason - Political Correspondent
We've seen consistent concern from people living in pretty places about the potential deluge of visitors spreading the virus.
This was a worry earlier on in the lockdown - and it is again, because the government has said, on page 27, that "people may drive to outdoor open spaces irrespective of distance."
The government's justification for allowing this is that the scientific advice is the risk spreading the virus outdoors is "significantly lower" than inside.
People are not allowed to stay overnight away from home - whether that be self catering or in their own holiday home.
Plus, for now at least, very little will be open in terms of shops etc.
And - as I've highlighted in the document below - if it does prompt a spike in infections, the rules will slam into reverse.

What to watch out for in the UK this afternoon

It's been a busy day for us in the UK with reaction to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's new guidance on how to begin lifting lockdown measures.
And there's more to come later, too, including:

• 15:30 BST - Johnson will give a statement to MPs in the House of Commons
  
• 17:50 - Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will respond to Johnson's televised address from last night, in a broadcast on BBC Radio 4
  
• 19:00 - Johnson will face questions at a news conference
  

We'll keep bringing you all the latest updates.

How many confirmed cases in the UK?

A further 210 people have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, according to the latest figures announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, taking the overall total to 32,065.
On Sunday the daily death total was 269, although scientists have advised against comparing daily totals.
There have also been 3,877 new cases, taking the total to 223,060.

Government advice on how you can prevent transmission

As well as wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces the government has set out some general advice for people to follow to lower the risk of transmission of Covid-19.

• Stand side-by-side - "You can lower the risk of infection if you stay side-to-side rather than facing people"
  
• Wash your clothes regularly - the new guidance says there is "some evidence that the virus can stay on fabrics for a few days, although usually it is shorter"
  
• Make sure rooms are ventilated. Evidence suggests that the virus is less likely to be passed on in well-ventilated buildings and outdoors
  

Advice to maintain a 2m distance from people outside your household and wash your hands regularly remains in place.

What can I do from Wednesday that I couldn’t do before?

The government has published some answers to FAQs on its website including "what can I do on 13 May that I can't do now?".
The answer includes spending time outdoors, meeting one other person from a different household and going to a garden centre.
It comes as we expect to hear more from Boris Johnson very shortly.
You can read the full document here.

30,000 Britons returned via chartered flights - Raab

House of Commons - Parliament
In total 1.3m Britons have returned to the UK using commercial flights since the pandemic struck, the foreign secretary has said.
Speaking in Parliament, where will be hearing from the prime minister soon, Dominic Raab also said 30,000 Britons had returned via 141 chartered flights.
He said as a "last resort" the UK is offering citizens "stranded" abroad support up to £3,000 towards accommodation and food.
He adds that this “special package” runs up to £4,000 in support for couples, and £5,000 for families.

Lockdown easing 'supremely difficult' - PM

House of Commons - Parliament
Boris Johnson tells MPs that the reopening of society and the UK economy should go ahead with "utmost caution".
He says the R rate - which measures the spread of infection has fallen from between 2.6 and 2.8 in April to between 0.5 and 0.9 now.
He says making sure the disease does not spread and reopening the economy will be a "supremely difficult balance to strike".
He adds that some parts of the UK may need to stay in "full lockdown" longer than others - but this should be short term.

New York statewide lockdown to ease 15 May

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced the first easing of the state's lockdown, saying that some low-risk businesses can reopen starting on Friday.
"This is the next big step in this historic journey," he said at his daily press conference in Rochester, New York.
Drive-in theatres, he said, would be allowed to reopen.
"Drive-in movie theaters. Talk about going back to the future. Back to drive-in movie theaters. I'm okay with that by the way," Cuomo added.

New York cases continue to fall

The rate of new cases has been dropping in New York, unlike many other parts of the US where the curve is climbing daily.
"We took the worst situation in the nation and changed the trajectory," says Governor Andrew Cuomo.
There were 207 new deaths reported in New York on Sunday, bringing the curve back to its 20 March level when roughly 520 new infections occurred.
Cuomo adds that protecting the elderly in nursing homes is "one of our top priorities” as parts of the economy begin to reopen.

What does UK government's plan mean for sport?

Professional sport in England could take place behind closed doors from 1 June, following the guidance from the government released earlier.
Step two of the government's plan to ease restrictions in England, which will not begin until 1 June, includes "permitting cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed doors for broadcast, while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contact".
Premier League football clubs are meeting on Monday to continue discussions on Project Restart.
The top flight has been suspended since 13 March because of the coronavirus pandemic but is aiming to resume in June, with 92 fixtures left to play.
There will be no cricket played in England and Wales until at least 1 July, following a decision by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
British horse racing had hoped to resume behind closed doors later this month, having been on hold since 17 March. Royal Ascot is due to take place behind closed doors from 16-20 June.
Premiership Rugby is aiming for a resumption in early July, with nine rounds of matches remaining.

Hawaii arrests tourists amid lockdown

Hawaii has taken the strictest measures of any US state to control the spread of the coronavirus and has arrested tourists who violate 14-day quarantine orders for visitors.
The so-called rogue tourists include a jet-skier, a Costco shopper and a couple who went out get takeaway food.
Around 20 arrests have been made so far, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities have asked hotels to issue key cards that only work once before being deactivated so guests cannot re-enter their rooms once they've left. Police say they've considered issuing tracking devices to tourists or tracking visitors mobile phones.
The lockdown has taken a devastating toll on Hawaii's tourist-based economy. The unemployment rate is estimated at 34% as hotel cleaners, cooks and other workers are now joining bread lines.
There have been 17 coronavirus deaths in Hawaii and nearly 700 infections.

Park queues in Kyiv as Ukraine opens up

Jonah Fisher - BBC News, Kyiv
The streets and parks of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, are coming back to life. The easing of quarantine restrictions means that shops, beauty salons, hairdressers, parks and squares are all open again.
Restaurants and cafes are also allowed to resume service - but only if the tables are carefully spaced and outside.
It is a public holiday on Monday, so many of the eateries in downtown Kyiv have been building terraces on the pavement and preparing menus, in anticipation of welcoming customers again on Tuesday.
It is the hottest day of the year to date, so there were queues to get into the city's botanical gardens and to buy ice creams.
Ukraine has so far avoided the worst of the coronavirus outbreak. No-one's quite sure why, but it's probably because of the decisive early action taken by the authorities.
Mindful of the appalling state of the country's healthcare system and with an ageing population, pretty much everything was shut down in mid-March when there were just a handful of cases reported.
In the weeks since, the number of cases and deaths has risen steadily, but not exponentially. As Ukraine begins its experiment with opening up, the official statistics are that about 15 people are dying from the coronavirus every day.

Italy's intensive care number drops below 1,000

Italy has announced a further 179 coronavirus-related deaths, a slight increase on Sunday's daily total, taking the overall death toll to 30,739.
However, more positively, the number of people in intensive care in the country (999) has fallen below 1,000 for the first time in two months, having reached 4,068 people at the peak of the crisis.
There are 744 new cases, a rise by a record low of 0.34% - although there has been a drop in the number of tests.

PM to answer questions at 19:00

It has been a busy day but there is still more to come with the prime minister expected to answer questions from the public and the media in around an hour.
He will be accompanied by chief advisers to the UK government Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance.
While we wait for that, here is a round-up of what has been happening in the UK:

• The UK government has published a document outlining new coronavirus lockdown rules in England
  
• This includes advising people to aim to wear face coverings on public transport and in some shops
  
• People in England are also allowed to meet one person from another household outside - we have more on what has been announced
  
• Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own powers over the lockdown and have not lifted measures to the same extent
  
• The UK government's advice says no professional sport, even behind closed doors, will be staged in England until 1 June at the earliest
  
• A study has found that more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths could have been prevented if Scotland had locked down two weeks earlier
  

Tougher penalties balance relaxed lockdown

Dominic Casciani - Home Affairs Correspondent
True to the prime minister's word on Sunday night, the relaxation of the lockdown is indeed coming with a significant increase in fines for anyone who thinks they have carte blanche to go further.
Under the current rules, anyone outside without a reasonable excuse could receive a ticket from the police for £60, reduced to £30 for prompt payment.
Those penalties increase to £960 as time goes on. The new scheme - which will require a law change before Wednesday - sees the first offence fixed penalty ticket go up to £100, before maxing out at a whopping £3,200.
As before, you could end up facing an unlimited fine if you have to be dragged to court by the police.

US ice cream shop closes one day after reopening

An ice cream shop in Massachusetts closed its doors one day after first reopening for business because customers refused to follow social distancing measures and abused staff.
"Now I open the doors to a whole new world, with gloves and masks and we're running around like chickens, and people are like where's my ice cream?" Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour owner Mark Lawrence told WFXT-News in Cape Cod.
"I'm not a trauma center, it's ice cream!"
Customers had been asked to place their orders at least an hour in advance but most refused, he said. Some used offensive language against a 17-year-old employee causing her to quit at the end of her shift.
The shop reopened on Sunday after an outpouring of support from the community.
The coronavirus death toll in Massachusetts is at nearly 5,000. There are more than 77,000 cases in the state.

Many millions tuned in for UK PM's Sunday statement

The prime minister earlier explained the updated coronavirus guidelines to MPs in the House of Commons, and he'll face further questions from journalists about them at a news conference at 19:00 BST.
On Sunday night though he was able to deliver his initial pre-recorded statement unchallenged.
An estimated 27.49m TV viewers across a range of channels tuned in to watch the broadcast.
That is around 14 million more viewers than watched the Queen's recent address commemorating the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

'Slow and steady' key for lifting lockdown, WHO says

The "slow, steady lifting of lockdowns" is key to succeeding in the fight against coronavirus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
Many countries are beginning to ease their restrictions but some - such as South Korea and Germany - have seen jumps in new cases following the changes.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned lifting lockdowns is "complex and difficult", but said countries such as South Korea, Germany and China have the appropriate systems in place to respond to increasing cases.
To relax restrictions, countries have to be sure the epidemic is under control, that their health systems can cope with a rise in cases, and that they have a system in place to trace and isolate cases, the WHO says.
The body has also issued new guidance advising schools to ensure physical distancing takes place when restarting, and calling for employers to undertake risk assessments of workplaces and make plans to prevent transmission before opening again.

In France, hesitation on first day out of lockdown

Hugh Schofield - BBC News, Paris
On the first day out of lockdown in France, there was no mass rush back on to the street.
Despite a few hiccups, the Paris commuter system was not put under strain. Metro trains were half-occupied, and there was in the main little difficulty in social distancing.
Shops opened, but shoppers were few. Schools only start re-opening on Tuesday.
In the BBC’s six-story office building, we are the only company to have re-occupied our premises. Home-working remains the norm.
What it suggests are two things: first, that the real test has not yet come. People are obviously hesitant about resuming their old lives. The risk of a Covid-19 second wave will be when - and if - they actually get back to normal.
And second, governments need not be too cautious about setting fixed dates for deconfinement. Given sufficient warning and guidance, people react with good sense. There is no post-lockdown big bang.

Government's plans put police in 'difficult position'

Dominic Casciani - Home Affairs Correspondent
Yvette Cooper MP, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, has said the prime minister's plan for England is so lacking in clarity that it will make the police's job much harder. The police have to enforce the lockdown by persuading people who are breaking it to go home or fine them if they do not.
But Cooper says: "The government has put the police in an extremely difficult position today by making announcements several days before the new regulations are introduced or even published.
"I am also particularly concerned that the government has chosen to increase fines at a time when there will be much less clarity... Policing by consent can only be maintained if the public is clear on what they can and can’t do.
"There is no room for ambiguity."

Trudeau announces new loans for large businesses

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new loans for large businesses affected by coronavirus.
Companies that have annual revenues over C$300m (£173m; $214m) can qualify for loans of C$60m or more. But companies who have been found guilty of tax evasion are not eligible.
Trudeau said the loans are also not meant for companies who use tax havens or pay their executives "excessive" salaries, although he did not provide details on how the government would screen and monitor for those concerns.
"I want to be clear this is bridge financing not a blank cheque," he said.
Companies will also have to respect collective agreements and pensions, and provide a climate action plan.
Around the world, governments are wrestling with what restrictions they should impose on companies getting coronavirus bailouts, with France and other countries in the EU denying aid to companies with funds in offshore tax havens.

Ex-top judge calls lockdown unjustifiable 'house imprisonment'

Lord Sumption says the only justification for a lockdown - saving the NHS from being overwhelmed - has passed

Former Supreme Court Justice Lord Jonathan Sumption has attacked the continuing lockdown as an unjustifiable "house imprisonment of the whole population".
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's PM programme, he said the lockdown should be lifted to allow the young and fit to save their livelihoods while anyone who is older or vulnerable can take steps to protect themselves.
He said the only justification for a lockdown - saving the NHS from being overwhelmed - had passed. He said: "This is [now] the worst interference in personal liberty in our history for what is not, by historical standards, a particularly serious pandemic - except for particularly categories of people who can isolate themselves voluntarily."
Lord Sumption attacked the government's new rules for England as complex and muddled.
"I have every confidence that our sense of self preservation and common sense will enable us to get through this without the nanny state telling us at every stage what we can and can't do - especially when so much of what they are saying makes no sense at all."

Covid alert levels explained

Here's a visual guide to what the government's new Covid alert levels mean, which Boris Johnson has just been discussing.

PM explains Covid alert level system

Boris Johnson is talking through the Covid alert level system
"The level will be primarily be determined by the R level," he says, adding the lower the level on the system, the fewer the restrictions.
"Throughout the period of lockdown we have been at level 4 - meaning a Covid-19 epidemic is in general circulation," he says.
"Thanks to the hard work, the sacrifices of the British people we have helped to bring the R level down.
"We are now in a position to begin moving to level three in steps."

Analysis: So far, so familiar

Chris Mason - Political Correspondent
The first rule of communication is say the same thing over and over again.
Only when the person saying it is fed up of saying it will plenty of people start absorbing it.
And so the first part of the news conference by the prime minister is something of re-run of Sunday night.

What does 'stay alert' mean?

"Stay alert."
It is a slogan that has been described by some as confusing, but the government has issued this notice showing what it means in practice.

What did we learn from briefing?

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the UK government's decision to change the "stay at home" message for England, insisting that "stay alert" is "absolutely the right message for our country", saying the French government had gone with "roughly the same sort of thing"
  
• He sought to explain the message, criticised by many as confusing, saying "we're asking people to stay alert… for the vast majority that means staying at home as much as possible"
  
• According to Johnson, if people in England do not have access to childcare, "then I think it's only fair to regard that as an obvious barrier to their ability to go back to work and I'm sure employers would agree with that"
  
• Chief Medical Officer for England Prof Chris Whitty said scientists had decided the risk of transmission was "much lower outdoors" than indoors, but that the risk was "not zero"
  
• Chris Whitty said he was "very confident" a solution to coronavirus would be found, but that it would "take time"
  

When will UK children go back to school?

Reality Check
The UK prime minister was asked about the childcare provision for people expected to go back to work before schools reopen.
Boris Johnson says if people do not have access to childcare, it is only fair to see that as a barrier to their ability to go back to work.
People who cannot work from home - such as those in the manufacturing and construction sectors - are being "actively encouraged" to return to work from Wednesday.
But ministers say schools in England should prepare to begin to open for more pupils from 1 June, with only selected year groups - including Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 - going back in smaller class sizes.
Secondary schools and FE colleges are also being told to plan for some face-to-face contact with Year 10 and 12 pupils.
Read more about the timetable for schools reopening.

Hotels demolished 'for breach of rules' in Nigeria

Nduka Orjinmo - BBC News, Lagos
The authorities in Nigeria's oil-rich southern Rivers state have demolished two hotels over an alleged breach of lockdown rules intended to contain the spread of coronavirus.
State Governor Nyesom Wike, who supervised the tearing down of Edemete Hotel and Prodest Home on Sunday, said the operators had flouted an order that hotels should be closed.
He said people who had tested positive for the virus had been found in hotels across the state. But he did not say if anyone who had Covid-19 had been staying in either of the demolished hotels.
Read the full story here.

Hits and misses on government's testing target

Reality Check
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government hit its daily testing target with 100,490 tests on Sunday.
The target, set by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last month, was for 100,000 tests per day in the UK to diagnose coronavirus.
The government said the figure was reached on 30 April and then 1 May - although there was some criticism about how tests were counted - but the target was then missed for eight consecutive days.
Johnson has talked of raising the target further to 200,000 tests per day by the end of this month.
We have been looking at how the government is getting on with seven of its coronavirus targets - including testing.

White House tells aides to wear masks

The White House has sent a memo to staff directing more aides to wear masks when in the West Wing or avoid President Trump's office altogether if possible.
The memo was obtained by US media moments before Trump is due to deliver remarks from the White House on the role of testing in the effort to reopen the country's economy.
It also comes as three high-ranking members of the White House coronavirus taskforce - including top disease expert Anthony Fauci - are in self-isolation after two White House staff members tested positive.
According to US media, the latest White House memo on masks is unlikely to apply to Trump, who has so far not worn one during the pandemic.
Our colleague Anthony Zurcher is at the White House, where he says the number of Trump aides wearing masks has already risen since last week.
He says all of the press aides are donning masks for Trump's briefing.

Trump begins speaking

Trump is speaking from the White House Rose Garden.
He begins by touting US coronavirus testing, which he says is part of the plan to "gradually and safely reopen America", adding that many are very enthusiastic to get back to work.
Trump's son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner has been seen wearing a mask as he watched the president speak.

Trump: US will be 'transitioning to greatness' next year

Trump says that the US economy will improve in the coming months, a phase that he calls "transitioning into greatness".
"Next year we're going to have one of the best years we've ever had. Because it's a pent-up demand," he says, calling it "a demand that we’ve never seen".
Like most economies, the US has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic - last week unemployment claims since mid-March hit 33 million.

US conducting 300,000 tests per day - Trump

US President Donald Trump says the country has increased the number of tests it conducts each day from 150,000 to 300,000.
The total number of tests performed in the US passed nine million on Monday and is expected to reach 10 million later this week.
The FDA has authorised 79 diagnostic tests on 25 different devices. It authorised the first antigen test on Friday and says 300,000 could be on the market within the next few weeks - such tests quickly detect whether a person has been infected by the coronavirus.

Trump: 'White House system didn't break down'

Asked about the White House staff who tested positive for coronavirus Trump said "I don’t think the system broke down at all".
"One person tested positive, surprisingly, because the previous day they tested negative," he says.
"That's not breaking down. It's the hidden enemy. It's the hidden enemy, Let's remember that."
He adds that people have been going and coming from the White House only because they are essential workers.
"We're running a country," he said.

Trump: We have 'prevailed' only on testing

Trump said in his opening address the US has "prevailed".
Asked to clarify, the president says he was talking about the nation's testing capability.
“You never prevail when you have the kind of death you are talking about," he said.
"We have done a great job on testing and it is a big, important function. We have prevailed, we have the best equipment anywhere in the world."

Is the US doing enough testing?

Trump says the US is now conducting 300,000 tests per day and will hit the 10m mark for total tests this week.
According to the Covid Tracking Project, a non-profit charity, the US conducted an average of 248,000 daily tests in the first week of May.
However, prominent public health researchers at Harvard University say at least 900,000 daily tests are needed before the US should reopen.
As of this week, the US has tested only 2.75% of its 330m population, and no state has tested 10% of residents.
In over a dozen states where lockdown measures have been relaxed, including Texas, South Carolina and Arizona, less than two percent of residents have been tested.

Trump: 'Don't complain about White House tests'

Trump was asked why he wants US businesses to reopen without testing easily available, while White House officials have testing on demand.
"If we didn't get the tests done you'd be up here complaining that we weren't getting the tests done," he said.
"You complain that we're getting too many tests," he added, "so we can't win."

Trump: 'I ordered masks at the White House'

Trump is asked if he was behind the White House memo today which requires anyone in the West Wing to wear a face mask.
“Yes I did, I required that” says President Trump, who has previously described himself as a germaphobe.
Trump reportedly was furious when he found out his personal valet, who serves him his meals, tested positive for the virus.

Trump's news conference ends abruptly

President's Trump news conference ended abruptly after he clashed with reporters.
He said during the briefing the US led the world on testing, but CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang asked him why it was a "global competition" for him when Americans were dying.
"Go ask China," Trump said to Jiang, who is Asian-American.
Jiang responded by asking Trump why he was personally telling her to speak to China, who replied he was saying it to anyone who would ask a "nasty question like that".
He then refused to take questions from a CNN reporter, who had let Jiang ask follow-up questions, before thanking everyone there and walking off.

How does US compare to the rest of the world on testing?

As we reported earlier, Trump says the US has "prevailed" in coronavirus testing - while the banners behind him at the press conference read: "America leads the world in testing."
But is that true?
Perhaps the fairest way of comparing different countries' testing is to look at how many tests they're carrying out per 1,000 people.
This is because a country such as South Korea, whose population is smaller than a sixth of the US's, will need a lower overall testing capacity in order to control the virus.
According to official figures collated by science publication Our World in Data, the US has currently tested 26.31 out of every 1,000 people. While this is higher than countries such as France and the UK, other nations are testing far more people per 1,000 than the US is.
Portugal, which has been held up as an example of how early and widespread testing can help control the virus early, has tested 47.66 per 1,000 people. Israel, which recently increased its testing operation, has now tested 50.35 out of 1,000. Bahrain, meanwhile, has managed to test almost 10% of its population of just over 1.5m.

Merkel appeals to the public as infection rate grows

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged the public to stick to social distancing rules, after the infection rate grew following a relaxation in social distancing.
The national coronavirus reproduction number - or simply the R value - was higher than 1 for the third consecutive day, according to the Robert Koch Institute said.
The number was 1.07 on Monday, meaning that 100 infected people were on average transmitting the virus to 107 others.
The R rate must be held below 1 to prevent health services from being overwhelmed and continue the gradual easing of restrictions.
Germany is hailed by many experts as a success story in dealing with the outbreak.
The country currently has nearly 170,000 confirmed infections, with more than 7,400 coronavirus-related deaths.
Why R is the crucial number

Twitter starts labelling 'disputed information'

Twitter has said it started highlighting messages that contain "disputed or misleading information related to Covid-19".
The social media company said in a statement that "new labels and warning messages" would provide "additional context and information" to some of such tweets.
They would be used in cases where the risk of harm is not so great that the tweets would have to be removed.
But the company said it wouldn’t be directly fact-checking tweets or calling the highlighted ones false, stressing its users didn’t want it to decide what was true and what wasn’t.
Social media platforms have been under pressure to take action against coronavirus misinformation, ranging from conspiracy theories about its origins to advertisements for bogus treatments.

Colombian airline Avianca files for bankruptcy in US court
Colombia's national airline, Avianca, has filed for bankruptcy protection in a US court.
The carrier is the second-largest in Latin America, but its passenger operations have been grounded since March because of coronavirus.
It said the pandemic had cut more than 80% of its income, and it was struggling with high fixed costs.
If it fails to come out of bankruptcy, Avianca will be the first major airline to go under amid the pandemic.
Read more

We're pausing our live coverage

Thank you for following our coverage. We're wrapping up the live page for today but before we go, here's a round-up of Monday's main developments:

• UK PM Boris Johnson defended a new "stay alert" message on coronavirus, following criticism it was confusing
  
• US President Donald Trump says he told White House staff to wear masks after two administration members tested positive
  
• In Russia - the country with the third-highest number of infections - lockdown restrictions are to be eased from Tuesday
  
• The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged, reported new clusters of cases
  
• France began tentatively easing its lockdown after eight weeks of restrictions
  

Our coverage was brought to you by Jasmine Coleman-Taylor, Sean Fanning, Sophie Williams, Lauren Turner, Thom Poole, Hugo Bachega, Yaroslav Lukov, Doug Faulkner, Frank Keogh, Matt Henry, Justin Parkinson, Kate Whannel, Alex Bysouth, Saira Asher, Owen Amos, Andreas Illmer, and Tessa Wong.