Summary for Tuesday, 30th June
Hello and welcome to today’s rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
Six months since the virus was first reported to the WHO by China, it has claimed at least half a million lives. There have been more than 10 million reported cases worldwide. In several places, restrictions on movements that were being lifted are being put back in place causing further economic anxiety.
As ever this page will bring you all the latest developments from around the world and analysis from our correspondents and other experts, as well as advice on how you can protect yourself and others.
The state’s governor has ordered the closure of bars, nightclubs, gyms, cinemas and water parks. The directive will last until at least 27 July and also prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people.
Governor Doug Ducey warned: “We’re not going back to normal any time soon”.
It comes after the state set a single-day record for new coronavirus cases on Sunday at 3,858.
Read more here
Those on the list include Australia, Japan and South Korea.
However the US, Brazil and China are excluded from the list. Diplomats say that the EU is ready to add China if the government offers a reciprocal deal for EU travellers.
The EU procedure to formalise the list, and criteria by which countries are judged safe or not, are to be finalised by midday on Tuesday.
Read more here
It emerged recently and is carried by pigs, but can infect humans, they say.
Researchers are concerned that it could mutate further so that it could spread easily from person to person.
While it is not an immediate problem, they say, it has "all the hallmarks" of being highly adapted to infect humans and needs close monitoring.
As it’s new, people could have little or no immunity to the virus.
Read more about the new discovery here
WHO leader Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned the virus would infect many more people if governments did not start to implement the right policies.
He said his message remains "Test, Trace, Isolate and Quarantine".
More than 10 million cases have been recorded and 500,000 people have died since the coronavirus emerged in China last year.
The virus is now spreading rapidly in Latin America and is also badly affecting South Asia and Africa.
Read more about the warning from the WHO here
Victoria has recorded double-digit increases in infections each day for two weeks, including 64 in the past 24 hours.
The cases - concentrated in several areas of Melbourne - have become Australia's biggest concern in almost three months.
Fears are growing that the outbreak could spread to other states, all of which have far fewer or no infections.
In announcements today, South Australia cancelled plans to fully reopen its borders on 20 July, while Queensland said it would open on 10 July but not to Victorians.
Though her state remains open, New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian told locals today: "Do not allow anyone from a hotspot in Melbourne or from greater Melbourne to come into your home - you have the right to say no."
Australia has had more than 7,500 cases in total and 104 deaths.
India has officially entered the second part of its "unlocking" phase but two states on Monday announced that they were locking down again.
Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have become the latest to go back into lockdown mode as the entire country battles against rising infections. The two states will be in lockdown until 31 July, officials said.
A few other states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Nagaland and Assam have already announced lockdown measures.
States across India have been on high alert as cases appear to be growing at an alarming rate. According to local media, the country added around 100,000 new infections in just the past week. Daily infection spikes have been on the rise too - with nearly every other day's count a new record.
More than 18,000 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours in India, taking the total tally to over 565,000 including 16,893 deaths.
Johnson will be in the West Midlands on Tuesday where his team have said he'll say he wants to use the coronavirus crisis "to tackle this country's great unresolved challenges".
The prime minister's speech comes as BBC analysis found that the UK was the hardest hit of all the G7 major industrialised nations by the virus in the weeks leading up to early June.
In April, the UK economy shrunk by a record 20.4% as a result of the spread of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown measures.
You can read more about the government's plans here and we'll bring you analysis and reaction through the day.
Concerns have been raised about the supply of oxygen and other resources to government hospitals. One doctor in Kabul described patients' families having to "fight for oxygen" when cylinders arrived, before bringing it to the intensive care unit themselves.
Another doctor told the BBC even staff members at his private hospital were unable to get their own family members treated.
"A doctor rang and said, 'One of my relatives is having breathing problems, we are sending him to you, please admit him.' I asked him for forgiveness… We couldn't look after his relative, so think what happens to ordinary people who come here?"
Read more from Secunder here: Coronavirus overwhelms Afghanistan’s war-ravaged hospitals
An unspecified number of people will have the vaccine, as part of a trial by Hyderabad-based firm Bharat Biotech.
Tests in animals suggest the vaccine is safe and triggers an effective immune response.
The trials are among many across the world - there are around 120 vaccine programmes under way. Half a dozen Indian firms are developing vaccines.
This is the first India-made vaccine and developed from a strain of the virus that was isolated locally and weakened under laboratory conditions.
Non-essential shops are to close from today and schools will be closed to most pupils from Thursday.
The reopening of pubs, restaurants and hairdressers - due to take effect across the rest of England from Saturday - will not happen in the city and in surrounding areas.
Leicester City Council said the new "stricter lockdown restrictions" would be in place for "at least two weeks".
Our political editor Laura Kuenssberg says the move is "a reminder that the risk to our health from the coronavirus crisis is neither gone, nor forgotten". Read her full analysis here.
The man had complained of breathlessness and was running a high temperature over the weekend.
After nearly 36 hours of visiting and calling up hospitals and pleading with them to admit him, one hospital finally agreed. But before they could take him in for treatment, he died "at the doorstep of the hospital," the man's nephew told the Times of India newspaper.
Even though he was tested, his family are still waiting for the results.
"We don't know whether our uncle was infected with Covid-19 or if we lost him to an atmosphere of fear created by the virus," the nephew said.
Bangalore has been in the news recently as cases have started to climb. A big, metropolitan city, it had managed to avoid the surge of infections being seen in other cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. But this might be changing as it added nearly 1,000 new infections over the weekend.
- As cases soar in the US, more states decide to halt easing lockdown measures
- Arizona abruptly reverses course on reopening its economy as coronavirus cases spike there and nationwide
- With July 4 celebrations approaching, Texas and parts of California also direct bars to close again
- The EU names 14 countries whose citizens can enter from 1 July, but the US, Brazil and China are excluded
- A new strain of flu that has the potential to become a pandemic has been identified in China
- Stricter lockdown measures have been announced in the British city of Leicester because of a rise in cases
- Globally there are 10.2m cases and there have been more than 504,000 virus-linked deaths
Hello and welcome to today’s rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
Six months since the virus was first reported to the WHO by China, it has claimed at least half a million lives. There have been more than 10 million reported cases worldwide. In several places, restrictions on movements that were being lifted are being put back in place causing further economic anxiety.
As ever this page will bring you all the latest developments from around the world and analysis from our correspondents and other experts, as well as advice on how you can protect yourself and others.
Arizona reverses course on reopening
The US state of Arizona is one of the US states reversing course on reopening its economy due to a spike in cases.The state’s governor has ordered the closure of bars, nightclubs, gyms, cinemas and water parks. The directive will last until at least 27 July and also prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people.
Governor Doug Ducey warned: “We’re not going back to normal any time soon”.
It comes after the state set a single-day record for new coronavirus cases on Sunday at 3,858.
Read more here
EU reveals 14 countries deemed to be 'safe'
The European Union (EU) has revealed 14 countries whose citizens are deemed “safe” to be let in from 1 July.Those on the list include Australia, Japan and South Korea.
However the US, Brazil and China are excluded from the list. Diplomats say that the EU is ready to add China if the government offers a reciprocal deal for EU travellers.
The EU procedure to formalise the list, and criteria by which countries are judged safe or not, are to be finalised by midday on Tuesday.
Read more here
New flu with pandemic potential found in China
Scientists in China have identified a new strain of flu that has the potential to become a pandemic.It emerged recently and is carried by pigs, but can infect humans, they say.
Researchers are concerned that it could mutate further so that it could spread easily from person to person.
While it is not an immediate problem, they say, it has "all the hallmarks" of being highly adapted to infect humans and needs close monitoring.
As it’s new, people could have little or no immunity to the virus.
Read more about the new discovery here
WHO warns worst could still be to come
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned the worst could still be to come in the Covid-19 pandemic.WHO leader Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned the virus would infect many more people if governments did not start to implement the right policies.
He said his message remains "Test, Trace, Isolate and Quarantine".
More than 10 million cases have been recorded and 500,000 people have died since the coronavirus emerged in China last year.
The virus is now spreading rapidly in Latin America and is also badly affecting South Asia and Africa.
Read more about the warning from the WHO here
Australian states lock out Victorians
South Australia and Queensland have cancelled plans to open their state borders to all Australians as an outbreak in Victoria gathers pace.Victoria has recorded double-digit increases in infections each day for two weeks, including 64 in the past 24 hours.
The cases - concentrated in several areas of Melbourne - have become Australia's biggest concern in almost three months.
Fears are growing that the outbreak could spread to other states, all of which have far fewer or no infections.
In announcements today, South Australia cancelled plans to fully reopen its borders on 20 July, while Queensland said it would open on 10 July but not to Victorians.
Though her state remains open, New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian told locals today: "Do not allow anyone from a hotspot in Melbourne or from greater Melbourne to come into your home - you have the right to say no."
Australia has had more than 7,500 cases in total and 104 deaths.
Two India states lock down as cases rise
More on those lockdowns coming back in around the world.India has officially entered the second part of its "unlocking" phase but two states on Monday announced that they were locking down again.
Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have become the latest to go back into lockdown mode as the entire country battles against rising infections. The two states will be in lockdown until 31 July, officials said.
A few other states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Nagaland and Assam have already announced lockdown measures.
States across India have been on high alert as cases appear to be growing at an alarming rate. According to local media, the country added around 100,000 new infections in just the past week. Daily infection spikes have been on the rise too - with nearly every other day's count a new record.
More than 18,000 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours in India, taking the total tally to over 565,000 including 16,893 deaths.
UK PM to announce £5bn infrastructure scheme
The UK PM Boris Johnson is expected to announce plans to "bring forward" £5bn ($6.1bn) of spending on infrastructure to boost the economy.Johnson will be in the West Midlands on Tuesday where his team have said he'll say he wants to use the coronavirus crisis "to tackle this country's great unresolved challenges".
The prime minister's speech comes as BBC analysis found that the UK was the hardest hit of all the G7 major industrialised nations by the virus in the weeks leading up to early June.
In April, the UK economy shrunk by a record 20.4% as a result of the spread of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown measures.
You can read more about the government's plans here and we'll bring you analysis and reaction through the day.
Virus overwhelms war-ravaged Afghan hospitals
As the coronavirus spreads in Afghanistan, the cracks in the country's healthcare system - already weakened by decades of war - are starting to show, the BBC's Secunder Kermani reports.Concerns have been raised about the supply of oxygen and other resources to government hospitals. One doctor in Kabul described patients' families having to "fight for oxygen" when cylinders arrived, before bringing it to the intensive care unit themselves.
Another doctor told the BBC even staff members at his private hospital were unable to get their own family members treated.
"A doctor rang and said, 'One of my relatives is having breathing problems, we are sending him to you, please admit him.' I asked him for forgiveness… We couldn't look after his relative, so think what happens to ordinary people who come here?"
Read more from Secunder here: Coronavirus overwhelms Afghanistan’s war-ravaged hospitals
Human trial of India coronavirus vaccine announced
Volunteers in India will be immunised with a new locally made coronavirus vaccine in July.An unspecified number of people will have the vaccine, as part of a trial by Hyderabad-based firm Bharat Biotech.
Tests in animals suggest the vaccine is safe and triggers an effective immune response.
The trials are among many across the world - there are around 120 vaccine programmes under way. Half a dozen Indian firms are developing vaccines.
This is the first India-made vaccine and developed from a strain of the virus that was isolated locally and weakened under laboratory conditions.
Lockdown tightened in Leicester as cases rise
Leicester has become the first place in the UK to have tighter lockdown measures reimposed because of a rise in coronavirus cases in the city.Non-essential shops are to close from today and schools will be closed to most pupils from Thursday.
The reopening of pubs, restaurants and hairdressers - due to take effect across the rest of England from Saturday - will not happen in the city and in surrounding areas.
Leicester City Council said the new "stricter lockdown restrictions" would be in place for "at least two weeks".
Our political editor Laura Kuenssberg says the move is "a reminder that the risk to our health from the coronavirus crisis is neither gone, nor forgotten". Read her full analysis here.
Indian man dies after frantic hospital search
A 52-year-old man has died in the southern Indian city of Bangalore after going to 18 hospitals and calling up 32 more looking for treatment.The man had complained of breathlessness and was running a high temperature over the weekend.
After nearly 36 hours of visiting and calling up hospitals and pleading with them to admit him, one hospital finally agreed. But before they could take him in for treatment, he died "at the doorstep of the hospital," the man's nephew told the Times of India newspaper.
Even though he was tested, his family are still waiting for the results.
"We don't know whether our uncle was infected with Covid-19 or if we lost him to an atmosphere of fear created by the virus," the nephew said.
Bangalore has been in the news recently as cases have started to climb. A big, metropolitan city, it had managed to avoid the surge of infections being seen in other cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. But this might be changing as it added nearly 1,000 new infections over the weekend.
What's the latest?
Hello and thanks for following our live coverage of the global pandemic. If you're just joining us, here are some of the biggest recent developments:- More than 10.3m cases of coronavirus have not been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of those who's died after contracting the virus has also climbed to over half a million.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged governments to take appropriate steps to contain the virus, warning that the pandemic is speeding up and "the worst is yet to come"
- The US continues to be the hardest-hit, with 2.5m infections and 126,000 virus-related deaths. In response, several states are backtracking on the easing of their lockdowns
- Human trials of a new vaccine will be taking place in India next month. Hyderabad-based firm Bharat Biotech says tests in animals suggest the vaccine is safe and triggers an effective immune response
- Stricter lockdown measures have been announced in Leicester here in the UK because of a rise in coronavirus cases in the city. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said non-essential shops will shut on Tuesday, and schools will close for most pupils on Thursday.