Coronavirus - 14th January 2021

• A total of 4.46 million people were waiting to start hospital treatment in England at the end of November - the highest since records began
  
• The World Health Organization team arrives in Wuhan as China announces its first death from Covid-19 in eight months
  
• More than a dozen scientists will interview people from research institutes, hospitals and the seafood market linked to the initial outbreak
  
• Most people who have had Covid-19 are protected from catching it again for at least five months, says Public Health England
  
• Six High Street pharmacies in England will start vaccinating people from priority groups from Thursday
  
• Andy Murray has tested positive for coronavirus, putting his participation in the Australian Open in doubt.
  
• Patients in packed hospitals in England's busiest intensive care units were 20% more likely to die, University College London research shows
  
• New rule requiring anyone arriving in England to have pre-departure testing is pushed back from Friday to 04:00GMT on Monday
  
• UK ministers to discuss whether to stop flights from Brazil amid concern over another new variant of coronavirus that has emerged there
  
• Some 270m doses of vaccines have been secured for the African continent - on top of 600m already promised - but it is still not enough for the whole region
  
• Globally, there have been more than 92 million registered Covid cases and almost two million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
  

• Most people who have had Covid-19 are protected from catching it again for at least five months, a study shows
  
• Six High Street pharmacies in England will start vaccinating people from priority groups today, with 200 providing jabs in the next two weeks
  
• A new rule requiring arrivals to England to show proof of a negative test has been pushed back from Friday to Monday to give travellers more time to prepare, the government has said
  
• Meanwhile, a government committee is meeting today to discuss whether to stop flights from Brazil coming to the UK because of concern about a new variant of the virus believed to have emerged there
  
• People travelling by rail during lockdown are being urged to double-check train times, as services are being reduced
  
• Covid-19 patients in England's busiest intensive care units in 2020 were 20% more likely to die, new research has found
  

Latest from around the world

• After months of negotiations, a team from the World Health Organization has finally arrived in the Chinese city of Wuhan to investigate the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic
  
• Some 270 million doses of vaccines have been secured for the African continent , on top of 600 million already promised, but is still not enough to vaccinate everyone who needs it
  
• US President-elect Joe Biden is due to unveil his coronavirus relief plans, which are expected to include $2,000 (£1,467) stimulus payments for families that Donald Trump had called for
  
• Around 1,200 international tennis players have begun arriving in Melbourne to quarantine for two weeks ahead of next month’s Australia Open
  
• From today, people in Lebanon are under a 24-hour curfew preventing them from leaving their homes for the next 11 days, with few exemptions. Shopping in supermarkets is no longer allowed, with people having to rely on deliveries
  

Past Covid-19 infection may provide 'months of immunity'

WHO team arrives in Wuhan to investigate virus origin

Latest around Europe

• Former Italian PM Matteo Renzi has triggered a political crisis in the middle of the pandemic, by pulling his ministers out of the government in a row over how to spend billions of euros of EU Covid recovery funding. The current Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte now has to find a way to prop up his coalition.
  
• Germany’s public health agency has reported a new daily high of 1,244 deaths in a 24-hour period. The south-western state of Bavaria will next week try to reduce the spread of cases by requiring shoppers or anyone going on public transport to wear an FFP2 facemask, which is both thicker and more expensive.
  
• The Dutch cabinet is considering imposing a first Covid curfew to reduce the spread of the virus. A lockdown was imposed last month but a 20:00 to 04:00 ban on movement could come into effect from the weekend, particularly with the aim of stopping young people moving around.
  
• Tight curfews are already in place in 25 areas of France, beginning as early as 18:00, and French ministers will consider later whether that should be extended. Prime Minister Jean Castex will reveal the latest strategy at 17:00 GMT today.
  
• Spain last night registered a record 38.869 new infections in 24 hours – 53% higher than the day before. The Balearic Islands, Extremadura and Madrid are among the areas with high rates of infection. Heavy snow has added to the crisis in recent days, with staffing problems and increased medical emergencies.
  

Pharmacies in England start Covid vaccinations

Virus-hit Brit blamed for cancellation of famous ski race

Africa secures 270m Covid-19 vaccine doses

'Grace period' for new England travel rule

Frank Turner's renewed fight to save the 'magic of live music'

Pharmacies 'ideal' for getting vaccine locally

Circus star Gerry Cottle dies with coronavirus

Lebanon begins round-the-clock curfew

Numbers waiting for hospital treatment in England hit record high

Covid has 'calamitous impact' on operation wait times

Ambulance wait times in England rise

Brazilian mayor elected while in coma dies of Covid

Positive test for Andy Murray puts Australian Open hopes in doubt

Birmingham hospital trust temporarily suspends kidney transplants

China sees surge in Covid-19 cases and first death for months

Woman picks nans as bridesmaids after Covid rules hit wedding

• 'We organised our wedding in two hours to beat tier 4'
  
• A toast to my cancelled wedding
  
• Watch: Grandmas' top tips to get through lockdown
  

Exercise alone, says Patel - despite rules allowing meet-ups

• by yourself
  
• with the people you live with
  
• with your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
  
• in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
  
• or, when on your own, with one person from another household
  

• What are the lockdown rules across the UK?
  
• Quiz: How much do you know about lockdown rules?
  
• What could be done to tighten lockdown?
  

'One in 10' US lawmakers have had Covid-19

More than 330,000 in England waiting more than six weeks for key tests

Over-50s rush to book holidays as vaccine boosts confidence

Hospitals in Wales' hardest-hit area pause some urgent surgery

Analysis: Brazil Covid variant will not be the last

• The science explained
  
• UK variant: What do we know?
  
• New test rule for England arrivals pushed back
  

Numbers testing positive reach record levels in England

'It's not 100% protective'

Scotland reports 64 further Covid deaths

WHO team 'using quarantine to plan investigation'

Moscow to reopen schools as 'kids tired of being at home'

Wales reports 54 more virus deaths

• Track cases across the UK
  

Australia to kill racing pigeon that survived 8,000-mile journey

'World's largest human gathering' begins in pandemic

Students prepare to strike over accommodation rent

'Will I be one of thousands of cancer patients who will die before their time?'

Latest from the UK and around the world

• The surge in Covid patients has left key hospital services in England in crisis, doctors are warning
  
• A total of 4.46 million people were waiting to start hospital treatment in England at the end of November - the highest number since records began
  
• Free school meals will not be extended to England's poorest pupils this half term, prompting an outcry from teaching unions
  
• The home secretary has said the government will not announce new Covid restrictions for England on Thursday or Friday , but did not rule out further measures being announced next week
  
• The coronavirus growth rate is slowing in the UK and the number of infections is starting to level off in some areas, a leading scientist has said
  
• Ministers have met to discuss whether to ban travel from Brazil to the UK in response to the discovery of a new variant there. An announcement is expected later today
  
• A World Health Organization team has arrived in the Chinese city of Wuhan to start its investigation into the origins of the pandemic
  
• A provisional 270 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been secured by the African Union for distribution across the continent , on top of 600 million doses already promised. But it is still not enough for the whole region
  

Covid case rates fall in most areas of England - PHE

Gatwick: Norwegian axes 1,000 jobs at airport in long haul cuts

What’s happening in China’s Hebei?

Hospital arranges Covid couple's 'final meeting'

'Stay home' appeal as cases rise on Isle of Barra

Opening of Nintendo's first theme park delayed by Covid-19

Hundreds of Met Police officers offer to drive London ambulances

• Ambulance waiting times in parts of England 'off the scale'
  
• London's virus death toll exceeds 10,000
  

Belfast St Patrick's Day parade cancelled for second year in a row

South America-UK travel ban after discovery of Brazil variant

  Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP:

I’ve taken the urgent decision to BAN ARRIVALS from ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, BOLIVIA, CAPE VERDE, CHILE, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU, SURINAME, URUGUAY AND VENEZUELA – from TOMORROW, 15 JAN at 4AM following evidence of a new variant in Brazil.

Snow causes Covid vaccine and testing centre closures

  NHS Barnsley CCG:

URGENT, SNOW IMPACT: Priory Campus Vaccination Service Thursday 14/1/21 Due to the significant amount of snow across the borough, appointments at the vaccination service at Priory Campus, Lundwood have been cancelled from 3pm today.

UK travel ban to contain Brazil variant extends to Portugal

First refugee vaccinations commence in Jordan

How worrying are the UK, South Africa, and Brazil Covid variants?

• A UK variant that has become dominant in much of Britain and has spread to more than 50 other countries
  
• A South Africa variant that has also been found in at least 20 other countries, including the UK
  
• A new variant from Brazil
  

New variant 'of concern', Brazilian expert says

France announces 6pm curfew

UK reports 48,682 further Covid cases

'Wall to wall with people' on London underground

• Follow Tom on Twitter here
  
• Are we following the stay-at-home message?
  

'Being stranded is not a nice feeling'

A recap of the day's events

• Travel from most of South America and Portugal to the UK will be banned from 04:00 GMT Friday after the discovery of a new variant in Brazil
  
• Globally, there have been more than 92 million registered Covid cases and almost two million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
  
• A total of 4.46 million people were waiting to start hospital treatment in England at the end of November - the highest since records began
  
• The Royal College of Surgeons says the newly-released figures show the calamitous impact of coronavirus
  
• Footballer Marcus Rashford has joined celebrity chefs and charities in writing to the prime minister to call for a wider review into the government's free school meals policy
  
• It comes after government said food will be provided to children in February half term by councils using the Covid Winter Grant Scheme, rather than through schools
  
• A team from the World Health Organization (WHO) has arrived in the Chinese city of Wuhan to investigate the origins of coronavirus as the country sees another surge in cases
  
• In France a new national evening curfew will begin on Saturday - starting at 6pm
  
• And in happier news, a mother who gave birth 10 days after discovering she was pregnant says she mistook her growing baby bump for lockdown weight gain
  

Thank you and goodbye

Today's live page was brought to you by Alice Evans, Becky Morton, George Wright, James Clarke, Jennifer Meierhans, Penny Spiller, Sarah Fowler and Suzanne Leigh.