Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, has said in a television interview that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
Mr Bolsonaro confirmed the test results while wearing a mask and speaking to reporters in the capital Brasilia.
"I'm well, normal. I even want to take a walk around here, but I can't due to medical recommendations," Mr Bolsonaro said.
On Monday he said that he had undergone another test for Covid-19, telling reporters that his lungs were "clean".
Local media had reported that he was showing symptoms of the disease, including a fever.
Mr Bolsonaro has repeatedly talked down the impact of the virus in his country, while Brazil suffered one of the world's worst outbreaks during the pandemic, with more than 65,000 reported deaths.
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10:03 PM
Texas passes 10,000 confirmed new virus cases in single day
Texas surpassed 10,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time, crossing a sobering milestone rarely seen since the pandemic first hit the US in March.
The record high of 10,028 new cases in Texas served as another alarming new measure of the swift resurgence of Covid-19 nationwide and the failures of the country's response.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas aggressively began one of America's fastest reopenings in May, but reversed course last week, ordering bars closed and mandating face coverings in much of the state.
New York and Florida are the only other states to record more than 10,000 new cases in a single day. New York hit that grim total back in April, when New York City hospitals were overwhelmed and hundreds of people were dying every day. Florida topped 10,000 confirmed cases last week.
09:52 PM
"It's time the tech giants cracked down on the anti-vaxx infodemic"
The campaign against vaccines is sometimes called a “movement”, but with the help of tech giants it has become a billion dollar industry, in which ideologues, hucksters and tech giants benefit from each other.
That is the central finding of the new report from my organisation, the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
So how does it all work? Take Californian huckster and conspiracy theorist, David ‘Avocado’ Wolfe. Wolfe is not a medical doctor, but Facebook broadcasts his health advice to more than 12 million followers, who go on to broadcast that to millions more.
He posts this free advice for a simple reason: he wants to sell his range of paid-for wellness seminars and nutritional supplements. Wolfe is also an anti-vaccine campaigner or “anti-vaxxer”.
This might sound like it doesn’t fit with his alternative health business, but in fact it’s an integral part of it. Trashing mainstream medicine is part of the sales pitch. Facebook knowingly acts as his shop front, serving ads to his slavish adherents, many of whom will put us all at risk by refusing to take a coronavirus vaccine.
Trump says Harvard move to online courses due to virus 'ridiculous'
US President Donald Trump lashed out at Harvard University, calling its decision to move all its courses online in the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic "ridiculous."
"I think it's ridiculous. I think it's an easy way out. And I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves," Trump said at a White House roundtable discussion, during which he called for schools and universities to reopen for the next semester.
Trump, who is campaigning for reelection in November, has taken a bullish approach to reopening the country even as virus infections continue to spike, particularly the south and west.
"Everybody wants it. The moms want it. The dads want it. The kids want it. It's time to do it," he said.
"We want to get our schools open, we want to get them open quickly, beautifully, in the fall."
09:12 PM
Accidental chemical poisonings surge as children eat hand sanitiser and public clean food in bleach
Misinformation, misuse and misleading labeling are among the reasons for a global spike in calls to poison centres amid the pandemic. Sarah Newey has the latest:
Speaking at a World Health Organization event on Tuesday, experts warned that poison health centres across the globe have reported a significant spike in calls.
One facility in Chile reported a 60 per cent rise in cases in March and April compared with the same period last year, while the US’s national poison data system has reported a 20 per cent increase in calls related to disinfectant exposure.
“We quite quickly realised that there were some chemical issues arising from the outbreak,” said Joanna Tempowski, from the WHO’s unit of chemical safety and health.
“Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is found very widely in people’s homes, and this has been associated with an increase in accidental ingestion by children. And also in care homes by elderly and confused residents - these products are around and out on the counter, so they are easy to access,” she added.
But there has also been widespread misuse of cleaning products, driven by anxiety around cleanliness amid the pandemic.
Disney says it will go ahead with Walt Disney World reopening on Saturday
Walt Disney Co will stick to its plans to reopen its Walt Disney World theme parks in Orlando, Florida, to a limited number of guests on Saturday, the company said in a statement.
Florida's coronavirus cases have soared in the last month, with the state's daily count topping 10,000 three times in the last week.
Some workers have signed a petition asking Disney to delay Walt Disney World's reopening.
SeaWorld and Universal Orlando reopened earlier June 2020, while Disney plans to reopen in phases starting July 11, - John Raoux /AP
08:44 PM
US withdrawal from WHO to take effect July 2021, says UN
The United States will leave the World Health Organization on July 6, 2021, the United Nations said after receiving formal notification of the decision by President Donald Trump.
Trump had to give one-year notice of the US withdrawal from the Geneva-based UN agency under a 1948 joint resolution of the U.S. Congress, which also obliges Washington to pay financial support.
The United States currently owes the WHO more than $200 million in assessed contributions, according to the WHO website.
“The Secretary-General ... is in the process of verifying with the World Health Organization whether all the conditions for such withdrawal are met,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
08:35 PM
Chile tops 300,000 virus cases, plans to lift lockdown
Chile has surpassed 300,000 coronavirus cases on after reporting more than 2,400 new infections over the last 24 hours, prompting the South American country to move ahead with easing its lockdown.
There were 50 new deaths, bringing the total to more than 6,400, although the health ministry believes another 3,500 deaths were probably caused by the virus.
Chile's numbers have been declining for more than three weeks, and the country is now planning to ease confinement measures.
08:11 PM
Charity condemns Trump WHO move
Following our post at 19:53 that Donald Trump has reportedly formally withdrawn from the World Health Organisation, the international charity WaterAid has condemned the move.
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive of WaterAid UK, said: “The world is currently facing its biggest health crisis for over a century, a crisis that will only be brought to an end by global cooperation.
"The World Health Organization is more crucial now than ever before in its history so Trump’s decision to quit is reckless.”
“A global pandemic requires a global response, and the WHO is a critical instrument for that,” said Kelly Parsons, CEO of WaterAid America.
08:01 PM
Podcast: Denial, rising cases and a positive test result for Brazil's President Bolsonaro
As President Bolsonaro becomes the latest Brazilian to test positive for the virus, Euan Marshall joins Theodora Louloudis from São Paulo to discuss why he's taking an unproven cure for the virus, his aversion to lockdown restrictions and why the crisis hasn't provided a crushing blow to his popularity.
You can listen to the latest episode above.
07:57 PM
Trump says he will pressure governors to open schools in the fall
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would pressure state governors to open schools in the fall, despite a steady increase in coronavirus cases across the country.
Speaking at a White House event to discuss reopening of schools, Trump said some people wanted to keep schools closed for political reasons.
"No way, so we're very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools," Trump said.
07:40 PM
Zimbabwe president sacks health minister for corruption
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Tuesday he has sacked his health minister, who has been charged with corruption over illegally awarding a £16 million contract for coronavirus testing.
Obadiah Moyo, 66, was arrested last month following an investigation by the southern African country's anti-graft commission. He has been released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 31.
Presidential chief secretary Misheck Sibanda said Tuesday that Mnangagwa removed Moyo from office for "conduct inappropriate for a government minister".
Moyo is accused of awarding athe million contract to Drax Consult SAGL, a Dubai-based company created just months ago, to supply personal protective equipment and Covid-19 test kits.
07:30 PM
Watch: Has the pandemic killed live music?
Just like every other non-essential business, live music venues shut their doors when the lockdown was imposed.
While many firms face challenges with the easing of lockdown, live music venues are still closed - leaving them particularly concerned for their future.
“The four pillars of a live music experience are being in a confined space, being near people, singing and dancing. Well those are four high-risk activities,” said Mark Davyd, chief executive of Music Venue Trust.
Rents are the most pressing concern for small venues, he added, with few afforded payment holidays or reduced rates by landlords.
Singer-songwriter C.A.R said: “Not only is the live performance creatively a really important part of the process, but also financially.”
The government announced a £1.5 billion package to help the arts and Mr Davyd said venues are working closely with the authorities to guarantee their survival.
07:13 PM
Texas Republicans to hold in-person convention despite virus
The Texas Republican Party plans to hold its state convention in person next week in Houston, ignoring requests by the city's Democratic mayor that it be held virtually due to a surge in coronavirus infections.
The event is scheduled for July 16-18 inside a convention center that can accommodate 6,000 people.
"A state convention of a political party is a fundamental exercise of the freedom to peaceably assemble," Republican Party of Texas (RPT) chairman James Dickey said late Monday in a statement.
06:53 PM
Congress told that Trump has withdrawn from WHO
US President Donald Trump has formally withdrawn the United States from the World Health Organization, making good on threats over the UN body's response to the coronavirus, a senator has said.
"Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the US from the WHO in the midst of a pandemic," Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, wrote on Twitter.
Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the @WHO in the midst of a pandemic.
To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn't do it justice. This won't protect American lives or interests—it leaves Americans sick & America alone.
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) July 7, 2020
06:41 PM
Jeremy Hunt says the Government initially saw controlling spread of Covid as a 'futile exercise'
Here's the latest from Henry Bodkin, our Health and Science Correspondent:
The former Health Secretary, who has been a consistent critic of the official strategy, said that because Whitehall was geared up to fight an influenza pandemic, ministers never believed they could keep prevalence of the disease below 50 per cent.
Instead, The Government assumed that a level of "herd immunity" would be reached naturally, he said.
"I don't think we are aiming for herd immunity but because our mindset was around tackling flu pandemics, there was a sense that basically it would be impossible to hold the prevalence rate of this disease below 50 per cent of the population and ultimately 60 per cent catching it was an inevitability," Mr Hunt told a meeting of the Independent Sage group of scientists, chaired by the BMJ.
He added: "So we had that mindset that this was a futile exercise. That is why we took so long to really embrace test and trace, because ultimately we thought once community transmission has got beyond a certain point, there's just no point."
Following our post at 18:23, more scientists have weighed in to give their thoughts on the idea that the UK should pursue eliminating the virus in the country.
Dr Stephen Griffin, Associate Professor in the School of Medicine, University of Leeds, said:
“The report and plan put forward by independent SAGE represents a clear way forward for UK, and in particular England, to escape from the present limbo in which we find ourselves.
“Whilst economic considerations are clearly behind the ongoing relaxation of lockdown measures, the prospect of protracted lockdown cycles will represent far greater cost.
Several examples of countries around the world show us that elimination is a viable strategy for controlling SARS-COV2, and Scotland appears to be on a similar path.
"I sincerely hope that the Government will listen to this advice and allow itself to be led by science once again."
Prof Mark Woolhouse, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, said:
“The Independent SAGE report proposes a strategy of COVID-19 “elimination” from the British Isles. Elimination means zero cases.
"This is a worthy but extremely ambitious aim; neither China nor South Korea has yet achieved elimination, and they were the first countries to bring their COVID-19 epidemics under control.
"To achieve elimination for the UK and Ireland within a reasonable time frame would presumably require a contact tracing system as good as South Korea’s and a lockdown as strict as China’s.
"The former is already UK government policy but the latter is not; every country in the British Isles is currently attempting to relax lockdown as quickly and as safely as possible."
06:00 PM
US reports 2,932,596 coronavirus cases
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 2,932,596 cases of new coronavirus.
This is an increase of 46,329 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 322 to 130,133.
05:34 PM
WHO echoes call for solidarity first issued by Mandela twenty years prior
The World Health Organization has once again called for solidarity in the fight against Covid-19 by reminding the world of the threat it once faced and the divisions it then overcame following the 1980 Aids epidemic.
Quoting the late Nelson Mandela, WHO chief Dr Tedros said: "Twenty years ago, Nelson Mandela closed the AIDS conference by saying: “This is, as I understand it, a gathering of human beings concerned about turning around one of the greatest threats humankind has faced."
"Those words from Madiba echoed through a generation of activists and policy makers alike and I say them today as a message to the world.
“More than six months in, the case for national unity and global solidarity is undeniable.
"To beat the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure that essential health services for diseases like HIV continue; we cannot afford any divisions.
“I will say it again. National unity. Global solidarity. This is our only road out of this pandemic"
This week UNAids warned that millions of Covid-19 deaths could have been prevented if the world had paid more attention to the painful lessons learnt during the 1980s Aids crisis, after its latest annual report showed that progress against both diseases is stalling.
While new HIV infections have been reduced by 40 per cent since the peak in 1998, the coronavirus pandemic has collided with on-going HIV epidemic and experts worry that decades of hard won gains could soon be undone.
Jordan Kelly-Linden has more on the lastest UNAids report here.
05:26 PM
French coronavirus death toll up 13 at 29,933
The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France rose by 13 to 29,933, but that figure takes into account a downward revision of fatalities in nursing homes.
The number of people who died in hospitals increased by 34 to 19,457, compared to the daily average of 23 over the past seven days.
The health ministry also reported the death toll in nursing homes now stands at 10,476, versus 10,497 a week earlier.
05:23 PM
Government strategy should aim to eradicated Covid, experts say
The Government's current strategy to deal with coronavirus is "inadequate" and should be replaced with the aim of eradicating the virus from the UK, leading scientists have said.
Dr Gabriel Scally, professor of public health at the University of Bristol, said that the "firm" measures taken across the UK have been successful in curbing the "enormous" death toll but had not succeeded in eliminating the virus. Dr Scally said:
"The firm measures that have eventually been taken across the UK have succeeded in curbing the enormous death toll but what they have not succeeded in doing in much of the UK is curbing the virus.
"Independent Sage has seen no evidence that the Government has a considered strategy for the next stages of handling the pandemic in the UK.
"The level of positive cases (in England) remains high and the Government strategy appears to be one of containing the situation as it is currently and dealing with any outbreaks but that to our mind is inadequate."
05:08 PM
WHO experts to travel to China at weekend to study Covid-19 origins
The World Health Organization has announced that experts from the global body would travel to China at the weekend to prepare a study of the origins of the novel coronavirus and how it jumped from animals to humans.
"The best place to start is clearly where the disease emerged in humans first, and where the disease emerged in humans first, where the first clusters of atypical pneumonia occurred, was in Wuhan," Dr Mike Ryan head of the WHO's emergencies programme, told a news briefing in Geneva.
Heavily criticised by the United States and others who have accused it of secrecy and a late response to the outbreak, which emerged in the central city of Wuhan late last year, China has said it was transparent throughout the early stages of the pandemic.
04:56 PM
New York expands coronavirus travel quarantine as US pandemic widens
Visitors from three more US states who travel to New York will be required to quarantine for 14 days to control the spread of coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced, as alarm grew over a surge in infections in large parts of the country.
New York state, which had been the early epicenter of the US outbreak, unveiled the travel advisory last month in an effort to prevent a resurgence after the state got its outbreak under control.
Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma, all of which are grappling with "significant" community spread of the virus, have been added to the list, Cuomo announced in a statement, bringing the total number of states under the travel advisory to 19.
New Jersey, which along with New York had experienced the brunt of the early part of the US outbreak, also added the three states to its quarantine order.
Parts of the United States, including Florida, Texas and California, have experienced a sharp rise in infections in the past two weeks, an indication that the pandemic remains largely uncontrolled despite the end of lockdowns to control its spread.
04:49 PM
Watch: Circus performers deliver letter to Downing Street asking for help during coronavirus pandemic
A group of circus performers have delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for more help from the government during the coronavirus pandemic.
Circuses have not been allowed to open, nor have they been included in the government's arts rescue plan.
Unless they get urgent financial support, or are allowed to open for the busy summer season, the industry fears it will collapse within two weeks.
04:46 PM
Ecuador's vice president resigns after leading state Covid-19 response
Ecuador's vice president, Otto Sonnenholzner, has resigned amid a coronavirus outbreak that ravaged the country's largest city of Guayaquil, though he saw his profile bolstered by leading the government's efforts to restart the economy.
Sonnenholzner, who was in office for 18 months, is President Lenin Moreno's third deputy to resign since Moreno began his term in mid-2017. In a televised statement, Sonnenholzner did not give a reason for his decision, or confirm media speculation that he plans to run in presidential elections next year.
"I'm leaving from here with the satisfaction of a responsibility fulfilled," Sonnenholzner said.
04:33 PM
WHO reviewing evidence on airborne transmission
Anne Gulland, our Global Health Security Correspondent, has more on our post from 17:10:
The WHO says Covid-19 spreads primarily through small droplets, which are expelled from the nose and mouth when an infected person breaths them out in coughs, sneezes, speech or laughter and quickly sink to the ground.
In an open letter published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, 239 scientists in 32 countries outlined the evidence they say shows that smaller exhaled particles can infect people who inhale them.
Because those smaller particles can linger in the air longer, the scientists are urging WHO to update its guidance.
They wrote: "Studies by the signatories and other scientists have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure at distances beyond one to two metres from an infected individual."
Watch: Five million Melbourne residents prepare for six weeks of staying at home
More than five million residents of Melbourne will be locked down for six weeks after Covid-19 cases surged in Australia's second-biggest city, authorities announced today.
State Premier Daniel Andrews said the lockdown would begin at midnight on Wednesday and last at least six weeks, as he warned residents "we can't pretend" the coronavirus crisis is over.
After the south-eastern city detected 191 new cases in 24 hours, Andrews said there were now too many incidents of the virus to trace and track.
04:10 PM
WHO acknowledges 'emerging evidence' of airborne spread of Covid-19
The World Health Organization has acknowledged "emerging evidence" of the airborne spread of coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease is spread.
Speaking at a briefing in Geneva, WHO expert Benedetta Allegranzi said the organization believed it had "been open to the evidence on modes of transmission" of the new virus.
04:02 PM
People refusing coronavirus treatment may face jail in Italy
People who test positive for the coronavirus but refuse hospital treatment could face a prison sentence under a new regulation introduced in Italy's northeastern region of Veneto.
The order by Governor Luca Zaia says that until the end of July hospitals must tell the public prosecutor's office of anyone refusing admission after testing positive.
Anyone returning to Veneto, which includes the city of Venice, must also be given two compulsory swab tests, the regional order says if they are returning from a business trip outside the European Union or a non-Schengen country.
Under Italian law, anyone who negligently spreads an epidemic risks a prison sentence up to 12 years, while anyone who does so wilfully may face up to life imprisonment.
"It is a way to partially compensate the national law that does not require isolation upon return from a non-EU country if the stay abroad lasts up to five days", Zaia said during a news briefing which was streamed via Facebook.
03:50 PM
President Bolsonaro and US ambassador had lunch together without masks last week
The US Ambassador Todd Chapman is said not to be showing any symptoms, but he is reportedly "taking the necessary precautions and will be tested."
They had lunch together for the July 4 celebration, where none of the attendees wore a mask.
As President Bolsonaro waits for his covid test results, the U.S. Embassy in Brazil says the Ambassador Todd Chapman does not show any symptoms, but he is taking the necessary precautions and will be tested.
Don’t repeat mistakes of HIV crisis with Covid-19 response, UNAids warns
Millions of Covid-19 deaths could have been prevented if the world had paid more attention to the painful lessons learnt during the 1980s Aids crisis, according to experts leading the global fight against HIV.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) says that the poorest and most vulnerable communities continue to be hit the hardest by the ongoing HIV global epidemic.
Its annual report warns that progress against the disease is stalling, and that the successes and failures of the global HIV response provide a blueprint for countries currently in the grip of their own coronavirus crisis.
And it advised that governments must not let private companies profit from death and despair in the race to find a coronavirus cure, as they did in the early days of HIV.
No refund if local lockdown ruins your holiday, Britons warned
British travellers have been warned they may be unable to claim a refund for a holiday lost to a local lockdown, regional quarantine rules or the need to self-isolate on return.
Overseas trips will be possible once again from this weekend, after the Government revealed its plans for “travel corridors”, but with a number of countries retaining a variety of entry restrictions, Britons risk being a victim of disruption.
Alex Neill, CEO of arbitration firm Resolver, said he does not expect to see a fall in holiday-related complaints over the summer. “We expect to see further cancellations from providers but at least in those circumstances consumers should get their money back,” he said.
“What isn't being made clear enough to people booking now is that they are bearing all of the risk. If local lockdowns, holiday quarantine rules or being notified of the need to self-isolate in the UK stops you from travelling then you're very unlikely to be able to get a refund.”
An Indian civic worker sprays disinfectant in the residential area of a 'containment zone' in Malvani, a Covid-19 hotspot, in Mumbai, India - Shutterstock A boy sells face masks in the street in Peshawar, Pakistan - Reuters A new way to wear PPE, as modelled by a buffalo in Peshawar, Pakistan Volunteers from the opposition Singapore Democratic Party and incumbent People's Action Party hand out flyers at a train station ahead of the general elections in Singapore, due to be held on July 10 - Shutterstock
02:37 PM
Military deploying medical personnel as Texas sees spike in coronavirus patients
The US military announced on Monday that it is sending approximately 50 medical and support personnel to the San Antonio area at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a sign of potential concern that civilian medical personnel could be overwhelmed by the rise in cases in Texas, CNN reports.
The personnel, from the 627th Hospital Center in Carson, Colorado, will "provide medical assistance by embedding in medical care facilities in the San Antonio, Texas area," according to a statement from the US Northern Command, which oversees US military operations in North America.
"The medical personnel include emergency room and critical care nurses, respiratory specialists and support personnel," the statement continued.
Texas has seen over 194,900 cases and 2,600 deaths from the virus, making it one of the leaders among the 32 states reporting higher rates of new cases this week compared to the last, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
The state is expected to see nearly 2,000 new hospitalizations per day by mid-July, according to forecasts published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
02:33 PM
Row over PM's care home comments rages on...
The ongoing row over the Prime Minister's comments about care homes, where he said that many "didn't follow procedures" to protect patients, shows no sign of subsiding this afternoon.
David Crabtree, from Crabtree Care Homes in Yorkshire, is one of the many to add his views on Mr Johnson's comments and called on him to apologise:
"He’s wrong, and it’s an appalling statement to make," he said. "This is an intelligent, articulate man, the Prime Minister, who should not be throwing off-the-cuff remarks that are so hurtful and derogatory to our staff.
"These staff, throughout the nation, have fought valiantly for these people ... These are residents who we’ve cared for for many years. And now we’re told ‘it was our fault’. This is absolutely ridiculous.
"He may well have misinterpreted himself. But surely by now, as an adult, I beseech you, Boris Johnson, for the nation’s carers and home care workers, please apologise. That’s my message to you."
02:26 PM
Accidental chemical poisonings surge as children eat hand sanitiser and public clean food in bleach
Accidental chemical poisonings have surged amid the coronavirus pandemic, as misinformation and heightened demand for hand sanitisers and disinfectants has led to inappropriate use.
Speaking at a World Health Organization event today, experts warned that poison health centres across the globe have reported a significant spike in calls.
One facility in Chile reported a 60 per cent rise in cases in March and April compared with the same period last year, while the US’s national poison data system has reported a 20 per cent increase in calls related to disinfectant exposure.
Part of this is down to widespread misuse of cleaning products, driven by anxiety around cleanliness amid the pandemic.
Joanna Tempowski, from the WHO’s unit of chemical safety and health said that some people have been hospitalised after mixing cleaning products, for instance bleach combined with vinegar, resulting in the generation of toxic gases including chlorine. Others have used bleach to clean their skin, or ingested it in an attempt to kill the virus.
The Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has undergone another test for Covid-19 and had his lungs scanned, after local media reported he had symptoms associated with the virus.
The president’s office said the test results were expected today. According to CNN Brasil, his official events have been cancelled for the day.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the impact of the virus, even as Brazil has suffered one of the world’s worst outbreaks, with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases and 65,000 related deaths, according to official data on Monday.
The right-wing populist has often defied local guidelines to wear a mask in public, even after a judge ordered him to do so in late June.
He tested negative for the virus after several aides were diagnosed following a visit to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in March.
02:12 PM
Europe deaths top 200,000
More than 200,000 people have now died with Covid-19 in Europe, according to an AFP tally.
Britain, Italy, France and Spain account for more than two thirds of the 200,005 deaths now registered from a total of 2,751,606 cases across the continent.
Europe is so far the continent that has been hardest hit by the pandemic, which has killed 538,418 people across the world.
Britain, which has officially recorded 44,236 deaths, and Italy 34,869 fatalities, have so far suffered the worst in Europe.
France's death toll has reached 29,920 while Spain has recorded 28,388 fatalities.
02:01 PM
Republicans to provide mandatory testing at convention next month
The Republican Party will provide mandatory coronavirus testing at its national convention in Florida next month, Reuters reports.
Quite how the tests will be conducted is not yet clear.
“Everyone attending the convention within the perimeter will be tested and temperature checked each day,” wrote Erin Isaac, communications director for the host committee, in a memo to reporters.
The convention was originally supposed to take place in North Carolina but was moved to Florida amid concerns over the pandemic.
The decision to relocate was made prior to Florida’s recent spike in cases, which have grown from 667 new cases on June 1 to more than 10,000 new cases on Monday.
01:56 PM
People wary of others viewing fake Covid-19 news, survey finds
People are more worried about the amount of coronavirus misinformation others are exposed to than themselves, a survey suggests.
Six in 10 Britons told Ofcom that they are concerned about the potentially harmful information others may see online related to the virus, compared with just over a third of respondents (36 per cent) who were concerned about their own consumption of such fake news.
It comes as 29 per cent of respondents revealed they have come across false or misleading information about Covid-19 in the last week, down from a peak of 50 per cent during the third and fifth week of lockdown.
Those who come across fake news did so fairly frequently, with more than six in 10 (62 per cent) saying they had seen some at least once a day and one quarter (25 per cent) a few times a week.
The regulator - which has spoken to 2,000 adults every week since lockdown was announced - found that claims linking 5G to the virus remain the most commonly seen piece of misinformation, although their prevalence has decreased over time.
01:52 PM
Reopening weekend falls short for pubs and restaurants
Pubs and restaurants missed out on a major sales boost during their reopening weekend as trading almost halved from a year earlier, new figures suggest.
Sales across hospitality, leisure and entertainment were only 7 per cent higher than the previous weekend when the vast majority of sites were shut, according to spending data from Barclaycard. They were down by 45 per cent on the same period a year earlier.
Trading at pubs and bars almost quadrupled from the previous weekend from very low levels. Restaurants - many more of which have continued to offer delivery and takeaway services during lockdown - were up by a much more modest 13 per cent.
There have been no further deaths in Northern Ireland of patients with Covid-19, according to the latest daily bulletin from the Department of Health in the region.
Wales recorded a further three deaths today, Scotland one, and England 36.
01:43 PM
Mail sent during lockdown requested for museum collection
A London museum is requesting people's letters, greetings cards and packaging which they have sent or received during lockdown to form part of its collection.
The Postal Museum has called for donations of items sent in the mail to mark how the pandemic has been reflected in the postal system and highlight the importance of the post during this time.
Head of collections Chris Taft said the pandemic had "created new and different meanings to the purpose and value of the post".
"We want our museum collections to reflect how postal operations have changed to deal with the pandemic, how people are using the post to maintain personal relationships and the importance of the post to the economy," he said.
01:34 PM
Workers to pay tax on virus tests by employers
Workers who have coronavirus tests paid for by their employer will be taxed on them, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak has pledged to look into the matter.
The Government has confirmed that tests will be treated as a "benefit in kind", meaning employees will have to pay income tax on them.
With some employers requiring regular tests, Treasury Committee chair Mel Stride has warned that tax bills will mount, and that many key workers may be faced with the "perverse incentive of avoiding employer-sponsored tests in order to reduce their tax bill".
Rishi Sunak has promised to look into the issue "very quickly".
01:26 PM
French bus driver attacked over face mask stance is declared brain dead
A bus driver in France was declared brain dead on Monday after being attacked for refusing to let passengers on board without face masks, in line with rules imposed to combat coronavirus.
A police source in Bayonne, near the ritzy Atlantic resort of Biarritz in south-western France, said five people were now in custody over the incident on Sunday evening.
The source said the driver, in his fifties, tried to prevent a man who was not wearing a face mask from boarding the bus with his dog.
The driver also asked four other passengers, who had already mounted the bus without masks, to get off.
A further 36 people have died in hospitals in England after testing positive for Covid-19, NHS England has said.
The patients were between 53 and 98 years old and all but two of them - who were both in their 80s - had underlying health conditions.
01:18 PM
Further three deaths in Wales
Public Health Wales said a further three people had died after testing positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths to 1,534, while the total cases recorded in Wales increased by seven to 15,900.
The latest number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Wales has been updated.
— Public Health Wales (@PublicHealthW) July 7, 2020
01:14 PM
Watch: Hancock dodges demand for apology over PM's comment on care homes
01:08 PM
Rome suspends flights from Bangladesh after virus cases
Italy's health minister has today ordered the suspension of flights to Rome from Bangladesh, after a spate of coronavirus cases within the community that authorities worry could expand.
On Monday, the Lazio region surrounding Rome issued a special decree calling for passengers from Dhaka to be given virus tests upon their arrival at Rome's Fiumicino airport.
Of the 225 arriving Dhaka passengers on Monday, 21 tested positive for the virus, Lazio's top health official Alessio D'Amato said, calling it a "veritable viral 'bomb' that we've defused".
Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement that a one-week suspension of flights had been ordered.
01:00 PM
Coronavirus around the world, in pictures
People enact an awareness street play on Covid-19 after the Government eased a nationwide lockdown in Chennai, India - AFP People enjoy the weather at Kisirkaya Beach in Turkey after authorities allowed the reopening of restaurants, cafes, parks and beaches, as well as lifting the ban on inter-city travel - Shutterstock Barbers get to work in Dhaka, Bangladesh - AFP Spanish students begin university entrance exams at a social distance - Shutterstock Medical personnel prepare to test hundreds of people lined up in vehicles in Phoenix, USA, organised by Equality Health Foundation, which focuses on care in underserved communities - AP
12:49 PM
Conservative party conference to go virtual
The Conservative party conference this October has been cancelled and will be replaced by a "virtual" event.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have already cancelled their conferences because of the coronavirus.
But Conservative party members were informed this morning that the Birmingham event has finally been shelved, to protect the "health and safety of members, delegates and attendees".
"Most" of the conference will be moved online, although details have not been shared yet.
Follow all the latest political updates on our live blog here.
12:42 PM
Hancock: Infection rate in Leicester has dropped
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that the number of new coronavirus cases in Leicester has dropped.
He told the House of Commons that the seven-day infection rate had fallen from 135 to 117 cases per 100,000 people.
Hancock added that last week's decision to impose the country's first local lockdown had been a "difficult but vital" one.
12:38 PM
Proportion of primary schools reopening to more pupils drops
The proportion of primary schools in England that have opened more widely to children has dropped slightly, new figures show.
Approximately 88 per cent of schools that usually have children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 or Year 6 were open to at least one of these year groups on July 2, down from 89 per cent on June 25.
But the data shows that the number of pupils attending primary schools has continued to rise.
Attendance is highest among Year 6 pupils, with more than two in five (44 per cent) of all Year 6 children in attendance on July 2, up from 41 per cent on June 25.
The data shows that only 38 per cent of pupils in Year 1 attended school on July 2, up from 34 per cent on June 25, and 40 per cent in Reception, up from 36 per cent, despite opening more widely to pupils at the start of last month.
Overall, an estimated 1,599,000 pupils attended schools and colleges on July 2, representing 16.9 per cent of pupils who normally attend, up from 15.6 per cent.
12:34 PM
Covid-19 recovery plan will prioritise young people, says Chancellor
Rishi Sunak has said that young people "will be prioritised" in the Government's plans for a post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
The Chancellor was asked by Tory MP Laura Farris (Newbury) for reassurances about the economic prospects for young people in recovery plans.
Mr Sunak replied in the Commons: "Young people are more likely than not to work in affected sectors, they are more likely than others to be furloughed, and we know from all the evidence that the impact of scarring on young people is very significant.
"And which is why they remain uppermost in my mind and I give her that reassurance that they will be prioritised as we think about our recovery and our labour market interventions."
Mr Sunak also said he will "very quickly" look at whether employer-provided Covid-19 tests count as a "taxable benefit in kind".
Mel Stride, Tory chairman of the Commons Treasury Select Committee, urged the Chancellor to investigate this as he said it could hit the pockets of frontline workers who are regularly tested.
12:30 PM
Tom Hanks 'has no respect' for people not wearing masks
Tom Hanks, who recovered from Covid-19 earlier this year, has said he "has no respect" for people who decline to wear a mask in public during the pandemic.
Many governments now recommend face coverings, but they are not mandatory in most places. The actor was speaking to the Associated Press about face coverings while promoting his latest film.
Hanks said: "I don't get it, I simply do not get it, it is literally the least you can do."
"If anybody wants to build up an argument about doing the least they can do, I wouldn't trust them with a driver's licence," he said.
"I mean, when you drive a car, you've got to obey speed limits, you've got to use your turn signals [indicators], you've got to avoid hitting pedestrians. If you can't do those three things, you shouldn't be driving a car.
"If you can't wear a mask and wash your hands and social distance, I've got no respect for you, man. I don't buy your argument."
12:26 PM
Up to one third of people in UK may refuse coronavirus vaccine, new poll finds
Almost a third of people in the UK may refuse a coronavirus vaccine if one is developed, according to a new poll.
Nearly one in five British adults say they would either probably or definitely turn down a vaccine, according to the YouGov poll of 1,663 adults, and another 15 per cent say they don't know yet how they feel about it.
A coronavirus vaccine is seen by many as the only way out of the pandemic, and hundreds are at various stages of development across the globe.
However, scientists say that between 70 and 90 per cent of the population will have to get the new vaccine for it to be effective in stopping the spread of Covid-19.
Prime Minister's comments 'risk undermining role' of care workers during crisis
Commenting on the ongoing row over the Prime Minister's comments on care homes, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said: "The Prime Minister's comments risk undermining the key role played during the pandemic by social care services, which in many places has been nothing short of heroic, and has doubtless saved many lives.
"A crisis will always shine a light on weaknesses and vulnerabilities and the issues social care continue to face are indicative of continued, long-term neglect by successive governments and a failure to fully fund the sector.
"There have been persistent warnings from across the NHS and care sector that investment and reform is urgently needed and the pandemic has exposed how desperately this is now needed."
12:18 PM
Stage set for Rishi Sunak's £3bn giveaway
Homeowners will be given vouchers to pay for insulation and double glazing as part of a multibillion-pound job-creation drive in the wake of the Covid-19 recession, Rishi Sunak will announce on Wednesday.
The Chancellor will use his summer economic update to unveil a £3 billion scheme that he says will create thousands of new jobs and support “tens of thousands” more by stimulating demand for eco-friendly home improvements.
It came as the Governor of the Bank of England postponed a private meeting with Tory MPs after facing questions about whether he was acting in concert with the Chancellor.
Anna Mikhailova, Gordon Rayner and Harry Yorke have all you need to know here.
12:11 PM
Sturgeon reiterates calls for £80bn UK recovery package
Nicola Sturgeon has also addressed the financial statement which will be made by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
She reiterated the Scottish Government position, including calling for an £80 billion recovery package - which would be in line with a similar package in Germany - a jobs guarantee and more powers for the Scottish Parliament on borrowing and other financial matters.
Ms Sturgeon said: "We believe that the UK's programme should tackle inequality, support jobs and have a strong focus on investment in low-carbon and digital infrastructure."
She added: "It's worth stressing again that the Scottish Government has on several occasions welcomed policies adopted by the Treasury during this pandemic, for example the job retention scheme and this week's support for the culture sector.
"We hope that we will be able to give a welcome to tomorrow's statement as well but for that to happen the scale of the policies put forward must meet the scale of the economic challenges that the UK faces and I very much hope that they will do."
12:08 PM
Dumfries and Galloway outbreak now under control, says Sturgeon
The First Minister announced that the cluster of 12 coronavirus cases in Dumfries and Galloway is now under control.
Ms Sturgeon said that the limited travel distance guidance in Dumfries, Annan and Gretna would now be lifted to match the rest of the country, as well as allowing those in the area to visit care homes.
She thanked those affected by coronavirus in the area for their co-operation, including employers and the 23 contacts who were traced by officials for self-isolating.
The First Minister said she was "very grateful" to all those involved.
12:04 PM
Deaths in Scotland up by one
A total of 2,489 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, up by one from 2,488 on Monday, Nicola Sturgeon said.
Speaking during the Scottish Government's daily coronavirus briefing, the First Minister said 18,302 people have tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by two from 18,300 the previous day.
There are 699 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, an increase of 17 on Monday.
Of these patients, seven were in intensive care, a fall of one.
11:57 AM
Virus outbreak in Rohingya camps 'contained', say Bangladesh officials
A coronavirus outbreak among Rohingya refugees has been "successfully contained", Bangladesh officials have said, after fears that the disease spread rapidly in overcrowded camps.
Nearly one million Rohingya live in squalid camps in southeastern Bangladesh, after fleeing a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar, where the mostly Muslim community is a minority.
Some 724 Rohingya have been tested in the Bangladesh camps, with 54 found positive since the first cases were detected in May, officials said.
"We have successfully contained the outbreak," Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mahbub Alam Talukder told AFP on Monday, adding that five Rohingya have died from the virus so far.
It was not clear, however, if some Rohingya avoided testing because of fears they would be moved to an isolated and flood-prone island in the Bay of Bengal, where other refugees were taken to after being found at sea.
11:51 AM
Iran reports record one-day death toll
Iran has today announced 200 more deaths from the coronavirus, the most in a single day since the Middle East's deadliest outbreak began in February.
The Islamic republic's overall death toll from the virus now stands at 11,931, health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on state television.
11:46 AM
Israeli health official resigns, blasting Covid response
A top Israeli health official has resigned today, saying her guidance on combatting the coronavirus was being disregarded and the country's containment efforts were "disoriented" as it faced a surging caseload, AFP reports.
The resignation of Siegal Sadetzki, the health ministry's director of public health services, came after Israel re-imposed several lockdown measures in an effort to curb the virus's spread.
"For a few weeks now, our compass for dealing with the pandemic has become disoriented," Sadetzki wrote in a Facebook post, announcing her decision to step down.
"Despite repeated warnings in different forums, we are watching with frustration as our window of opportunity (to contain the virus) is running out," added Sadetzki, an epidemiologist.
"I've reached the conclusion that, in a new context where my professional opinion is not being accepted, it is no longer in my capacity to help prevent the pandemic's spread," she wrote.
Israel had earned praise in March and April for its fast action against the virus, including the imposition of early travel restrictions. But its re-opening strategy has faced criticism as cases have shot up.
Sadetzki said Israel's effective initial response had been nullified by "the swift and broad opening of the economy".
As of this morning, Israel had recorded more than 31,000 coronavirus cases, including 338 deaths. Its population is around nine million.
11:36 AM
Kenya declares school year 'lost' due to pandemic
Kenya has today declared that its school year was considered lost because of the coronavirus pandemic, and primary and secondary pupils would return to class next January.
The school year in the East African country runs from January to November, when it finishes with end-of-term exams. But Education Minister George Magoha said in a statement that the curve of Covid-19 infections was expected to flatten only by December.
As a result, no primary and secondary school examinations will be held and "the 2020 school calendar year will be considered lost due to Covid-19 restrictions", he said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday announced a "phased reopening" of the country, with international flights resuming on August 1 and the lifting of internal travel restrictions that had cordoned off the capital for four months. The 9pm to 4am nighttime curfew will remain in place.
However, cases are rising, with over 8,000 reported infections and 164 deaths.
11:33 AM
Mirror and Express owner Reach to cut 550 jobs
The owner of the Daily Mirror, Daily Express and Daily Star newspapers is to cut 550 jobs - 12 per cent of its workforce - because of falling income amid reduced demand for advertising in its titles.
Reach, formerly known as Trinity Mirror, said its group revenue had tumbled by 27.5 per cent during the second quarter, compared with a year earlier, as newspaper sales and advertising have plummeted during the coronavirus crisis.
The company, which also owns hundreds of regional papers including Manchester Evening News and the Liverpool Echo, said more people had been reading its products online over the past three months, but this was not enough to offset the loss in income.
Reach said more than 2.5 million customers have registered to read its papers online, and it intends to increase this to 10 million by the end of 2022, against an earlier target of 7 million.
Journalists in the company’s editorial teams are expected to be affected by the job cuts, as well as staff in the advertising and central operations departments.
11:29 AM
Care workers experienced 'real slap in the face' after PM's comments
Care workers experienced "a real slap in the face" after the Prime Minister said some care homes had not properly followed coronavirus procedures, the Independent Care Group has said.
Responding to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, chairman Mike Padgham said: "We warmly welcome today's continued fall in the death rate in care and nursing homes and feel it is a testament to the amazing, selfless and brave efforts by care workers during this horrific pandemic.
"Which makes it all the more upsetting for the sector when the Prime Minister makes the comments he did, a real slap in the face for those workers after they have given and sacrificed so much.
"We hope he will reflect on those comments and see the incredible work the care sector has done in the recent months to care for older and vulnerable people, with late and conflicting advice and poor support in terms of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing during this awful pandemic.
"And we hope it will spur him into long-promised action to reform the sector and end the crisis in social care which left us so vulnerable to a virus like Covid-19."
11:25 AM
Oxford professor re-opens pub's socially distanced dining pods
Oxford country gastropub The White Hart of Wytham re-opened last night, launching its new al fresco dining pods with Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at the Jenner Institute in Oxford, there to cut the ribbon.
Prof Gilbert attended with a member of her team, Teresa Lambe, enjoying dinner in one of the pods and receiving a warm reception from all the evening’s customers.
Owner of The White Hart, Baz Butcher, said: “Our 16th-century pub has long been popular with Oxford academics alongside villagers and the wider foodie community, so it seemed more than appropriate to recognise and express our gratitude to one of the University’s current innovators at this momentous time.”
Gilbert adds: “It was wonderful to be able to enjoy the White Hart’s excellent food in the new pods, which provide for sheltered and screened outdoor dining. We had a relaxed evening with great service.”
There are 10 pods in the pub, made using mostly recycled materials by one of the pub’s patrons. Each accommodates two couples or a family of four.
Of the pods, Butcher says: “We made an early reckoning that we’d have to mitigate social distancing measures and consumer concerns about eating out. Since announcing the pods we’ve established a waiting list high into triple figures, which tells us we got the mix right.”
11:11 AM
Coronavirus around the world, in pictures
Employees wearing protective face shields and masks work on their terminals inside a Bharti Airtel store, after authorities eased lockdown restrictions in Kolkata, India - Reuters A health worker performs drive-thru antibody testing at a testing facility at the Medical City in Ortigas, east of Manila, Philippines - Shutterstock Circus performers from the Association of Circus Proprietors (ACP) deliver a petition to Downing Street, London, calling for the right to reopen ahead of the busy summer season - PA Iranians wearing protective face masks ride the metro, following a steady increase in cases in the country - Wana News Agency Brides wearing their wedding dress hold a flashmob protest against the postponement of their marriages due to the strict protocol of all religious ceremonies at the Trevi Fountain, Rome - AFP
11:04 AM
Downing Street refuses to apologise for PM's care home comments
Downing Street has declined to apologise after Boris Johnson provoked anger in the care sector when he suggested "too many" care homes did not properly follow procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.
Asked what Mr Johnson meant by his comments, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: "Throughout the pandemic care homes have done a brilliant job under very difficult circumstances.
"The Prime Minister was pointing out that nobody knew what the correct procedures were because the extent of asymptomatic transmission was not known at the time."
Asked if Mr Johnson would like to apologise or retract the comments, the spokesman said: "As I've just set out, the PM thinks that throughout the pandemic care homes have done a brilliant job under very difficult circumstances."
10:57 AM
'Immense frustration' over information on resuming care home visits
Care providers are "at a loss" to know why they have not received guidance from the Government on how loved ones can safely resume visiting care home residents and other care recipients.
Care England, the country's largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, noted with "immense frustration" a delay in updated visitor guidance for the country.
It said this should have been a priority for the Government as lockdown measures are eased.
Chief executive Professor Martin Green said: "We are at a loss to know why the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is incapable of making swift decisions at a time of crisis.
"As the country unlocks, care providers are in the dark as to what is permissible in terms of visitors to their residents, or indeed residents leaving their homes on visits.
"This should have been a priority for the DHSC given that care homes are central to fighting this dreadful pandemic".
10:47 AM
Gütersloh lockdown lifted after German court ruling
A German court has ended a lockdown imposed to tackle a coronavirus outbreak at a meat packing facility, the BBC reports.
Officials in North Rhine-Westphalia brought back restrictions around Gütersloh in June after more than 1,500 Tönnies plant workers tested positive.
The lockdown was due to end on Wednesday, although there was an option to extend it once more. But the state's Higher Administrative Court overturned the measures today, calling them disproportionate.
While bringing in a lockdown at the start of the outbreak was "not unreasonable", a court statement said, that should have given authorities time to impose a more focused lockdown.
In line with national restrictions, restaurants, bars and gyms can now reopen in Gütersloh district, and up to 10 people can meet outside. Kindergartens will reopen on Wednesday, officials said.
10:41 AM
Immunity to Covid-19 is short lived, says expert
Following Spain's large-scale study, which found that just five per cent of its population had developed antibodies to the virus despite a considerable outbreak and strengthening suggestions that so-called herd immunity to Covid-19 is unachievable, an expert has suggested that any immunity is short-lived.
"The Spanish study is sobering, confirming a picture from many studies around the world, both regional seroprevalence studies and longitudinal studies in recovered patients," said Professor Danny Altmann, British Society for Immunology spokesperson and Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London.
"The cumulative pool of antibody-positive people barely rises because as some gain immunity, others have lost antibody, perhaps within weeks. This fits with the view that the nature of naturally-induced immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is a rather short-lived antibody response; the other key part of anti-viral immunity, white blood cells termed ’T lymphocytes’ may have memory that lasts several years, but so far we lack the formal proof that they’re protective.
"Findings such as this reinforce the idea that faced with a lethal infection that induces rather short-lived immunity, the challenge is to identify the best vaccine strategies able to overcome these problems and stimulate a large, sustained, optimal, immune response in the way the virus failed to do. There are dozens of approaches being tested to achieve this.”
10:36 AM
UK unemployment could hit 15pc after second wave, OECD warns
Nearly one in seven people in the UK might be unemployed by the end of this year if a second wave of the pandemic washes over the country, according to new estimates.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said the UK's unemployment rate could reach 14.8 per cent as its experts warned that global job losses could take unemployment rates to levels more comparable to the 1930s than 2008.
But even without a second wave of infections, the UK unemployment rate is likely to reach a record high of up to 11.7 per cent by the end of this year, the OECD reported.
Next year it would fall to 7.2 per cent if there is no second wave, but nevertheless a massive rise from the end of 2019, when the unemployment rate was 3.8 per cent.
"The war has to be won and it has to be won fast," said OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria, adding that the economic disaster has been magnified by the inability to fight the virus.
"We don't have vaccine and we don't have a medicine, we're impotent ... we're closing down the cities like they used to do in medieval times, because it's the only thing we know that works."
10:30 AM
Outbreak in Melbourne 'more serious than late March', says expert
Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the Biosecurity Program at the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales, has said she would not be surprised if further outbreaks were detected in New South Wales and other states within the next few weeks, and that situation is more serious than in March.
"The situation is extremely serious, and we have seen outbreaks in a wider areas over the past week, from north-west Melbourne, to inner Melbourne and even at the border in Albury-Wadonga. The surge in cases to 191 today despite the measures taken over the past week is worrying," said Prof MacIntyre.
"It is possible there has been seeding of infection to other states, and silent epidemic growth which has not yet being detected. I would not be surprised to see epidemics detected in NSW and other states within the next few weeks. The situation we are in is more serious than late March, because we have community transmission, which is much harder to track than infection in return travellers," she added.
She continued: "It is not an option to take the Swedish option - that has been a failure, and they failed abjectly to achieve herd immunity, because they followed a pseudoscientific theory that was never achievable. All they achieved was mass death, overwhelmed hospitals and reportedly, euthanasia of infected old and frail people.
10:25 AM
New Delhi healthcare system on brink of collapse as coronavirus cases surge
As Covid-19 cases in India continue to soar, overtaking Russia as the country with the world's third-highest tally, "mayhem" is predicted in the Indian capital as patients are being turned away from hospitals amid a shortage of beds and healthcare workers.
In case you missed it last week, here is Joe Wallen and Sweta Dash's report on the extreme challenges faced by hospitals in New Delhi.
10:21 AM
Coronavirus cases around the world, in charts
10:14 AM
Three England pubs close after positive tests
A number of pubs in England have shut after customers tested positive for the coronavirus, the BBC reports.
At least three establishments announced they had shut their doors again just days after reopening at the weekend.
The Lighthouse Kitchen and Carvery in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, said it was "slowly" working through a list of customers who had left details at the weekend and staff were awaiting their own test results.
In Batley, West Yorkshire, the Fox and Hounds said a customer had phoned to say they had tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, the landlord of the Village Home Pub in Alverstoke, Hampshire, said his team were awaiting test results after someone in a member of staff's "family bubble" tested positive.
In Burnham, Indian takeaway Saagar said it would be closing until Friday to undergo a deep clean after one if its drivers had been to the Lighthouse Kitchen, along with bar the Vape Escape, which has also closed for a full clean after a customer's positive test.
10:08 AM
'Up to 16 affected' in County Down clusters
A number of people from several families have tested positive for Covid-19 in County Down in Northern Ireland, the BBC reports.
The clusters of coronavirus cases have been located in Ballynahinch and Crossgar. It is believed up to 16 people could be affected.
The Department of Health reported nine new cases of the virus in Northern Ireland on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 5,756.
Health authorities have reminded the public to contact them if they are experiencing symptoms so that measures including track and trace can be implemented as quickly as possible.
10:01 AM
Ireland launches test and trace app
Ireland has launched a tracing app to track and contact potential cases of Covid-19 infection.
The health minister, Stephen Donnelly, said downloads jumped from 50,000 to 100,000 in an hour on Tuesday morning. “This is a really good news story. This is a powerful tool in the fight against Covid,” he told RTE.
It is intended to enhance, not replace, the existing testing-and-tracking service.
Developed by the Irish company Nearform, the app uses Apple and Google software and requires bluetooth. It is designed to facilitate contact tracing and symptom tracking.
The app does not tell you whether you have tested positive for the virus, but if you do test positive you can give the app permission to notify people with whom you have been in close contact.
The COVID Tracker app is now available to download. It will help in the fight against coronavirus. Download the COVID Tracker app here: https://t.co/CUrWQ9QVvj
More than £30bn in bounce back loans given to small businesses
More than one million Bounce Back Loans have been approved for small businesses during the pandemic, the Government has said.
New figures from the Treasury show that £30.9 billion worth of loans have been given to firms across the UK to help support them following the impact of Covid-19.
The Treasury also revealed that more than 53,500 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans have now been approved, providing £11.5 billion worth of funding, as at midnight on July 5.
The update comes on the eve of the Chancellor's summer economic update in Parliament, where he will announce a "mini-budget".
Data also revealed that 783 applications worth more than £2.5 billion has now been approved for larger firms using the Government's Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).
Meanwhile, more than 9.4 million jobs have been furloughed as firms have claimed £27.4 billion to keep workers in employment.
09:50 AM
Aftershock of Covid-19 forces millions of children into begging, child labour and early marriages
As incomes plummet and jobs are lost en masse in the wake of coronavirus, millions of children are being forced into begging, child labour and early marriages, a report has found.
World Vision, a humanitarian organisation, said that global predictions the the economic impact of the pandemic on children are now becoming a reality.
Already, eight million children have been forced into begging and child labour as a consequence of the outbreak, World Vision warns. The report said 110 million children are facing hunger, and that 85 million households across Asia have little or no food stocks.
Mumbai opens new hospitals as India virus deaths top 20,000
Four new coronavirus field hospitals have opened today in Mumbai - including one at a horseracing track - as India's nationwide death toll jumped past 20,000.
Hospitals in densely populated cities such as Mumbai and Delhi are struggling to cope with the epidemic, and the country now has around 720,000 infections - the world's third-highest.
The Mumbai region, which accounts for about a quarter of India's 20,100 deaths, has suffered a new surge in infections, forcing authorities to build makeshift hospitals and quarantine facilities.
Schools, hotels, a planetarium and a stadium used to host US NBA games last year have all been repurposed, and the new facilities will together provide an extra 3,500 beds in the city of 20 million, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with hundreds of patients each day.
Health workers have complained about severe staff shortages, with some senior doctors and nurses avoiding frontlines because of their vulnerability to the virus due to age or conditions such as diabetes.
A man sits next to beds at a newly built hospital to treat Covid-19 coronavirus patients at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse - AFP
09:37 AM
Hong Kong facing another community outbreak
Hong Kong is facing another community outbreak of Covid-19 after reporting mostly imported cases in recent months, a health official has said.
“The next few days are very crucial,” said Wong Ka-hing, controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health.
The city reported 14 new infections today, five of them imported and nine local. Officials said five of the cases were of unknown origin.
Since late January, Hong Kong has reported around 1,300 cases and seven deaths in total.
09:29 AM
Excess deaths fallen below average in UK
Excess deaths have fallen further below average levels in the UK, with several regions of England now seeing deaths well below what would be expected, according to the latest figures.
The total number of deaths across the UK which have now been linked to the Covid-19 pandemic has reached 54,681, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics and bodies in the devolved nations this morning.
It includes deaths registered by June 26 in each of the four home nations, as well as 173 deaths in hospitals in England which have taken place since June 26.
The total number of deaths across the UK is now below average levels for the second time since before lockdown in March. Across the UK there have now been 64,958 excess deaths (above the five year average) since March 6. For a specific breakdown by area, see post at 10.12am.
In the week to June 26 there were 103 fewer deaths than average in care homes and 815 in hospitals. In people's homes there were 745 deaths above average in the same period. During the course of the pandemic there have now been 26,593 excess deaths in care homes, 18,369 in people's homes, and 13,406 in hospitals in England and Wales.
09:26 AM
Victoria outbreak: 'We have to take this as seriously as a bushfire'
Daniel Andrews, the state premier of Victoria, which has closed its borders and put the metropolitan area of Melbourne into lockdown, has urged citizens to take the Covid-19 threat seriously.
He said: "Ultimately we have to take this as seriously as we take bushfire. This is binary. It is life and death.
"If it gets away from us - and I don’t want to hear any more of this stuff from younger people or healthy people regardless of their age, that it won’t affect me. Well, it it will affect you.
There are people across the world who have died who are otherwise healthy, not one or two. Significant numbers.
All of us are part of families. Loved ones being gravely ill and potentially dying, that will affect you too. And the restrictions will affect you of course. It’s not about singling out one group.
"I think there’s been complacency and a sense of frustration and I get that and I’m not really criticising it. I understand it. It has to change. It just has to change."
09:17 AM
Watch: Alok Sharma defends Boris Johnson over condemned care homes comments
The Prime Minister has come under fire from leaders in the care home sector after he accused care homes of failing to follow proper procedures amid the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking during a visit to Goole in Yorkshire, Boris Johnson said the pandemic had shown the need to “make sure we look after people better who are in social care”.
He went on: “We discovered too many care homes didn’t really follow the procedures in the way that they could have but we’re learning lessons the whole time. Most important is to fund them properly ... but we will also be looking at ways to make sure the care sector long term is properly organised and supported.”
The comments were met with anger from the industry, with Mark Adams of Community Integrated Care calling Mr Johnson's comments "cowardly", and referred to the Government's efforts to protect care homes during the crisis as "an absolute travesty of leadership".
Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary, has this morning defended Johnson's comments.
09:12 AM
ONS: Deaths involving Covid-19 decreased in all English regions but one
Registered deaths involving coronavirus decreased in all but one region in England in the week ending June 26, the Office for National Statistics said.
In the North East there were two more deaths registered compared to the previous week.
Three regions of England had deaths above the five-year average in the week ending June 26, while six regions were below, the ONS said.
The regions where the number of registered deaths was above the five-year average were North West England (7.4 per cent above), the East Midlands (0.6 per cent above) and North East England (0.6 per cent above).
The six regions with fewer deaths were South West England (0.2 per cent below), Yorkshire and the Humber (0.4 per cent below), the West Midlands (2.4 per cent below), South East England (9.5 per cent below), London (9.8% per cent below) and Eastern England (12.6 per cent below).
In Wales, the number of deaths registered in the week to June 26 was 3.3 per cent below the five-year average.
The ONS said that some of the deaths that have been registered as Covid-19 would have "likely occurred over the duration of the year" but have "occurred earlier because of the coronavirus".
"These deaths occurring earlier than expected could mean we see start to see a period of deaths below the five-year average," the ONS added.
Our weekly deaths data for England show of all deaths occurring up to 26 June (registered up to 4 July), 47,705 involved #COVID19.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) July 7, 2020
09:03 AM
Russia reports 6,368 new cases
Russia has reported 6,368 new Covid-19 cases, taking its nationwide total infections to 694,230.
The country’s coronavirus crisis response centre said 198 people had also died with the virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the death tally to 10,494.
It added that 463,880 people had recovered from the virus.
08:54 AM
Watch: No date for when fully functioning coronavirus test and trace app will be in circulation
08:50 AM
Sunak must be prepared to let some businesses fall, says former Chancellor
Philip Hammond, the former Chancellor, has said his successor must be prepared to let some businesses fail.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to announce fiscal measures designed to aid the UK’s economic recovery after Covid-19 on Wednesday.
Hammond, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said: “I think it is important to recognise that the Chancellor faces an extraordinarily complex challenge.
“He’ll want to continue to support businesses and people who are affected by regulatory shutdown in what are otherwise viable businesses. But he will also sadly need to facilitate a transition for those businesses and people who are, what they are doing is no longer viable.
“Some businesses will close, some viable businesses will close units - we have already heard the announcement of retailers closing stores - and that’s where a focus on re-training and re-skilling, getting people turned around and ready to go back into the workforce as quickly as possible, will come into it.”
08:46 AM
The countdown to New South Wales/Victoria border closure begins
I’m on the NSW/VIC border in Timbillica about 50km South of Eden. No cops or road blocks here just yet - just a portable sign. 16 hours until the border closes to Victorian residents. @9NewsSyd@9NewsMelb#9newspic.twitter.com/uMN7TVwfFn
Ian Blackford refuses to rule out Scottish quarantine for English visitors
The SNP leader in Westminster Ian Blackford was asked if he could rule out a quarantine for those crossing the England-Scotland border.
He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that the devolved Scottish Government was trying to "bring the infection under control, and if you look at the difference in the prevalence rate between Scotland and the rest of the UK, that has been successful. The prevalence rate is about a fifth of that of the rest of the UK.”
He then added: “What we want to do is make sure that people can come to Scotland, they can enjoy the holiday experience here, and of course within all of that, the Government will continue to look at the health requirements that need to be put in place.
“But Scotland is open and people are welcome... There are further measures that will open up the tourist economy on July 15, but what we want to do is welcome people here, we want to get the economy back up and working again, but at the same time the Government in Edinburgh will take the necessary measures to make sure that we keep people safe and we keep the prevalence of the virus as low as possible.
“One of the things we are trying to do is as much as we can, eliminate this virus. I think the questions have to be put: what is the policy that the Government has in London?” He added: “We want to welcome people to Scotland. We don’t want to see protests at the border.”
08:33 AM
Businesses that rely on physical contact are fighting to reopen after lockdown
Therapist Michelle Geraghty-Carns has always prided herself on providing customers with a calm and relaxing atmosphere at her clinic EternalBeing in Enderby, Leicestershire.
Now, she says, the clinic which provides a range of treatments for allergies and intolerances, looks and feels more like a hospital.
Nail bars, beauty salons, spas and businesses providing complementary therapies are among those which were barred from reopened on “super Saturday”, but have continued to plough on with putting preparations in place.
Geraghty-Carns says she has shelled out around £7,000 on health and safety equipment to prepare for reopening, not to mention the £38,000 cost for a refurbishment of the clinic to ensure staff and customers can distance safely.
The state premier of Victoria, Dan Andrews, has published a summary of the lockdown restrictions to be imposed in the Metropolitan Melbourne area from midnight on Wednesday:
Everyone should wear a face covering in public, says Royal Society president
Everyone should wear a face covering in public to reduce the risk of a second wave of Covid-19 infections, the president of the Royal Society has urged.
Professor Venki Ramakrishnan said people should wear a mask when they leave home - particularly in enclosed indoor spaces - but acknowledged that the public remain "sceptical" about the benefits. Not wearing them outside the home should be considered as "anti-social" as drink-driving, or failing to wear a seat belt, he said.
It comes as two new reports on face coverings were published by the scientific body, including one which found the UK was slower to take up wearing them compared with other countries.
Prof Ramakrishnan said: "The virus has not been eliminated, so, as we lift lockdown and people increasingly interact with each other, we need to use every tool we have to reduce the risk of a second wave of infection.
"There are no silver bullets, but alongside hand washing and physical distancing, we also need everyone to start wearing face coverings, particularly indoors in enclosed public spaces where physical distancing is often not possible."
Prof Ramakrishnan said the UK is "way behind" other countries in wearing face coverings, as he claimed that messaging has been unclear and that "inconsistent" guidance has led to people following their own preferences.
Alok Sharma: 'The Prime Minister is certainly not blaming care homes'
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the Prime Minister was "certainly not blaming care homes" for social care coronavirus deaths in comments made yesterday,
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Sharma said: "Specifically on the point the Prime Minister was making yesterday, I think what he was actually pointing out is that nobody knew what the correct procedures were at the time because, quite frankly, we didn't know what the extent of asymptomatic transmission was."
Mr Sharma added: "We then put in place very detailed action plans for care homes, we made sure there was a rigorous testing regime put in place, and we also ensured there was extra money - there was £600 million that went in as part of an infection control fund."
Put to him that Boris Johnson had criticised care homes for not following the set procedures, Mr Sharma said: "The Prime Minister is certainly not blaming care homes."
Boris Johnson's comments about care homes have been met with anger from the sector, with one leader branding the Prime Minister's comments "clumsy and cowardly".
08:12 AM
House prices have fallen for four months in a row, index finds
House prices have been falling for four months in a row - marking the first time this has happened since 2010, according to an index.
Property values in June were 0.1 per cent lower than in May, Halifax said. The decline in June followed month-on-month price falls of 0.2 per cent in May, 0.6 per cent in April and 0.3 per cent in March.
Despite four months of prices edging downwards, house prices were higher in June when compared with a year earlier, Halifax said.
Across the UK, property values in June were 2.5 per cent higher than in the same month a year earlier. The average house price in June was £237,616.
Russell Galley, managing director, Halifax, said: "Average house prices fell by 0.1 per cent in June as the UK property market continued to emerge from lockdown.
"Though only a small decrease, it is notable as the first time since 2010 - when the housing market was struggling to gain traction following the shock of the global financial crisis - that prices have fallen for four months in a row."
Johnson's care homes comments 'cowardly', says charity
When asked to explain why he called Boris Johnson's words "cowardly", Mark Adams of Community Integrated Care added: "Because you've got 1.6 million social care workers who when most of us are locked away in our bunkers waiting out Covid, really trying to protect our family, we've got these brave people on minimum wage, often with no sickness cover at all, going into work to protect our parents, our grandparents, our children, putting their own health and potentially their own lives at risk.
"And then to get the most senior man in the country turning round and blaming them on what has been an absolute travesty of leadership from the Government, I just think it is appalling."
The way testing figures are published will be changed to reflect that people are being tested on a regular basis, Downing Street said on Monday.
The news came as Baroness Harding, appointed last month to head the coronavirus test and trace programme, defended the decision not to test close contacts of those with the virus, arguing that it might undermine instructions to self-isolate.
Asked how many people were being tested each day, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "On that, DHSC [the Department of Health and Social Care] will no longer publish the number of people tested daily any more and will instead publish the number of daily tests processed."
06:46 AM
Care homes charity 'unbelievably disappointed' with PM's comments
Mark Adams, chief executive of charity Community Integrated Care, said he was "unbelievably disappointed" to hear the Prime Minister's comments about the actions of care homes during the coronavirus crisis.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think this at best was clumsy and cowardly but to be honest with you, if this is genuinely his view, I think we're almost entering an... alternative reality where the Government set the rules, we follow them and they don't like the results and they then deny setting the rules and blame the people that were trying to do their best.
"It is hugely frustrating."
06:38 AM
Reporter whose son interrupted live broadcast for biscuits learns lesson
Sky News' Deborah Haynes - and her son - went viral last week for this video:
"Any particular reason there's a bench next to the door?"
After our Foreign Affairs Editor @haynesdeborah's son went viral last week with his biscuit negotiating skills, we asked if he'll try the same trick this morning with breakfast. JJ#KayBurleypic.twitter.com/ZHzRVdGnky
Melbourne's six-week lockdown as state borders close
More than five million residents of Melbourne will be locked down for six weeks after coronavirus cases surged in Australia's second-biggest city, authorities announced Tuesday.
State Premier Daniel Andrews said the lockdown would begin at midnight Wednesday and last at least six weeks, as he warned residents "we can't pretend" the coronavirus crisis is over.
After the south-eastern city detected 191 new cases in 24 hours, Andrews said there were now too many incidents of the virus to trace and track.
"These are unsustainably high numbers," he said. "No-one wanted to be in this position. I know there will be enormous amounts of damage that will be done because of this. It will be very challenging."
Most school students will return to remote learning while restaurants and cafes will be limited to serving takeaway food.
"There is simply no alternative other than thousands and thousands of cases and potentially more," he told reporters.
Although the lockdown covers the Melbourne metropolitan area, the entire state of Victoria will effectively be sealed off from the rest of the country from Tuesday midnight, as state borders are closed.
06:12 AM
Pubs reopened on Saturday close again after Covid-19 cases
Some pubs which reopened their doors for the first time on Saturday have had to close again due to people testing positive for coronavirus.
Bars in England welcomed drinkers at the weekend after a lengthy lockdown which saw the hospitality sector shut since March.
But three establishments have since alerted their patrons that they have had to close again just days later, after cases of Covid-19.
The Lighthouse Kitchen and Carvery in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, said a customer had tested positive and it was making its way through a list of people who were in the bar on Saturday.
The Fox and Hounds in Batley, West Yorkshire, said it would be closed until further notice after receiving a call from a customer on Monday to say they had tested positive for coronavirus.
Posting on its Facebook page, it said all staff had since taken a test and added that the pub will be "fully deep cleaned and when safe to do so we will reopen our doors".
The Village Home Pub in Alverstoke, Gosport, said it had also "had a case of Coronavirus in the pub", adding that "some of us are in isolation".
Its statement on Facebook said: "The pub is now shut but all being well will open again on Saturday."
05:59 AM
Have the coronavirus rules ruined the Louvre?
The Louvre in Paris reopened on Monday.
But there were fewer visitors, one-way systems and more strict rules including mandatory facemasks.
Has the post Covid-19 world impacted the museum? Mark Stratton went along on opening day to find out.
A visitor wearing a face mask takes a selfie in front of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece Mona Lisa - Francois Guillot/AFP
The proposals would see rules relaxed for a year, freeing pubs and bars which are currently barred from doing so to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises even if their licence extends into the early hours.
Beijing on Tuesday reported zero new coronavirus cases for the first time since the emergence of a cluster in the Chinese capital in June that prompted fears of a domestic second wave.
A total of 335 people have been infected since a cluster emerged at the city's massive Xinfadi wholesale market in early June.
Beijing's health commission said on Tuesday it detected only one asymptomatic case the previous day, which China does not include in its confirmed cases counts.
The Beijing government has tested more than 11 million people for Covid-19 since June 11 - roughly half the city's population, officials said at a press conference on Monday.
The news came as almost 11 million students began taking China's university entrance exam on Tuesday after a delay as the country worked to bring down coronavirus infections.
The exam is believed to be the first mass gathering event since the virus outbreak and administrators are enforcing strict rules to prevent infections, including proof of wellness, social distancing and the wearing of masks.
Students arrive at a school to sit the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), known as Gaokao, in Nanjing, in China's eastern Jiangsu province - AFP
04:20 AM
India's death toll surpasses 20,000
India's death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surpassed 20,000 on Tuesday and case numbers surged as the south Asian nation pushed ahead with relaxations to its almost two-month lockdown amid grim economic forecasts.
The rate of both new virus infections and deaths are rising at the fastest pace in three months, as officials lift a vast lockdown of India's 1.3 billion people that has left tens of thousands without work and shuttered businesses.
The country reported 467 new deaths on Tuesday, taking the toll to 20,160. It also recorded 22,252 new infections, increasing the total to 719,665.
Indian health workers walk in the crowded lanes as they leave after the medical checkup of the residents of a 'containment zones' in Ambujwadi area - DIVYAKANT SOLANKI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
03:54 AM
NZ flights on hold until more quarantine facilities are found
New Zealand's national carrier has put a temporary hold on new bookings for flights into the country while the government tries to find enough quarantined hotel rooms for people returning home.
Air New Zealand says the hold will last for three weeks and it is also trying to better align flights with the hotel locations.
New Zealand has eliminated community transmission of the coronavirus but is still getting cases at the border. For the most part, only residents and citizens are able to fly into the country and must remain in a quarantined hotel room for 14 days.
Housing Minister Megan Woods says the government is currently housing nearly 6,000 people in 28 quarantine facilities and is seeing rapid growth in the number of returning residents as the pandemic worsens globally.
03:31 AM
Australian state considering four-week lockdown
Australia's second-most populated state Victoria is considering a four-week lockdown after recording the biggest one-day surge in new Covid-19 cases, The Australian newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The number of cases in the Victorian capital of Melbourne has surged in recent days, prompting authorities to enforce strict social-distancing orders in more than 30 suburbs and put nine public housing towers into complete lockdown.
State Premier Daniel Andrews is considering a four-week lockdown after the number of new cases hit 191, The Australian reported. Victoria has not published an official tally yet.
Firefighters dressed in personal protective equipment prepare to distribute food throughout a public housing tower in North Melbourne - JAMES ROSS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
02:15 AM
Pandemic could 'last until April' in Mexico
The coronavirus pandemic could last in Mexico until next April, with infections expected to rise during the October flu season and through winter, a top health official said on Monday, further pushing back the potential resolution of the crisis.
Mexico has recorded 261,750 total cases and 31,119 overall deaths, putting it in fifth place worldwide for most fatalities according to a Reuters tally.
Mexican Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell has continually walked back forecasts about when the crisis would peak, and has said the death toll and infection tally are likely higher than reported figures.
In an interview he warned that coronavirus infections may persist in significant numbers into the winter, carrying the pandemic into spring.
"Flu season begins in October and there are some reasonable assumptions that we could also have a spike in Covid-19 along with the flu throughout the fall-to-winter season," he said.
When asked about the length of the pandemic in Mexico, Mr Lopez-Gatell said it could last "until March to April of next year".
People queue in a street waiting to pass through a pedestrian control that limits the access in groups of 20 people to enter downtown Mexico City - AFP
01:43 AM
S. Korean patient recovering after double lung transplant
After a record 112 days on a specialised life-support system, a South Korean Covid-19 patient is recovering from double lung transplant surgery, doctors say, in only the ninth such procedure worldwide since the outbreak began.
The 50-year-old woman was diagnosed with the disease and hospitalised in late February and then spent 16 weeks on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, which involves circulating a patient's blood through a machine that adds oxygen to red blood cells.
That's the longest that any Covid-19 patient in the world has spent on ECMO support, her doctors said.
Various drugs failed to stop her pulmonary fibrosis - scarring in the lungs - from worsening, said Dr Park Sung-hoon, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital.
That left few options other than a lung transplant.
01:28 AM
Hanks does not have much respect for people who shun precautions
Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, who recovered after being infected earlier this year, said he does not hold much respect for people who decline to practice precautions such as wearing a mask in public.
Hanks and his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, disclosed in March that they had tested positive for the coronavirus while in Australia for a film shoot.
"At the very least, three tiny things (are) in everybody's wheelhouse, if you choose to do them," Hanks, 63, said in a recent interview with Reuters Television. "Wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance. If you can't do that, I don't have much respect for you."
12:41 AM
Beer takeaway plan at late-night venues a 'recipe for violence'
Plans to allow late-night pubs and bars to sell takeaway alcohol will spark street violence, disorder and drunkenness, ministers have been warned.
The Government faced a backlash from senior politicians and policing chiefs on Monday night over the plans in the Business and Planning bill to relax licensing rules in an attempt to boost the hospitality sector.
The proposals would see rules relaxed for a year, freeing pubs and bars which are currently barred from doing so to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises even if their licence extends into the early hours.
Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced on Monday that she had tested positive for Covid-19.
The 50-year-old Democrat is among the women named as a potential vice-presidential running mate for presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden.
"Covid-19 has literally hit home. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive," Ms Bottoms tweeted.
COVID-19 has literally hit home. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive.
— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) July 6, 2020
She told MSNBC that she decided her family members should get tested again because her husband "literally has been sleeping since Thursday". She said she the only other symptoms she and her husband have been experienced are those similar to allergies they have.
"It leaves me for a loss for words because I think it really speaks to how contagious this virus is," Ms Bottoms told MSNBC. "We've taken all of the precautions that you can possibly take. We wear masks, we're very thoughtful about washing our hands, I have no idea when and where we were exposed."
Since a novel pneumonia was discovered in Wuhan in central China scientists around the world have been working at breakneck speed to answer six key questions about this new disease.
Passengers arriving at Heathrow airport from “red list” countries like the US will be able to pay for Covid-19 tests to beat quarantine, under a pilot expected to be backed by the Department for Transport.
The world famous Louvre in Paris reopened today after being shut for almost four months due to coronavirus – a closure the museum estimates cost it €40million (£36m) in lost revenue.
Richard Armitage sits down with Yahoo to reflect on his impressive career from The Phantom Menace to Spooks, The Vicar of Dibley and more for Role Recall.
The new horror movie from the directors of Ready or Not and Scream 6 has an unhinged, gore-filled final act that rivals The Shining for levels of fake blood.
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