The UK could be back in lockdown by the end of this month, a former government chief scientific advisor said.
Sir David King told the Sunday Mirror: “We need a proper test and trace system by September. Otherwise full school opening will put us right back.”
Sir David says we are “nowhere near” the safe reopening of schools.
But it is understood that Boris Johnson would force pubs, restaurants and shops to close ahead of schools in the event of a severe coronavirus spike.
The Prime Minister, who spoke of “a moral duty” to get all children back in class, is understood to favour only closing schools as the last resort.
Yesterday frustrated authorities were forced to issue red alert warnings on south coast beaches as thousands ignored calls to stay away.
Huge crowds headed to the coast, with officials in Bournemouth warning that social distancing was impossible.
It happened as the UK’s Covid-19 death toll rose by 55 to 46,566.
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More than 500 revellers attended an illegal rave overnight, with youths dancing and singing until the early hours of the morning.
The unlicensed music event took place in woodland in Walthamstow Forest late last night and wasn’t shut down by police until shortly after 3am.
Images show hundreds of people packed tightly into an area in the middle of the forest.
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Brits packed into pubs on Scorcher Saturday despite an expert warning there’s a greater risk of coronavirus in bars than planes.
As temperatures soared around the UK, groups flocked to enjoy a night out on the town.
But photographs show a lack of social distancing as partygoers queued outside popular spots.
This comes amid a warning that pubs create the “perfect storm” for spreading coronavirus and carry more risk than planes, according to academics.
Our full story is here.
Boris Johnson said reopening schools in September was a social, economic and moral imperative and insisted they would be able to operate safely despite the ongoing threat from the pandemic.
His comments follow a study earlier this month which warned that Britain risks a second wave of Covid-19 this winter twice as large as the initial outbreak if schools open without an improved test-and-trace system.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Johnson said restarting schools was a national priority.
Schools would be the last places to close in future local lockdowns, he was quoted by another newspaper as telling a meeting on Thursday.
Boris Johnson will head to Scotland for a two-week holiday with his fiance Carrie Symonds and their young son Wilfred.
Amid uncertainty for Brits planning foreign holidays, the Prime Minister is said to to have opted for a “staycation” north of the border with his family next weekend.
His choice of destination marks a shift from his New Year holiday to the Caribbean island of Mustique, which prompted a row over who paid for the £15,000 trip.
Mr Johnson has encouraged people to take holidays in the UK, and previously said he might allow “brief staycation to creep into the agenda, if that’s possible” when asked about his own holiday plans.
No10 declined to comment but did not deny the report in the Sunday Times.
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Holidaymakers hit by last-minute changes to quarantine rules should be compensated if they lose work, senior MPs have said.
Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to overhaul the rules for people caught up in the quarantine chaos after a number of popular holiday destinations were added to the Government’s “red list” with only a few hours notice.
Travellers returning from Belgium, Andorra and the Bahamas have been ordered to self-isolate for 14 days since Saturday after a spike in infection rates in the three countries.
It comes after the Government also abruptly axed quarantine-free travel with Spain and Luxembourg.
Senior MPs said those already abroad when the advice changes should be entitled to statutory sick pay when they return amid fears that some employers could refuse to pay staff while they isolate.
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Russia reported 5,189 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, bringing its nationwide tally to 887,536.
It is the fourth largest caseload in the world.
Russia’s coronavirus taskforce said 77 people had died over the last 24 hours, pushing its official death toll to 14,931.
The latest data shows 29 towns, cities and boroughs on the UK’s latest coronavirus ‘watch list’.
A total of 29 local authorities have labels ranging from “concern” to “intervention”.
Preston in Lancashire is the latest UK city to come under increased local lockdown restrictions but the Government is keeping a close eye on more local authorities.
Preston was added to the list of places requiring intervention as the rate of new Covid-19 cases went up from 20.3 per 100,000 people in the week ending July 27 to 32.8 in the week ending August 3.
Residents are banned from mixing with people from outside their social bubble in homes, gardens, and indoor venues, such as pubs.
Click here for the list in full.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 555 to 215,891, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday.
The reported death toll rose by one to 9,196, the tally showed.
At least seven people died after a massive fire broke out at a hotel that was being used as a Covid-19 facility in India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state early on Sunday, police said.
“Several people who were trapped and injured have been rescued and moved to a government hopsital. Fire is under control but rescue and fire-fighting operations are still underway,” said Lakshmi, a constable at the police control room.
Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted: “Deeply anguished by the news of tragic fire accident at a Covid-19 facility in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh”.
“Centre assures all possible support to the state government. My condolences are with the affected families in this time of grief. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he wrote.
China reported 23 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for August 8, the country’s health authority said on Sunday.
This figure was down from 31 a day earlier.
Among the new cases, 15 were locally transmitted and eight were imported infections, the National Health Commission said in a statement published on its website.
New Zealand has marked 100 days without a domestic transmission of coronavirus but authorities are warning the public to remain vigilant.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.“Achieving 100 days without community transmission is a significant milestone, however, as we all know, we can’t afford to be complacent.
“We have seen overseas how quickly the virus can re-emerge and spread in places where it was previously under control, and we need to be prepared to quickly stamp out any future cases in New Zealand.”
New Zealand has 23 active cases in managed isolation facilities, and 1,219 cases in total so far.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has kicked off her re-election campaign calling it a ‘Covid election’.
Mainland Chinas has reported 23 new coronavirus cases, down from 31 a day earlier.
China’s health authority said 15 of the new cases were transmitted locally and eight were imported infections.
The total number of infections in mainland China now stands at 84,619, with the death toll unchanged at 4,634.
More than 139,000 jobs in England, Scotland and Wales are expected to be cut, according to figures obtained by the BBC in a Freedom of Information request.
Nearly 1,800 UK companies told the Government of plans to cut 20 or more jobs in June as the coronavirus wreaked havoc on the country’s economy, the figures suggest.
Royal Mail, Centrica and The Restaurant Group – which owns Frankie and Benny’s – were among those announcing four-digit job losses.
The FOI showed 1,778 companies informed the Insolvency Service of their intention to cut more than 139,000 jobs in England, Scotland and Wales.
This compares to 345 companies announcing a total of 24,000 job losses in June 2019, the BBC said.
The UK economy shrank by more than 20% in the first half of the year due to Covid-19, and grim news has continued with further announcements of job losses seen in the past seven days.
Dixons Carphone, Pizza Express, Hays Travel and DW Sports all announced major redundancies, or plans that could put hundreds of jobs at risk.
More than 26,000 jobs were lost at British employers in July, according to analysis by the PA news agency.
More than 52,000 people have died with coronavirus in Mexico, according to the latest figures.
The nation’s health ministry reported 6,495 new confirmed coronavirus infections and 695 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 475,902 cases and 52,006 deaths.
Mexico has the third highest coronavirus death toll in the world, behind Brazil and the United States.
Officials have said the real number of people infected is likely to be significantly higher than the confirmed cases.
US President Donald Trump has signed executive orders partly restoring enhanced unemployment payments to Americans who lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.
It comes as the US passes the grim milestone of five million cases of coronavirus and a death toll of more than 160,000 people.
Earlier this week aid negotiations between the White House and Democrats broke down.
The new orders will provide an extra $400 per week in unemployment payments. Earlier in the crisis, unemployment payments stood at $600 per week.
Mr Trump said: “This is the money they need, this is the money they want, this gives them an incentive to go back to work.”
Some of the measures could face legal challenges and the executive orders drew immediate criticism from some Democrats.
Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said: “Donald Trump is trying to distract from his failure to extend the $600 federal boost for 30 million unemployed workers by issuing illegal executive orders.”
“This scheme is a classic Donald Trump con: playacting at leadership while robbing people of the support they desperately need.” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called the orders a “series of half-baked measures”.
The Queen will not be required to wear a face mask at Balmoral despite concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The monarch travelled to Scotland with the Duke of Edinburgh on Tuesday for her traditional summer break.
Before their arrival, courtiers spent weeks planning how the “new normal” would work at the castle.
Due to the limited number of staff – dubbed HMS Bubble – that are in close contact with her and Philip, 99, no one has to wear a face mask.
Read the full story here
Boris Johnson has spoken of “a moral duty” to get all children back in class amid indications he would force pubs, restaurants and shops to close ahead of schools in the event of severe coronavirus flare-ups.
The Prime Minister is understood to favour only closing schools as the last resort after scientific advisers warned more restrictions may be needed to reopen classrooms in England next month.
A No 10 source said on Saturday that Mr Johnson’s expectation is that schools would be the last sector to close, with firms being shut first in the event of severe local lockdowns.
“The PM has been clear that businesses including shops, pubs and restaurants should be forced to close first, with schools remaining open for as long as possible,” the source said.
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Britain could be heading for full lockdown again by the end of the month.
And the PM must act NOW to prevent it, a former government chief scientific adviser warns today.
Sir David King said: “We need a proper test and trace system by September. Otherwise full school opening will put us right back.”
Sir David says we are “nowhere near” the safe reopening of schools.
For the full story, click here
The number of coronavirus cases in the US has passed five million since the start of the pandemic, new data shows.
New Covid-19 cases have risen sharply, with Florida, California and Texas heavily hit in the past week.
More than 165,000 people have died from the deadly virus.
Two giant pandas have been left stranded with their food supply fast running out because of the coronavirus crisis.
Loveable Er Shun and Da Mao are unable to return to their native China as zoo bosses in Canada have been unable to secure international travel permits.
The situation is becoming critical due to a dwindling supply of bamboo.
Bosses at Calgary Zoo have warned they could soon be unable to feed the pandas.
They each devour around 40kg of bamboo each day – with the plant making up 99% of their diet.
For the full story, click here
Cuba placed Havana back on a strict lockdown on Saturday following a rebound in coronavirus cases, ordering restaurants, bars and pools once more to close, suspending public transportation and banning access to the beach.
Cuba, which has been hailed as a rare success story in Latin America for its textbook handling and containment of its coronavirus outbreak, had eased lockdown restrictions last month after cases dwindled to a handful per day.
But they have risen back to April levels over the past two weeks, with the health ministry reporting 59 cases on Saturday and saying the situation could become “uncontrollable” if authorities did not act fast.
People strolling along the banks of the River Seine or browsing open-air markets in Paris must wear a face mask from Monday after authorities imposed new measures to curb a rise in coronavirus infections.
The order, which applies to people aged 11 and over, covers busy outdoor areas in the French capital, although tourist sites such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees boulevard were not listed.
Data showed the virus had begun circulating more widely in Paris and its lower-income suburbs since mid-July.
The rate of positive tests in the greater Paris region now stood at 2.4% compared with a national average of 1.6%, it said.
A coronavirus cluster in Aberdeen has risen to 110 cases, with the number of people required to self-isolate doubling overnight.
A total of 39 new cases have been detected in the NHS Grampian area in the last 24 hours, though the health board said it could not confirm how many were linked to the outbreak.
It said 643 close contacts of detected cases in the cluster have been identified, and will be required to self-isolate.
This is up on the 313 close contacts reported on Friday. Susan Webb, director of Public Health for NHS Grampian, said: “There has been a substantial rise in the number of close contacts which is not entirely unexpected.
“We speak to detected cases more than once, as we know they will recall different details as they reflect on what they have been doing and where, and who they have met.
“We remain extremely grateful for the support and co-operation of each of them, the information they provide ensures our investigation can be as thorough as possible.”
More than 170 new positive cases of coronavirus have been notified in Ireland’s latest daily update. One further death with Covid-19 and 174 new cases were reported by the Department of Health on Saturday.
It comes as new restrictions are in force for those living in counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly – aimed at stemming the spread of coronavirus.
Of the latest cases, the majority (110) are located in Kildare, followed by Dublin (seven), Cork (seven), Offaly (seven) and six in Meath.
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn described Saturday’s figures as “high, but not unexpected”.
Pubs create the “perfect storm” for spreading coronavirus and carry more risk than planes, according to academics.
Punters drinking together in an indoor pub are potentially subjecting themselves to a build-up of infected droplets caused by poor ventilation and people having continuous conversations, often speaking more loudly to be heard over the din of a noisy bar, the experts warn.
Dr Julian W Tang, honorary associate professor of respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester, said if you can smell garlic on someone’s breath it means you are close enough to be inhaling their air.
“If the air space is poorly ventilated, that air that’s full of virus is not going to go anywhere. It’s going to linger there until the virus dries up and dies over time,” he told the PA news agency, adding that the most common method of transmission in the UK is probably “conversational exposure”.
Nearly 750,000 coronavirus test kits must be called, the UK’s medicine regulator said today.
Randox Laboratories, a Northern Ireland-based medical technology company, has been instructed to recall up to 741,000 coronavirus test kits from the national test and trace programme as a precautionary measure.
The government had on July 15 instructed the programme, run by the National Health Service (NHS), to stop using the kits, citing concerns that they may not meet required safety standards.
“The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has instructed Randox to recall all Randox test kits from NHS Test and Trace testing settings,” the ministry of health said in a statement.
The ministry said the decision had been taken as a “precautionary’’ measure.
The risk to safety was low and test results from Randox kits were not affected, it said.
Authorities have placed beaches on the south coast on ‘red alert’ because of overcrowding – despite pleas for tourists to stay away.
Most of Bournemouth beach put on red alert after crowds flocked to the beach throughout the morning, Somerset Live reports.
The alert means authorities believe social distancing is impossible.
While some small stretches remain on orange alert, much of the beach has now been deemed unsafe and people are being told to avoid the beach because “safe social distancing is not possible”.
For the full story, click here
The UK’s official coronavirus death toll has risen to 46,566 after 55 more patients died in all settings.
The tragic figure was released by the government this afternoon.
A further 758 cases of the deadly virus were confirmed in 24 hours, bringing the number of people to test positive since the start of the pandemic to 309,763.
For the full story, click here
Care home residents will soon be able to receive more outdoor visitors in Scotland, despite 60 new cases of coronavirus being recorded in the last 24 hours.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed plans for up to three outdoor visitors from no more than two households from Monday.
It is the first change in visiting rules since July 3, when it was announced one designated visitor would be allowed outdoors.
But care homes will only be able to allow a visit at all if the facility has been Covid-free during the pandemic, or affected residents have fully recovered and no residents or staff have had symptoms for 28 days.
Restarting indoor visiting is still not advised, Ms Freeman said.
A beachgoer abandoned her day out as she complained people are “on top of you” and ‘not following the social distancing rules’.
People are being warned to observe social distancing and avoid packed beaches as temperatures surge around the UK.
One woman said she tried to spend a day at Bournemouth beach with her family and arrived early to make sure they could get a spot away from others.
But she said the beach continued to get busier and in the end they had to leave early and cut the day short because people were ‘coming on top of you’.
The full story is here.