Coronavirus - 30th May

Summary for Saturday, 30th May

• India records its biggest single day jump in cases with nearly 8,000 new infections and 265 deaths
  
• More than a third of all cases are in Maharashtra, one of India's richest states
  
• But despite the rising number of covid-19 cases, the government has been easing restrictions
  
• Meanwhile, President Trump says the US is ending its relationship with the World Health Organization
  
• Germany has strongly criticised the decision, calling it "disappointing"
  
• UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak says the government is "in a position" to ease lockdown despite warnings the infection level remains high
  
• Confirming changes to the government's furlough scheme, Sunak says employers will be asked to cover National Insurance and employer pension contributions in August
  
• People must be prepared for new outbreaks of coronavirus to build up very quickly, the World Health Organization tells the BBC
  

Welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Our team will be keeping you up to date this weekend.
Here’s what you need to know so far:

• India has recorded its largest single-day jump in cases of coronavirus, with almost 8,000 new infections and 265 deaths. More than a third of the cases are in Maharashtra, one of the country’s richest states. Footage from hospitals in Mumbai earlier this week showed wards overwhelmed with patients
  

• President Trump has terminated the US’s relationship with the WHO, claiming that “China has total control over” the organisation. With more than 102,000 deaths, the US has by far the world’s largest death toll from the virus
  
• As the UK prepares to ease restrictions, two scientific advisers to the government have warned it’s too soon - one says the decision to lift restrictions is a “political” one
  
• In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel says she won’t go to an in-person G7 summit this year that President Trump said he’d host at the White House and Camp David, according to the Politico website. The summit was originally going to be held as a video conference, but last week Mr Trump said he’d hold it in person after all
  
• Brazil has recorded another 1,124 deaths in 24 hours, bringing its total death toll up to 27,878. Brazil is at the epicentre of the virus in Latin America, and its death toll is now higher than Spain’s. With more than 465,000 infected people it also has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world, although it trails far behind the US’s 1.7m cases
  
• More than 200 schools in South Korea have been forced to close again just days after reopening, after a spike in the virus with 79 new confirmed cases. Most of the new cases are linked to a distribution centre in Bucheon.
  

India sees largest daily rise in cases

India has recorded 7,964 new infections - its largest one-day jump in the number of cases.
More than a third of these were in Maharashtra, one of the country’s richest states and home to Mumbai, India’s most populous city.
Footage from Mumbai hospitals released earlier this week showed wards overwhelmed with patients, while our correspondent Yogita Limaye reported that the city’s medical infrastructure was "on the brink of collapse".
But despite the number of cases continuing to rise, India’s government has been easing lockdown restrictions. The two-month lockdown has hit the economy hard, and tens of millions of people have been left without work.
A total of 4,980 people have now died in India, and 173,763 cases have been recorded.

Here's the latest in the UK

It’s the final weekend before a further easing of lockdown measures in England, which will see more than two people able to meet outside from Monday and schools will reopen to some pupils.
Here are three things you need to know from the UK:
1. Scientific advisers to the government have warned of the risk of lifting lockdown in England.
Prof John Edmunds from the London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine said the levels of the coronavirus were still "very high" and it was a "political decision" to ease measures. And Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, warned that the virus was “spreading too fast to lift lockdown” and that the NHS test and trace system should be "fully working" first.
2. Some extremely vulnerable people have been told they have been removed from shielding lists via text message, without the knowledge of their GP.
Around 2.2 million people in the UK are shielding – but healthcare charities say the lack of a clear plan for their future is causing anxiety and potentially putting their health at risk. Some people have received text messages removing them from official lists with no explanation, while charities say others have been asked to shield for longer - until the end of June.
3. And new research suggests private renters are more likely to be struggling with payments than those who own their homes.
The Resolution Foundation think tank says one in eight private renters have fallen behind with housing costs since the coronavirus crisis began, compared with one in 12 mortgaged home owners.

Trump pulls out of WHO

President Trump has said he’s taking the drastic step of severing the US’s relationship with the World Health Organization.
He made the announcement a few hours ago, while announcing a host of measures aimed at punishing Beijing. He initially halted funding last month, arguing that the WHO had failed to hold China to account.
“China has total control over the World Health Organization,” he said late on Friday, adding that Washington would redirect funds to other bodies.
The move could be disastrous for the WHO - particularly in the middle of a pandemic. The US is its largest single contributor, providing more than $400m (£324m) last year.

  :tweet: :Left Quotes:  Nancy Pelosi:
Among those criticising the president's move is Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
The President's withdrawal from @WHO as it leads the fight against COVID-19 is an act of extraordinary senselessness. Again and again, he blames others and refuses to take responsibility. Only with a coordinated global response will we defeat this virus.

'Dangerous moment' as lockdown eased - Burnham

Andy Burnham, Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, says he agrees with the government scientific advisers who have warned that easing lockdown measures in England is premature.
Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, he describes the decision as a "dangerous moment" and calls on the government to publish regional breakdowns of infection rates.
"The time has come to empower the public with much more information about the level of risk in their own part of the country," he says.
He adds that he is not calling for different policies in different parts of the country, but for "an ability for people at local or regional level to flex the policies in a certain direction".

Premier League manager Rodgers says he had virus

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed he contracted the coronavirus in March.
The Northern Irishman, 47, is the second Premier League manager to confirm he has had Covid-19, after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, and both have fully recovered.
The ex-Liverpool boss, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity in 2011, said he suffered with "breathlessness".
"I could hardly walk and it reminded me of walking up Mount Kilimanjaro," Rodgers told BBC Radio Leicester.
"For three weeks I had no smell or taste. I had no strength, and a week after, my wife was the same. We were tested and both of us were detected with the virus."

As India's lockdown eases, virus cases surge

Jill McGivering - South Asia editor
The number of newly confirmed cases in India is growing dramatically day by day.
This is the biggest increase so far - but the day before there were, for the first time, more than seven thousand new cases; And every day for the previous week more than six thousand.
The apparent surge comes as India slowly emerges from its national lockdown, put in place in late March.
It's caused hardship, especially for migrant workers, stranded without wages. This month, the authorities have helped 10 million travel home.
Another complication is India's low testing rate - which leaves the full picture unclear.

Ending virtual Parliament 'disenfranchising'

Parliament returns on Tuesday and MPs will no longer be able to take part virtually.
Karen Bradley, chairwoman of the Commons Procedure Committee which has criticised the ending of digital voting, says it will be "suboptimal" both for MPs and their constituents.
"It’s disenfranchising those members who simply cannot get to Parliament," she tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme, referring to those who are shielding or have responsibilities that will prevent them attending.
Shadow disabilities minister Vicky Foxcroft, who is shielding, says online voting and remote participation has been working. "I see no reasons why those can’t continue," she says.

Merkel gives G7 summit in US a miss

German Chancellor Angela Merkel won't be going to an in-person summit of G7 leaders in late June, her spokesman has said.
The summit had been moved online earlier this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but last week US President Donald Trump said he would host the summit in person after all, at both the White House and Camp David.
Mrs Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert was quoted as saying: "As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington. The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G7 summit."
However, a French official said President Emmanuel Macron would be "willing to go to Camp David if the health conditions allow".
The US has the world's highest coronavirus death toll by far. More than 102,000 people have died, and over 1.7m people have confirmed as having the virus.

Third UK scientist warns of risk in easing lockdown too soon

Prof Horby says there's still considerable uncertainty over how high the tranmission rate is

Government scientific adviser Prof Peter Horby, an epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, says he shares concerns voiced by two fellow advisers about the easing of lockdown measures in England.
He's told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while the social distancing measures have been "very successful", the UK still sees around 8,000 cases a day and the R number - the number of people each infected person passes the virus on to - is "only a bit below one".
"We've got very little headroom actually and it's really important that we use that headroom very wisely and we don't lose control again," he says.
"I can understand the desires for the relaxation of the social measures, but we really can't go back to the situation where we've got the numbers of cases and deaths we've had in the past."

What sport events are happening?

• Germany’s Bundesliga football season continues behind closed doors with five games on Saturday. There are four games at 15:30 local time (14:30GMT) before leaders Bayern Munich host third-bottom Fortuna Dusseldorf in the early evening kickoff two hours later. Bayern won 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to go seven points clear at the top of the table.
  
• Sport returns to Las Vegas on Saturday as the UFC hosts a Fight Night at their own Apex facility, without fans, headlined by Tyron Woodley’s welterweight bout with Gilbert "Durinho" Burns. The UFC had staged three events in Jacksonville, Florida, from 9-16 May, but boxing and mixed martial arts events were given the go-ahead to return to Vegas after the Nevada state authorities lifted a combat sports ban this week.
  

Scientists 'not entirely sure' about effect of easing lockdown

More on Prof Peter Horby's comments on England's lockdown measures being eased from Monday. More than two people will be able to meet outside when the rules change.
Prof Horby, who's on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), says advisers have always been clear that the test, trace and isolate system "needs to be in place and fully operational" before social distancing measures can be safely relaxed.
"We're not entirely sure what the effect of relaxing the social measures will be," he told Radio Four's Today programme, adding that advisers "don't have a great handle" on the role children in schools play in transmission.
"So we need to have that safety net of the test, trace and isolate system."
The test and trace programme began in England and Scotland on Thursday, but Prof Horby says it is not yet fully operational. Northern Ireland has its own version already and Wales' scheme is due to start in early June.
He adds that such systems can be a "very good tool in keeping low levels of infection under control" - but levels in the UK are "not very low" and so it will be under "a lot of pressure".

Germany criticises Trump break with WHO

Germany has strongly criticised President Trump's decision to sever ties with the World Health Organization.
Health Minister Jens Spahn says it's "disappointing" and a setback for global health.

Scientists 'very concerned' about second spike

Prof Horby also says scientific advisers "are very concerned about" the risk of a second spike and urges people to "enjoy their liberties with restraint" by maintaining social distancing, washing their hands and staying at home if they are ill.
"We're all looking forward to Monday, but we need to make sure we still follow the rules," he says.

PM Modi praises India's 'resilience' against pandemic

India has just recorded its biggest one-day jump in confirmed coronavirus cases since its outbreak began, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written an open letter to the nation.
He wrote the letter to mark one year since he was voted in for his second term, and says that while normally "I would have been in your midst... the present circumstances do not permit that".
"Many feared that India would become a problem for the world when corona hits it. But today, through sheer confidence and resilience, you have transformed the way the world looks at us," he writes.
A reminder that in the past 24 hours India has recorded another 7,964 infections and 265 deaths.
"There are many challenges and problems that our country faces. I am working day and night," the prime minister writes. "There could be deficiencies in me but there is nothing that our country lacks. So I believe in you, your strength and your abilities even more than I believe in myself."
You can read the full letter here

Football wage cuts see Federer become highest paid athlete

Roger Federer is the first tennis player to top the annual Forbes list of the world's highest paid athletes, overtaking footballer Lionel Messi.
Federer, 38, moved up four places after earning £86.2m ($106.3m) in the past year - about £81m of it in endorsements.
Cristiano Ronaldo (£85m), Messi (£84m) and Neymar (£77.5m) come next, while American basketball player LeBron James (£71.5m) completes the top five.
"The coronavirus pandemic triggered salary cuts for soccer stars Messi and Ronaldo, clearing the way for a tennis player to rank as the world's highest-paid athlete for the first time," said Kurt Badenhausen, senior editor at Forbes.
Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka was revealed to be the highest paid female athlete earlier this month and is 29th overall on the list.

Brazil nears half a million cases

Katy Watson - BBC South America correspondent
Each and every day here, the numbers go up and up.
Not only does Brazil boast the fifth-highest death toll in the world now, but yet again the country has posted a record number of new cases – nearly 27,000 in one day.
It’s barrelling towards having half a million overall. If it carries on at this rate, this number is easily achievable in the next couple of days.
But Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro remains silent on the pandemic.
These past few days he’s been more focused on a Supreme Court investigation looking into allegations of fake news among his supporters – a move that he has said is politically motivated.

Easing lockdown 'lifting lid on boiling pan' - Sage member

Another member of the UK government's scientific advisory group Sage has expressed doubts about England easing lockdown from Monday.
Calum Semple, professor of Outbreak Medicine at the University of Liverpool, has told BBC's Radio 5 Live it's not the right time to relax the rules.
"Essentially we’re lifting the lid on a boiling pan and it’s just going to bubble over. We need to get it down to simmer before we take the lift off, and it’s too early," he said.
He said levels of transmission and hospital admissions are still too high.
"I think a political decision has been made to tie in with when school was due to start, were everything normal, but it’s not normal," he said.
"We’re still seeing high levels of transmission, high levels of admission, and nationally 2,000 cases being tested positive a day."
England launched a contact tracing system this week, but Prof Semple thinks more time is needed before it’s properly established.
"Two or three weeks of keeping the restrictions in place, while we wait to establish a test and trace system, would have made all the difference," he said.
And he is also concerned that all regions of England are being treated the same as the lockdown measures are relaxed - despite the coronavirus situation looking different across the country.
"The North East, the Midlands and the North West are still two or three weeks behind the south, London specifically, in terms of where we are in the outbreak," he said.
Read more about coronavirus cases around the UK here.

Seeing others could help people 'comply better', says scientist

Epidemiologist Prof Sian Griffiths has told BBC Breakfast that England's lockdown would probably not be eased right now if scientists were in charge of decision-making - but there are other factors to consider.
"I would say there is a huge amount of stress and strain which goes along with not being able to see your friends and your family, and that to be able to see them - albeit at a distance - may actually help people's mental health," she said.
It may help people "live with lockdown better" and even "comply better", she added.

Government 'informed by data and evidence' - No 10

No 10 says policy has "at all times been informed by the data and evidence" after scientific advisers to the government warned of the risk of lifting the lockdown in England.
Referring to the R number - the number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to, on average - a Downing Street statement said: "This package of measures has been carefully designed so that we can ease the burdens of lockdown while expecting to keep that R below one."

Hundreds of German expats fly back to China

Around 400 German managers, workers and their families are returning to China on charter flights, as multinational companies begin to open up again.
An initial flight carrying 200 people took off from Frankfurt on Friday night and was heading for Tianjin, German broadcaster ARD reports.
Another flight is scheduled to fly to Shanghai on Thursday.
There are more than 5,200 German companies in China, and they employ more than a million people.
Jens Hildebrandt, executive director of the German Chamber of Commerce in North China, said: "We know there is a huge demand in the German business community to get more foreign employees back to China."

How lockdown varies across the UK

Each of the UK's nations has a different approach - and timescale - to lifting the lockdown on Monday...

Is India's surge in cases down to testing?

Soutik Biswas - India Correspondent
Epidemiologists say the increase in reported infections - a record 7,964 in 24 hours - could be because of increased testing. India has been testing up to 100,000 samples a day in the past week or so, and testing criteria have been expanded to include asymptomatic contacts of positive patients.
But India's testing remains one of the lowest in the world per head of population - a little more than 2,000 tests per million people.
The silver lining so far has been India’s low death rate, and high recovery rate of Covid-19 patients. India has recorded 4,971 deaths so far and over 82,000 recoveries.
Epidemiologists say the combination of a rising number of cases but low death rate possibly points to milder infection in a younger population, and a large number of asymptomatic cases.
But if the infection rate continues to grow, there are fears of hospitals getting overwhelmed in hotspot cities like Mumbai and Delhi.
Experts believe the first wave of infections is likely to peak around July.
Read more about India's fight against the virus here.

Brazil sees record surge in cases

More on that highest single-day surge of new infections in Brazil. There are 26,928 confirmed new cases - bringing the total to 465,166.
It's at the epicentre of the outbreak in Latin America and has recorded another 1,124 deaths in 24 hours. Brazil's total death toll is now 27,878, higher than Spain.
The health ministry says that there is "no way to foresee" when the virus will peak. At the same time, experts warn the number of cases could actually be 15 times higher than the confirmed figure, because there has been no widespread testing.
Despite the rapidly-rising death toll, President Jair Bolsonaro has frequently dismissed concerns about the virus, and has attended public rallies without a protective mask.

US Senate health warning as Trump pulls out of WHO

The chair of the US Senate Health Committee has warned that President Trump's withdrawal from the World Health Organization could interfere with clinical trials to develop a coronavirus vaccine.
Republican Senator Lamar Alexander also said it could make it harder to work with other countries to stop viruses reaching the US.
"Certainly there needs to be a good, hard look at mistakes the World Health Organization might have made in connection with coronavirus, but the time to do that is after the crisis has been dealt with, not in the middle of it," he said.
The head of the American Medical Association, Patrice Harris, warned that severing ties with the WHO "serves no logical purpose and makes finding a way out of this public health crisis dramatically more challenging".
Here's more on President Trump's decision to pull the US out of the WHO.

Lockdown lifting 'premature' - Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman says the easing of lockdown measures in England is "premature" and the concerns of government scientific advisers demonstrate that "ministers are no longer following the science".
Munira Wilson says the test, trace and isolate system is "not yet fully functional", while the NHSX contact tracing app has been "delayed for an unknown period".
This week, programmes to trace the contacts to people who test positive for coronavirus were launched in England and Scotland. A system was already up and running in Northern Ireland, and Wales will roll out its own from 1 June. The government says a smartphone app which would automatically alert people that they've been in contact with someone with coronavirus will be ready "in the coming weeks".
"For seven days straight the government has been unable to provide even basic data about the number of people tested," Ms Wilson says.
Her comments come after a row over the conduct of Dominic Cummings, the prime minister's top aide, during the height of lockdown.
She adds: "On top of these failings, public health messaging has been badly undermined as people see it's one rule for the Tory elite and another for everyone else."

Parisians return to parks after long lockdown

Hugh Schofield - BBC News, Paris


In Montsouris park in southern Paris, a hot sun shines from a cloudless sky, swallows skim through the shimmer of the lake, and the pony rides are back in business.
For more than two months Parisians could only stare through the railings, as winter turned to a glorious spring. Now, finally, we can walk the familiar walks and spread our rugs on a favourite patch of grass. Que de joie!
There are novelties. At the gate what looks like an ice-cream seller’s cart is actually a gel-dispensary sent by the Paris authorities at the Hotel de Ville.

No ice cream is being sold here, just hand gel

The sandpits and play areas are still cordoned off, and quite a few people are going about in masks.
But apart from that, all is as it should be and people (the unmasked ones anyway) are actually smiling! For a moment you could even be tempted to think that all is well with the world.

Coronavirus cases in worst-hit European countries

The chart below looks at coronavirus deaths in the European countries worst hit by the virus and how they've passed through the peak.
But it's important to remember that differences in population size and how countries report their figures - with some including deaths in care homes, or deaths of those suspected but not confirmed of having the virus - means international comparisons are complicated.

What is the situation in the US?

Our charts below show the current picture in the US, which has the largest number of coronavirus cases - around one third of the global total - and the world's highest death toll at more than 100,000.

UK has 'no plans' to withdraw WHO funding

The UK has said it has "no plans" to withdraw its funding from the World Health Organization following the US decision to end its relationship with the body.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said fighting coronavirus is a "global challenge" and the WHO has an "important role to play in leading the international health response".
"We have no plans to withdraw our funding."

More backlash at Trump's WHO decision

More officials are speaking out against Trump's decision to sever the US's relationship with the World Health Organization.
Former presidential candidate and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has tweeted that the decision "alienates our allies, undermines our global leadership, and threatens the health of the American people".
Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in the US, said it was a "very bad, consequential" decision, comparing it to eliminating the weather service during a hurricane.

  :tweet: :Left Quotes: Tom Inglesby:
Will the US be ending any support for @WHO efforts to end polio around the world? to stop TB? To control HIV? Why would that be in the US interest? 11/x

  :tweet: :Left Quotes: Tom Inglesby:
If we were in the middle of a massive hurricane that would last for 12-18 months, we would not eliminate the national weather service. Why would we endanger @WHO during the biggest pandemic storm of the last 100 years that could last 12-18 months or longer? 12/x

Globally, Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn tweeted his criticism this morning, calling it a "disappointing" setback.
The UK hasn't gone as far as Spahn, but a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed they had "no plans to withdraw our funding" - see our post below.
Other G7 nations, including France, have so far been silent.
The WHO itself also has yet to respond to the announcement.

UK lockdown-easing row a significant moment

James Gallagher - Health and science correspondent, BBC News
Throughout the pandemic, scientists and politicians have been following the same script.
Now there is a public split between some of those advising government and those “following the science”.
They may not be household names, but those speaking out are big figures in their fields and sit on the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) for a reason.
On Thursday, Boris Johnson confirmed the relaxing of the lockdown.
At the same televised briefing, the PM’s chief science adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned there was “not a lot of room” for manoeuvre and the data “urges caution”.
This is largely a disagreement about “when” to start lifting the lockdown rather “how”.
If you go early then we all get a bit of our lives back sooner, but it means we will stay close to the figure of 8,000 cases a day and have less time to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed if a second wave comes.
If you wait longer, then cases are much lower and the virus easier to control; the price is keeping the lockdown and all the pain it is causing.

Leaning Tower of Pisa opens again

Three months after closing, the Tower of Pisa in Italy has opened up to tourists again.
First up were 10-year-old Matilde and her father Roberto, Ansa news agency reports.
Normally the tower and surrounding sites attract five million visitors a year.
But lockdown-easing measures mean only 15 will be allowed in the tower at any one time.
And visitors will have to wear masks and an electronic gadget which sends out warning signals and sounds if someone gets within a metre of someone else.
The operators of the site say they will suffer financial losses, but wanted to send a signal of hope.
More than 33,000 people have died with Covid-19 in Italy since the pandemic hit the country in February - the third highest total in the world behind the US and the UK.

EU appeals to Trump to reconsider leaving WHO

The European Union has urged President Donald Trump to reconsider his decision to sever US ties with the World Health Organization.
"Global co-operation and solidarity through multilateral efforts are the only effective and viable avenues to win this battle the world is facing," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.
They also said the EU had "already provided additional funding" to the WHO.

More on the EU's statement on Trump

Germany's health minister Jens Spahn gave the first clear-cut European reaction to President Trump's announcement, calling it a "disappointing backlash for international health.
This latest reaction comes from the EU's foreign affairs chief, Josep Borell, and the head of the EU's executive, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In their statement, they say on 19 May all WHO member states agreed to start "at the earliest appropriate moment" a thorough review of the international health response to the virus.
"Evaluating our global response is necessary as there are lessons to be learnt from this pandemic, its outbreak and response to it... the evaluation of our collective performance at international level is only a necessary process, aiming at strengthening health security."
It adds: "The WHO needs to continue being able to lead the international response to pandemics, current and future. For this, the participation and support of all is required and very much needed."
"In the face of this global threat, now is the time for enhanced cooperation and common solutions. Actions that weaken international results must be avoided. In this context, we urge the US to reconsider its announced decision."

Boy waves to seaman dad moored outside house

Euan waving to his dad from his garden

A mother has told of the heartbreak of seeing her four-year-old son waving to his father who is unable to get off his ship - which is moored just 100 metres from their home in Oban.
The family live in a cabin which overlooks the Scottish town's port but, during the coronavirus lockdown, Alasdair Gordon and his crew have been instructed to stay on the Pharos when it is tied up in the dock.
So the 41-year-old bosun, an officer in charge of the deck, has been waving to his son, Euan, from the ship.
"Seeing him from the window is really hard as he's so near but yet so far," said Euan's mum Seonaid Russell, 34.
"Euan shouts 'Dad' from the garden and balcony and waves and Alasdair can hear him and waves back, but he's not allowed to shout back.
"Euan can see him waving and tells me to come and see, it's the highlight of his day.
"He says he is missing his dad but I'm astounded at how well he is coping with it and his strength at such a young age.
"I'm very thankful because the sense of loss for a four-year-old can be massive and hard to get your head around, especially when you know your dad is so close."

Where are coronavirus cases still rising?

While some countries are starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall following strict lockdown restrictions, the charts below show others - such as Brazil - seeing a sharp increase in cases.

'This should not be treated as a political crisis', says scientist

There will be an increase in infection rates as a result of the way the lockdown is being eased, according to a scientist who belongs to a group which advises the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).
Prof Robert West, who is part of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviours but is speaking in a personal capacity, says the government is "not taking its responsibilities for political leadership seriously" and the easing poses "a huge risk".
"This should not be treated as a political crisis but as a health crisis. If you treat it as a political crisis it's all about managing your reputation, if you treat it as a health crisis it's about saving lives," he says.
Asked about the impact of the lockdown conduct of the PM's top aide Dominic Cummings, he says trust in authority will become "even more important" when restrictions apply to some people but not others.

14 more deaths in Wales

A further 14 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,331, according to Public Health Wales.
The total number of confirmed cases in Wales stands at 13,913 - an increase of 86.

Austria given go-ahead for Formula 1 season opener

The 2020 Formula 1 season is set to get under way with races in Austria on 5 and 12 July.
According to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, the health ministry gave the go-ahead on Saturday, and the races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will take place without spectators.
Organisers have presented "a comprehensive, professional security concept to prevent infections," said the ministry. The races are legal as there's no audience, says Health Minister Rudolf Anschober, so "the teams are allowed to enter the premises to practise their profession".
The Dutch Grand Prix was the latest race to be cancelled on Thursday, although the season is set to continue with two races in the UK after the Austrian double-header.

England, Scotland and Northern Ireland virus deaths

NHS England has announced 146 new deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 26,529.
In Scotland, another 22 people who tested positive have died, taking the total deaths to 2,353.
In Northern Ireland, there has been one further Covid-19 related death since Friday recorded by its Department of Health, bringing total deaths there to 522.

'Don't touch our monkeys' warns Gibraltar

Gibraltar has banned tourists from touching its famous Barbary monkeys, out of fear that they could catch coronavirus.
The British enclave's government has passed a new law making it illegal to touch the monkeys in most circumstances.
In a statement, they say they will be "taking strict measures to prevent contact with the macaques".
The macaques are Europe's only wild population of monkeys, and are a popular tourist attraction. Local folklore also says that if the monkeys were to leave, Gibraltar would cease to be British.

US Supreme Court backs state limits on religious services

The US Supreme Court has rejected an emergency appeal against California's limits on the numbers of worshippers allowed to attend religious services.
The nine judges split 5-4 in the ruling, with Chief Justice John Roberts supporting the four liberal justices in upholding existing state restrictions.
The South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista had argued that current rules in California - which allow no more than 25% of a congregation or up to 100 people to attend services - violated the right to religious freedom.

'Chaos' on trains to Bournemouth, says union

A steep rise in train passengers has resulted in "chaos" on services to Bournemouth on Saturday, according to the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.
Operating company Cross Country has been forced to seek additional trains to cope, the union said.
Its general secretary Mick Cash said the lockdown conduct of the PM's top aide Dominic Cummings was part of the reason.
"The hopeless mixed messaging from the government and the impact of the Cummings affair has resulted in predictable chaos on the railway today with Bournemouth at the eye of the storm," he said.

The UK picture

We should be hearing from the UK government in the next 30 minutes, but let’s take a look at the latest from the country first.
The Department of Health and Social Care have yet to release the UK-wide daily figures on coronavirus.
But what we know is:

• Another 146 people have died in England after testing positive for the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 26,529
  
• In Scotland, another 22 people who tested positive have died, taking the total deaths to 2,353
  
• In Northern Ireland, there has been one further Covid-19 related death, bringing total deaths there to 522
  
• A further 14 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,331, according to Public Health Wales
  

What's the latest around the world?

Here are some of the main headlines from around the world, to get you up to speed:

• Since President Trump announced he was severing US tieswith the World Health Organization late on Friday, the EU has appealed to him to reconsider and Germany has said it is disappointed. A leading senator from Trump's own political party and US-based epidemiologists have also objected.
  
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the country's "resilience" to the outbreak as it recorded its highest one-day rise in coronavirus cases to date. Meanwhile, the government has announced further plans to relax restrictions from 8 June
  
• Brazil, the epicentre of the virus in Latin America, has also recorded its largest one-day surge in coronavirus cases. Its death toll has now overtaken that of Spain
  
• Russia has reported 181 deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours - down from the record 232 registered yesterday - bringing the country's reported death toll to 4,555.
  
• Scientists in Russia have also said they plan to start clinical trials on a vaccine within a fortnight
  
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she won't go to the G7 summit, which Trump is saying he'll host in person at the White House and Camp David
  

• And there's good news for Parisians, who have been able to go back to the city's parks and for visitors to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which reopened on Saturday.
  

UK death toll increases by 215

There have been 215 more deaths from coronavirus in the UK in the last 24 hours across all settings, the government has announced.
A total of 38,376 have now died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Groups of six allowed to exercise together

People in England will be able to exercise outside with up to five others from different households from Monday, provided that strict social distancing guidelines are followed, Dowden announces.
It means a small number of people in sports teams will be able to resume fitness and conditioning sessions. Physical contact sessions are still banned.
People from different households exercising together must remain at least two metres apart. Gatherings of more than six people from different households are still not permitted.

Live Premier League football to be free on BBC

Oliver Dowden says a third of the Premier League matches to finish the season will now be free to view, including the Liverpool-Everton derby.
"Live Premier League football will be on the BBC for the first time in its history," he says.
He adds there is a serious public health benefit of getting people to watch at home.

One Direction's Niall Horan slams Donald Trump and cops involved in George Floyd killing

NIALL HORAN has torn into Donald Trump and the police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd in a series of furious posts on Twitter.
The former One Direction star appeared to take aim at US President Donald Trump after Trump referred to the demonstrators, protesting against the latest killing of an unarmed black man by police, as 'THUGS'.
George Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes while he moaned "I cannot breathe", the officer ignoring his cries for help and remaining on his neck even as his nose began bleeding.
There were four officers in total involved in the arrest and death of Mr Floyd, and all four have been fired, but none, including the man who was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck until he died, have faced any charges.

A still from the video which shows police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of George Floyd

Protesters have clashed with police for three days in the city of Minneapolis, with tear gas being utilised against demonstrators and multiple buildings, including the third precinct police station, being set alight.
President Trump has brought in the National Guard to "get the job done right", and appeared to threaten that anybody looting could be shot by police.
Earlier today, the US President wrote on Twitter that "these THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen.
"Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way.

  :tweet:  :Left Quotes: Donald J. Trump:
I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.....

  :tweet:  :Left Quotes: Donald J. Trump:
....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!

"Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts."
The tweet was hidden by Twitter for 'violating Twitter Rules against glorifying violence', however it remains on the site.
Mullingar native Niall Horan has since taken to Twitter to voice his disgust, stating:
"THUGS??
"These people are protesting against the fact that one of YOUR animalistic white policemen kneeled on George’s windpipe and forced him to stop breathing and killed him??
"THUGS???? Are you listening to yourself?"

  :tweet: :Left Quotes: Niall Horan:
THUGS ?? these people are protesting against the fact that one of YOUR animalistic white policemen kneeled on George’s windpipe and forced him to stop breathing and killed him?? THUGS???? Are you listening to yourself?

"Racism has been rampant for hundreds of years," Horan continued. "It's just that in this century people have camera phones to video it.
"It's absolutely disgusting that you get mistreated because of the colour of your skins.
"You would think that those that are there to protect us, would protect."
Protests are continuing in Minneapolis and across the country today as demonstrators protest against the killing of George Floyd and, in Kentucky, the killing of EMT Breonna Taylor by police in her own home.

Source: The Irish Post

Joy as 90% of coronavirus patients in Ireland have now fully recovered

THERE HAS been positive news in Ireland's fight against coronavirus as it has been confirmed that 90% of all patients have now fully recovered.
The good news was announced by Dr Tony Holohan at yesterday's press briefing by the Department of Health and National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

Dr Holohan said that while the recovery rate of 90% was a positive one, "we cannot afford to stop the hard work involved in suppressing this virus".

"COVID-19 is a new disease," he continued.
"Ireland and the world understand more about the virus now than we did at the outset of this crisis. What we do know is that hand washing, social distancing and knowing when to self-isolate do work.

"Our collective efforts are working"- Minister for Health Simon Harris

"These measures are the most effective tool we have to keep this virus suppressed and keep up this recovery rate. We know that the vast majority of Irish people understand this, and that they are staying the course with us as we continue to keep case numbers as low as possible."

The recovery rate has risen by six per cent in just under two weeks: on 13 May, Health Minister Simon Harris announced that 84% of patients diagnosed with the virus had made a full recovery.

19,470 people had recovered from the virus as of 13 May-- that figure has now risen to 22,089.

Speaking yesterday as the new recovery rate was announced, Minister Harris posted the good news on Twitter, saying "New information on recovery rate from Covid-19 in Ireland.

"89.7% of people who have been diagnosed with this virus have recovered either in the community or been successfully discharged from hospital. That's 22,089 people who have recovered.

"Our collective efforts are working."

The news comes after a huge boost in optimism earlier this week, where Ireland recorded it's first day with no coronavirus deaths since mid March.

This, unfortunately, has not been replicated since: nine deaths were recorded the following day, and a further 17 deaths were sadly announced yesterday.

The Republic of Ireland now has a total of 1,631 deaths related to coronavirus, and 24,803 confirmed cases of the disease.

Source: The Irish Post

17:08

What did we learn from the UK briefing?

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has just finished leading the UK government’s daily briefing. He was joined by England's deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam.
Here are the key points:

• The UK recorded 215 deaths from coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths in all settings to 38,376
  
• The level of testing is staying "very" steady, at around 120,000 tests a day, says Van-Tam
  
• Competitive sport will be allowed behind closed doors in England from 1 June, paving the way for the first live action in almost three months.
  
• "I can now make it official: football is coming back,” says Oliver Dowden
  
• Premier League set to resume on 17 June, with tennis, horse racing, F1, cricket, golf, rugby and snooker also given the green light
  
• Professional sport resuming behind closed doors will not have “a meaningful effect” on the R rate, says Van-Tam
  
• People in England will be able to exercise outside with up to five others from different households from Monday
  
• That means small groups of sport teams can resume fitness sessions, but contact sessions remain banned
  
• When a journalist raises the row about the PM's aide Dominic Cummings and asks whether people in authority should follow the rules, Van-Tam says the rules have always been "clear" and apply to all.
  

What UK sporting events can now go ahead?

The UK government has given its approval to professional sport resuming behind closed doors in England from Monday.
Most sporting governing bodies, including the Premier League, have already been making plans for when competitions would resume.
So which events could we be able to watch over the next couple of months?

• 1 June: A horse racing meeting at Newcastle and Snooker’s Championship League event in Milton Keynes among the first to resume
  
• 17 June: Premier League football matches are set to restart with Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal
  
• 26 June: The ‘Battle of the Brits’ tennis event between the nation’s leading men’s players, including Andy and Jamie Murray
  
• 8 July: England's three-Test cricket series against West Indies is set to start on 8 July
  
• 22 July: Golf’s European Tour season is set to resume in July with a six-week 'UK Swing' tournament
  
• Late July/early August: A British Grand Prix double-header at Silverstone
  

What level is England at on the Covid-19 alert system?

Reality Check
The government uses a five-level, colour-coded alert system to measure the threat from Covid-19 in England.
Despite the further easing of the lockdown from Monday, the Cabinet Office says that England still remains at level four on the Covid-19 alert system. It has been on that level since the alert system was first introduced on 10 May.
Level four is described as: “A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially”.
The level is set by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC), run by counter-terrorism specialist Tom Hurd. It identifies changes in infection rates using testing, environmental and workplace data, and advises chief medical officers.
For more about how England’s alert system works, click here.

Will international athletes have to self-isolate?

Reality Check
Mr Dowden announced the return of competitive sport from 1 June.
However, any international athlete arriving in the UK from 8 June to take part in sporting events will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
That’s because the UK is due to introduce new travel quarantine measures for international travellers.
There are already some exceptions, such as freight workers and people travelling from Ireland, but not currently for sportspeople.

Premier League 'thrilled' to be given green light

The Premier League says it is “thrilled” to be given the go-ahead by the UK government to resume behind closed doors.
UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced top-level sport in England can be played from Monday.
The English top-flight had already announced it hoped to resume on 17 June, subject to government approval.
"We have provisionally planned to restart, but there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety of everyone involved," Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said.
"If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019-20 season in just over two weeks’ time."
There are 92 fixtures still to be played in the season, which was suspended on 13 March.

'Don't tear the pants out of it' warns scientist

Zoe Kleinman - BBC News
"A very dangerous moment."
That’s how Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical -officer described this moment in time, as the country tries to delicately ease itself out of lockdown.
"I am very clear - the easing of lockdown has to go slowly, has to go painstakingly, we have to be extremely cautious,” he said in response to a question from the BBC’s Chris Mason.
Prof John Edmunds, who is one of the government’s chief science advisers, has already said he believes it was a "political decision" to lift lockdown and that "many" scientists would rather wait because the number of new Covid-19 infections remains high - around 8,000 per day.
Other members of Sage, the committee of around 50 scientists which is advising the government, have also publicly said they think the easing of lockdown has begun prematurely.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, who chaired today’s briefing, was a little more reserved in his choice of language. He said England is at "a risky point", with little room for manoeuvre in terms of keeping infection rates down.
Prof Van-Tam urged the public to follow guidance closely. "Don’t tear the pants out of it," he said.

Can I host a barbecue?

In England, groups of up to six people can gather outside from Monday - including in private gardens. So, is it time to prep the barbecue?
The UK government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, has said anyone who wishes to hold a barbecue should remember that passing objects from one person to another can spread the virus.
But Prof Sally Bloomfield, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told BBC Breakfast that people should resist the urge altogether because of the potential presence on cutlery and other things.
"My fear is that the word 'gathering' will be taken as 'we can have a party in the garden now'," she said.
"We have really got to think, 'we can't have a socially distanced barbecue but we could have a picnic where we each bring our own food and don't share it with other people'."
The guidelines in Scotland say that for a barbecue, each household should bring their own food, cutlery and crockery. But in Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford said changes are "not an invitation" for garden parties.
You can read more here.

Belgian prince tests positive

Prince Joachim of Belgium has contracted coronavirus after reportedly attending a party in Spain.
The 28-year-old youngest son of Princess Astrid - he's King Philippe's nephew - reportedly caught the virus at a party in Córdoba and the circumstances surrounding his trip are unclear.
The report first came out in Spanish webite El Confidencial which produced a document from the Andalucian authorities but didn't name the prince. Belgian media have since confirmed with the palace that Prince Joachim was in Spain - his symptoms are said to be mild.
The palace says he travelled on 24 May for professional reasons, for an internship, but he's known to have a long-standing relationship with a Spanish woman. Spanish reports suggest he went to a party two days later involving 27 people, which would be a breach of lockdown regulations. But Belgian media say there were only 10-12 people involved, which would not constitute a breach. Everyone concerned is now said to be in quarantine.

India to ease restrictions despite record case rise

The Indian government has announced plans to further loosen its strict national lockdown, despite announcing its highest one-day rise in coronavirus cases.
From 8 June, hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and places of worship will be allowed to open their doors. A decision on the next phase, involving the reopening of schools and universities, is expected to be taken in July.
But some activities will remain off limits, including international travel, and cinemas and bars will stay closed.
On Saturday, India recorded a record daily rise of almost 8,000 infections, with the total number of cases now at 173,763.

Analysis: Van-Tam refused to duck on Cummings

Chris Mason - Political Correspondent
Wham bam Van-Tam.Professor Jonathan Van-Tam knew exactly what he was doing when he was asked by The Observer's Toby Helm about Dominic Cummings, the prime minister's most senior adviser, who, among other things, drove 50 miles to test his eyesight during the lockdown.
England's deputy chief medical officer could have sought refuge in the way his boss, Professor Chris Whitty, and the government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, did the other day. Leave us out of the politics, was the gist of how they swerved requests for their views.There was no such ducking of the issue from Prof Van-Tam. Instead, bluntly, he delivered a firm kick in the goolies.Yes, he didn't refer to Cummings by name, but he made it explicit he would take on the question directly."I am quite happy to answer it," he volunteered."In my opinion, the rules are clear. In my opinion, they are for the benefit of all. And in my opinion they apply to all."Ouch.For the ninth day in a row, Dominic Cummings is still in the news.

Thousands protest Renault job cuts in France

Thousands of people have demonstrated against car manufacturer Renault's plans to cut 4,600 jobs in France.
The protesters gathered in Maubeuge in the north of the country on Saturday, a day after the company announced major cost-cutting measures.
Renault has said six of its French plants are under review for possible cuts and closure, and the factory in the Maubeuge area is under threat.
The company announced on Friday it was cutting 15,000 jobs worldwide in a bid to save €2bn (£1.8bn), after sales plummeted amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier this week, Japanese car maker Nissan announced thousands of job cuts and the closure of its factory in Spain, although its UK plant is to remain open.

UK deaths and cases continue downward trend

The number of new daily coronavirus cases across the UK continues to fall - but is still well within the thousands:


While the latest figures show the UK recorded another 2,445 confirmed cases, analysis by the Office for National Statistics suggests there are 8,000 new infections a day in England alone.
The number of deaths we're seeing reported each day is also falling:


On Saturday, another 215 deaths were reported of those who tested positive for the virus, taking the total number of UK deaths to 38,376

Ex-WHO chief adds to Trump criticism

We reported earlier that criticism of Trump's decision to pull the US out of the World Health Organization was growing.
Now, Anders Nordström - who was acting-director of the WHO from 2006 to 2008 - has voiced his own concerns.
He told the BBC: "I think the risk we face now, with this announcement from the US, is that we will escalate in some way the global tension around what we have right now, which is the largest health crisis we've seen in modern times.
"And that's very serious, because we need to have global cooperation, we need to have global solidarity, we need to be able to work together. This actually risks now escalating political tensions and I'm deeply concerned about that."
The WHO itself and its current Director, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, are yet to issue a response to Trump's announcement.

UK government must get lockdown easing 'right'

In the UK, Labour's Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders says he agrees with the government's scientific advisers who've warned changes to England's lockdown were being made too early.
He says it is "crucial" for everyone the government gets it "right" and eases the lockdown as "safely as possible".
"It will only work if there are effective, flexible and local systems in place that have the confidence of the public to ensure that we avoid a second peak of infections," he said.
The UK government has defended its plan to ease the lockdown in England. Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden insisted that letting more pupils go to school and allowing up to six people to meet outdoors were "baby steps" towards a return to normal.

Front-line workers in NY now eligible for death benefits

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill granting benefits to the families of front-line workers who have died of coronavirus.
The measures will apply to police officers, paramedics, health workers and transportation employees.
"It is the least we can do to thank and honour the memory of these heroes," he said on Twitter.
New York has been the worst-affected state in the US, with almost 30,000 deaths since the outbreak began.

  :tweet: :Left Quotes: Andrew Cuomo:
It is my honor to sign into law a bill that gives death benefits to all the frontline workers who gave their lives in service to all of us during this pandemic. Providing for their families is the least we can do.

Horse racing return will 'save the industry'

The return of horse racing in England from Monday will help save many livelihoods and businesses, says the sport's governing body.
A race meeting in Newcastle will be one of the first events to resume after the government gave the go-ahead for professional sport to return behind closed doors.
The British Horseracing Authority said its industry, which employs about 20,000 people and mostly in rural areas, has "been put in jeopardy" by the pandemic.
"There is still a tough battle ahead before we can get fully back in business but this is a resilient and world-leading industry and we are ready for the task," said BHA chief executive Nick Rust.
British racing was suspended on 18 March, following the conclusion of the Cheltenham Festival.
Professor Tim Spector, the scientist leading the UK's largest Covid-19 tracking project, believes "people probably died prematurely" because of the decision to allow the four-day Festival to go ahead

Premier League reports no new positive tests

Plans for the English Premier League to return behind closed doors on 17 June have been given another boost after the latest round of testing produced no positive cases.
The top-flight tested 1,130 players and staff across the 20 clubs for Covid-19 on Thursday and Friday.
So far, 12 people have produced positive results from 3,882 tests across the league.
The Premier League hopes to resume on 17 June. Earlier today, the UK Government gave permission for competitive sport to return behind closed doors from Monday.

Afghanistan records largest one-day rise in cases

More than 860 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Afghanistan, in the country's largest single-day rise so far.
According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 14,525 infections have been confirmed in the outbreak, while 249 people have died.
But there are concerns the true number could be much higher, as decades of conflict have decimated Afghanistan's health facilities.

Afghans celebrated the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr on 24 May

What's the latest from across the world?

• Criticism of Donald Trump's decision to pull the US out of the World Health Organization has continued. A former head of the WHO told the BBC he was "deeply concerned", while the EU has appealed to the president to reconsider.
  
• Despite a record rise of almost 8,000 new cases in India, the government has announced that restrictions will be eased further on 8 June, with hotels and restaurants among the locations to open their doors.
  
• Brazil, the epicentre of the virus in Latin America, has also recorded its largest one-day surge in coronavirus cases. Its death toll has now overtaken that of Spain.
  

• In New York, the families of front-line workers who die of Covid-19 will now be eligible to receive death benefits
  

• A member of Belgium's royal family has tested positive for coronavirus. Prince Joachim, who is 28 and the king's nephew, reportedly contracted the virus after attending a party in Spain.
  
• Thousands of protesters in France have voiced their anger against car manufacturer Renault, which announced global job cuts of 15,000 on Friday.
  

Memorial Day party-goer tests positive for coronavirus

Large crowds gathered at Lake of the Ozarks

It's been a week since pictures and photos began surfacing on social media, showing crowds of people flouting coronavirus restrictions over Memorial Day weekend in the US.
And now, one reveller who went to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri has tested positive for the virus, authorities say.
On Friday, the Camden County Health Department said the individual arrived in the area on Saturday 23 May, before displaying symptoms the following day.
The person "was likely incubating illness and possibly infectious at the time of the visit", the health department said on Facebook, adding that the large number of people present in the area was making contract tracing difficult.
The post provided a timeline of individual's whereabouts over the two days and said that anyone who was present should monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if awaiting a test result.

Crowds on UK beaches and beauty spots

Beaches and beauty spots in the UK have seen large numbers of visitors during the recent hot weather as lockdown restrictions have been eased.
But not everyone is happy about the huge crowds descending on popular tourist spots.
Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson has called for people outside the popular Formby coast, in Merseyside, to “think twice” before visiting its beach after some complaints about litter.
Meanwhile, police in Devon and Cornwall have urged people not to visit beaches that are too busy to allow safe social distancing.
Sgt Andy Mulhern said: "You've got to protect your family... and that will ultimately save lives."

People enjoying the good weather in Formby, Merseyside

Meanwhile, police had to evacuate huge numbers of people from a beach on Dorset's Jurassic coast after three people were seriously hurt while jumping off the cliffs at Durdle Door into the sea.

Three people were seriously injured at Durdle Door, near Lulworth


Earlier in the day crowds of people flocked to Durdle Door

Romanian prime minister fined for breaking coronavirus rules

Romania's Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has been fined after a photo was published online showing him smoking in a room surrounded by other ministers.
According to Romanian media, Mr Orban said he was celebrating his birthday when the photo was taken earlier this month.
He paid two fines amounting to £542 ($673) for failing to wearing a mask and for smoking indoors. Four others were also fined, including two for wearing a face mask improperly, Bucharest police announced on Saturday.
“The prime minister knows that rules must be obeyed by all citizens, regardless of their position. If the law is broken then sanctions must be enforced,” Romania's national news agency Agerpres quoted a government spokesman as saying.

Governors react to protests over George Floyd death

In the US, mass protests have continued after the death of an unarmed African-American man, George Floyd. while in the custody of white policemen.
While most gatherings of more than 10 people have been banned in Minnesota amid the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Tim Walz said the protests were a “pretty normal response” to the footage posted online of Floyd's final moments - although he did call on demonstrators to wear masks and try to remain distanced.
However, Mr Walz later said the unrest - which turned violent - was "no longer in any way" about Floyd's death.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, linked incidences of police violence to the higher death rate of African Americans in the outbreak. "It's all related," he said on Twitter.

Goodbye!

We're now pausing this live page for today. Thanks for reading. Here's a summary of Saturday's headlines:

• Confirmed coronavirus cases across the world have now exceeded six million, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. The US has seen the highest number of infections, with more than 1.7m, followed by Brazil, Russia and the UK
  
• The UK is at a 'dangerous moment' as it looks to slowly ease restrictions, says England's deputy chief medical officer
  
• Domestic competitive sport behind closed doors will be allowed from Monday, the UK government says
  
• President Donald Trump has been criticised at home and abroad after announcing he is ending US ties with the World Health Organisation (WHO)
  
• India plans to further ease a strict national lockdown even as it reported a record daily rise in new coronavirus
  
• Italy's celebrated leaning Tower of Pisa has reopened to tourists again, three months after closing due to coronavirus
  

The page was edited by Paul Kirby, Sarah Collerton and Deirdre Finnerty. Reporting from Ashitha Nagesh, Victoria Bisset, Hazel Shearing, Mary O'Connor, Dulcie Lee, Ben Collins and Jonathan Jurejko.