Coronavirus latest news: UK records highest daily rise in cases since pandemic began

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Britain reported 33,470 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, government figures showed, up by more than 10,000 on the day before.

The increase represents a 46 per cent hike in positive cases since Wednesday, when the UK reported 22,950 new infections.

The latest count represents the highest daily figure recorded since the outbreak began, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 1,290,195.

At this evening's Downing Street briefing, NHS medical directorStephen Powis downplayed the rise in cases,  saying it is important to look at the seven day average, which is just about 22,000, rather than one day.

He added that the ONS has been looking at Covid infections in a segment of the population, and Imperial have been doing something similar, suggesting people look at multiple data sets as well as several days.

Experts have previously warned that describing the daily figure as a record could be "misleading" as it is not clear how many people were actually infected during the height of the first wave, due to a lack of community testing at the time.

Follow the latest news below.


06:48 PM

France's new Covid-19 cases slow but hospitalisations reach all time high

French health authorities on Thursday reported 33,172 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours, slightly down from Wednesday's 35,879 and much lower than Saturday's record of 86,852.

But the number of hospitalisations for the disease increased by 737 to reached a new all-time high of 32,638, almost 350 higher than the previous April 14 peak of 32,292.

The number of people in France who have died from Covid-19 infections rose by to 425, to 42,960, versus 328 on Wednesday.

The cumulative number of cases now totals 1,898,710. 


06:47 PM

UK extends virus travel ban on Denmark for 14 days

Britain has extended its travel ban on Denmark to stop the spread of coronavirus for a further 14 days, the government announced on Thursday.

The strict measures were first announced by the UK on November 7 in response to the threat from a mutated version of Covid-19 found in humans and linked to mink farms.

"Following advice from the Chief Medical Officer, the travel ban introduced on 7th November 2020 on Denmark will also be extended for a further 14 days," the transport ministry said.

"British Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents returning to the UK directly or indirectly from Denmark will need to self-isolate along with all other members of their household for 14 days from the date they were last in Denmark."

Last week, Denmark announced the Covid-19 mutation had jumped from mink to humans and infected 12 people in the country's north.

It has warned it could threaten the effectiveness of any future vaccine against coronavirus and ordered the slaughter of all of the country's roughly 17 million mink.

A mink at farmer Stig Sørensen's estate where all minks must be culled due to a government order -  Ole Jensen / Getty

06:38 PM

Concern as fraud and online child sex abuse cases surge due to pandemic

Reports of fraud and online child sexual abuse have risen sharply in Scotland since the onset of the pandemic, as new data showed the public want the police to take a tougher approach in enforcing coronavirus restrictions.

According to figures released by Police Scotland, reports of fraud rose by 45.4 per cent between April and September, compared to the the same period in 2019, while online sexual abuse of children is up by nearly a fifth. 

Daniel Sanderson has the latest.


06:32 PM

Trump campaign adviser Lewandowski tests positive for coronavirus

Corey Lewandowski, one of President Donald Trump's most trusted advisers, tested positive for the coronavirus, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Lewandowski, who served as Trump's campaign manager for a portion of his 2016 bid for the White House and was advising his current re-election effort, was in Philadelphia challenging ballot-counting procedures last week and believes he was infected while there, the source said.

The source said Lewandowski, who tested positive on Wednesday, was experiencing no symptoms. 

President Donald Trump's campaign advisor Corey Lewandowski, -  John APMinchillo / 

06:30 PM

World saw nearly 10 million cases of measles last year, WHO figures show

The death toll from  measles rocketed by 50 per cent between 2016 and 2019 and last year the number of reported cases hit the highest figure in 23 years, according to annual estimates.   

The figures show that 207,500 people – mainly children – died from the infectious disease in 2019, up from 140,000 the previous year. 

The figures from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States also show that nearly 10 million people contracted measles in 2019 and are a stark reminder that the world is under threat from many infectious diseases, not just Covid. 

Anne Gulland has more on this story here.

People queue up for measles jabs during an outbreak of the deadly disease in Samoa last year - Jack Taylor

06:20 PM

Jordan's interior minister resigns after outcry over breaches in Covid-19 lockdown

Jordan's interior minister resigned on Thursday after a public outcry at gatherings and troubles in the aftermath of parliamentary elections that breached a five-day national lockdown aimed at curbing a surge in Covid-19 cases, state media said.

Interior Minister Tawfiq al Halalmah said he took "moral" responsibility for the unruly events that followed announcements of the results of parliamentary elections held on Tuesday where most candidates appeal to voters along mostly tribal and family loyalty lines.

The government had announced this month it planned the first such lengthy lockdown since easing measures last summer, to ensure the polls for a new four-year assembly would not lead to a spike in an already alarming surge in cases.

Jordan which has now become one of the region's most heavily hit countries, posted 5,685 new daily infections and 80 deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 132,086 cases and 1,547 deaths since the pandemic surfaced in March.

People wearing protective masks walk in downtown Amman, before Jordan begins a five-day national lockdown tonight amid fears over the rising number of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, Jordan - MUHAMMAD HAMED

06:04 PM

French PM says 1 in 4 deaths in France currently due to Covid-19

One out of four deaths in France is currently due to the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday.

Castex told a news conference that one person was being admitted to hospital every 30 seconds at present in the country.

"The pressure on our hospital system has risen sharply", he said.


05:56 PM

Nicola Adams forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing after Katya Jones tests positive for covid

Nicola Adams and Katya Jones are to leave Strictly Come Dancing after Jones tested positive for Covid-19. 

Adams, the Olympic boxer and part of the first same-sex Strictly partnership, said she was "absolutely devastated" by the news.

A BBC spokesman said that Jones was asymptomatic and the pair are now self-isolating separately.

The rest of the cast are unaffected and the show will continue with the other couples.

Anita Singh has the story.

Adams said she was 'absolutely devastated' to leave the competition -  BBC / PA

05:51 PM

Anti-vaxxer misinformation risks harming UK's ability to beat Covid, scientists warn

Anti-vaxxers spreading misinformation could prevent Britain reaching the level of herd immunity needed to end the Covid pandemic, scientists have warned.

A new study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that only 54 per cent of people surveyed said they would "definitely" be vaccinated. After being shown online misinformation such as articles claiming the vaccine can change a person's DNA, willingness fell by 6.4 per cent to around 47 per cent.

It is estimated that at least 55 per cent of the population will need to be immunised in order to achieve herd immunity, so the dissemination of ill-informed data could stop Britain being able to escape restrictions.

It is the first study to prove a definitive link between misinformation and a drop in the desire for vaccination.

Sarah Knapton has more on this here.


05:47 PM

Immigrants behind a quarter of German start-ups, new study finds

The couple behind the German coronavirus vaccine are not the only immigrants shaking up business in the country, a new study has found.

Prof Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci of BioNTech made headlines around the world as one of Europe’s biggest immigration success stories this week when the success of their vaccine boosted the value of the company to $21bn (£16bn).

They are the most high-profile of a wave of immigrants who increasingly play a disproportionate role in Germany's start-up scene.

Justin Huggler has the full story here.

Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin, the couple behind BioNTech

05:44 PM

Eight countries added to quarantine-free list, but most of Greece removed

Eight destinations have been added to the quarantine-free travel corridors list, giving Britons more post-lockdown holiday options – but most of Greece has been removed. 

Winter sun seekers will be excited by the addition of the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and the Caribbean British Overseas Territory of Turks and Caicos. Both are open to UK travellers who arrive with evidence of a negative Covid test. 

Iceland, which lost its corridor in September, is back on the green list. Those hoping to visit must take two Covid-19 tests, one on arrival and another at least five days later, to avoid a 14-day quarantine. 

Chile has been granted the first travel corridor in Latin America. It is not currently welcoming foreign arrivals, but plans to reopen its borders in early December to tourists who take a test before departure. 

Cambodia and Bahrain – which are both open to tourists, albeit with prohibitive restrictions – as well as Laos and Qatar – which remain closed to regular travellers – were the other destinations added. 

The loss of Greece, with the exception of Corfu, Crete, Rhodes, Zakynthos and Kos, comes after the country’s seven-day infection rate rose to 153.1 per 100,000 residents and is bad news for Britons already in the country, those travelling for essential reasons, and holidaymakers planning a post-lockdown break.

The changes were announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Thursday afternoon and come into effect at 4am on Saturday.

Tourists with masks walking down Laugavegur street in downtown Reykjavik, - Ernir Eyjolfsson / Getty

05:38 PM

Restrictions will still be in place after lockdown lifts, says NHS boss

Stephen Powis is asked if it is right to come out of lockdown with cases so high. 

He says that is a decision for the ministers, but notes it won't be "back to normal" and there will still be restrictions in place. 

The NHS boss also stresses we are only one week into four of the lockdown, and ministers will be "deciding what the best menu" of options is thereafter. 

Alok Sharma is then asked about possible supply chain disruption to vaccines, in light of a possible no deal Brexit. 

He highlights the work that has been taking place and is ongoing, urging businesses to look at the information that is being set out, but doesn't answer the question. 

And that is it - the press conference is over. 


05:35 PM

NHS boss 'confident' that Britons will have Covid vaccine

Alok Sharma is asked whether they will make vaccines compulsory. 

He says the first thing to do is ensure they are safe, and they won't be deployed until then. 

There will be a priority list, he adds. "I don't want to jump ahead here," the Business Secretary says. 

Stephen Powis notes that the UK has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, and this year "we are further ahead" in flu vaccines than last year. 

"That gives me confidence," he adds, echoing Mr Sharma's points about the safety and regulation processes. 

"I am confident that the British people will understand the benefits, not just for themselves, but for everybody," he adds. 


05:31 PM

Alok Sharma challenged over anti-vaxxer problem with communication

Alok Sharma is then asked about the rise of anti-vaxxers and if the Government has a problem with its communications on this front, in light of the disarray in Number 10 and the departure of PR boss Lee Cain. 

The Business Secretary stresses that the focus has been to get support to businesses and individuals, and the work carried out to communicate this. 

In terms of vaccines, he adds it is "very good news" that people are participating with trials and "we will continue to communicate with people" on vaccines. 

It is important to get the messages out, but we have been able to do that, he adds.


05:26 PM

It is possible that elective care could be affected if cases continue to rise, NHS boss warns

Stephen Powis is asked about the decision to stop procedures to deal with coronavirus, after the waiting list rose to 4.35m in September. 

He says they could see health systems coming under pressure around the world and testing was more limited at the first wave, so it was "absolutely critical" to create capacity within the NHS. 

"But of course we don't want to step down elective procedures where possible, and so in the second wave we haven't done that."

He says there is more to do, and there is a "possibility that elective care gets affected", if cases continue to rise. 

Everyone has a part to play in stopping that, he says. 


05:19 PM

NHS boss plays down record-high figure for new cases

They then turn to questions from journalists, which start with a focus on today's record-high data. 

Stephen Powis says it is important to look at the seven day average, which is just about 22,000, rather than one day. 

He says the ONS has been looking at Covid infections in a segment of the population, and Imperial have been doing something similar, suggesting people look at multiple data sets as well as several days. 

"The real key thing about the data is to emphasis the importance of all of us complying with the restrictions," he adds. 

Alok Sharma is asked about the impact of a no deal Brexit. He says whatever form of deal, there will be changes for business, which must get ready for January 1, and have been through webinars and direct communication with Government. 


05:16 PM

No detail on exit plan after lockdown from Alok Sharma

They turn to questions from the public, which is about what happens after the national lockdown is lifted. 

Alok Sharma says they will end on December 2 and we will move back into the tiered system. 

He says what is "important right now" is to observe the rules. 

Boris Johnson will set out more details closer to Dec 2, he adds. 

Previously Downing Street has said the UK will return to the tiered lockdown system.

UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma - Leon Neal / Getty

05:14 PM

NHS boss: Don't stop following Covid measures, despite vaccine 'cavalry'

Stephen Powis follows the same line. The NHS chief thanks people for "following the latest restrictions - I know it is not easy, especially the second time around".

He points to the single slide being used today, noting how much hospital inpatients have risen. 

The NHS boss says the vaccine news is "extremely encouraging" but says while it might feel as though "the cavalry is coming" people must continue to follow the restrictions.

"We know these measures work, so don't stop now."The vaccine will not help us in the second wave, he adds. 


05:13 PM

Sharma calls for caution on vaccine news

Alok Sharma welcomes this week's positive progress on the Pfizer vaccine, but warns "we still have a lot of hurdles to come".

He urges the public to continue following the guidance.

"The virus is still there, it is still a danger," he says.


05:10 PM

Alok Sharma praises businesses for being 'determined to soldier through' the pandemic

Alok Sharma turns to the extension of support including the furlough scheme to the end of next March. 

The Government will be distributing £2.2bn to councils to help more support through loans, he says. And more than 19,000 jobs have been created through the Kick Start scheme across the country and in a variety of sectors, describing it as "a ray of hope". 

"These measures are designed to help business stay afloat," he says.

He adds that the government's Kickstart scheme has created 19,000 jobs. It is "a ray of hope for young people" he says.


05:07 PM

UK Covid press conference begins

Alok Sharma has opened the press conference confirming the average number of cases (22,524), people in hospitals (14,196), those on ventilators (1,219) and deaths. 

In total, there were 595 deaths in the UK yesterday. He says the seven-day average for deaths is running at 378, compared to 295 a week ago.

Overall all numbers are rising. 

The seven-day average is now 375 "up from 295 a week ago," he adds. "A reminder to use of why we are taking the action we are to stop the spread of the virus and ultimately save lives". 


04:54 PM

Coming up: Government holds press briefing on coronavirus response

The briefing is due to start at 5pm. 

Business Secretary Alok Sharma and Stephen Powis - the national medical director of NHS England - are expected to attend. 

We'll bring you updates as they come.


04:48 PM

Britain's R-rate falls below 1, new modelling from King's College suggests

Britain's reproductive number could now be below one, new data from King's College London has suggested.

Estimates published by the university suggest that the UK's R-value – the number of people infected by each individual case – could be as low as 0.9.

The study uses data gathered more than a million users of the Covid Symptom Study app, made by health-tech company ZOE.

It is one of the more optimistic evaluations of the country's epidemiological situation.

Elsewhere others have suggested that the UK's R-rate is hovering closer to the 1.1-1.3 mark, according to official Government statistics. 

A slight fall in the number of infections should correlate with the reintroduction of strict coronavirus restrictions across the four nations.

New figures published by the Office for National Statistics show that while England's infection rate has increased in recent weeks, the rate of increase is less steep compared with previous weeks since more restrictions came into place.

While the data from King's College is promising, yesterday the UK became the first country in Europe to pass 50,000 coronavirus deaths, with another 595 fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.

Many scientists have heeded caution, suggesting it is still too early to assess the full effect of new lockdown measures.


04:41 PM

UK cases jump by more than 10,000 in 24 hours

Britain reported 33,470 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, government figures showed, up more than 10,000 on the day before. 

The UK registered 22,950 on Wednesday.

Thursday's data on the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 were not immediately available.


04:24 PM

Doctors in northern Greece warn hospitals at breaking point

A surge in coronavirus infections in Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki is pushing the hospital system to its limits, doctors at a medical facility say, as the second wave of the pandemic takes a toll.

Last week Greece ordered a nationwide three-week lockdown, its second this year, in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19 and the resulting burden on hospitals, particularly in Thessaloniki.

The city appeared to have contained the virus but in just one month, its success story has turned into a serious crisis. Thessaloniki's mayor has blamed the surge on complacency among the population, with almost every family having one infected person.

"The hospital system is already at its limits," said Vassilis Voutsas, 50, a medical doctor who works at the Covid intensive care unit at Thessaloniki's Papanikolaou Hospital, operating almost at full capacity.

"My fear is that the number of patients will be so big that we won't be able to treat them all."

On Wednesday Greece registered 2,752 new cases, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 63,321. There were 43 Covid-related deaths, raising the total to 909.

Medical workers wearing PPE take care of a patient at the intensive care unit of the George Papanikolaou General Hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece -  ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDIS /  REUTERS

04:18 PM

Disgraced MP who flouted Covid rules 'shows brass neck' with Commons return

A disgraced MP who broke Covid-19 rules by making a return trip from Glasgow to London with the virus has made her first appearance in the Commons since testing positive.

Margaret Ferrier, who has continued to defy calls to stand down from her £82,000-per-year job and is sitting as an independent after being stripped of the SNP whip, asked a question by video link about Hong Kong. 

Opposition parties said the 60-year-old’s appearance was a “gross insult to her constituents” and accused her of “brazenly trying to retain her Westminster privileges at the taxpayers’ expense”.

Daniel Sanderson has more on this reaction here.

Margaret Ferrier appears on a video link to ask a question about Hong Kong - House of Commons

04:14 PM

Fauci says vaccine 'cavalry' is en route but urges vigilance

US government scientist Anthony Fauci said Thursday the coronavirus vaccine "cavalry" is coming but urged the public not to let down its guard, and called for a stronger WHO to ward off future pandemics.

Fauci, a world-leading expert on infectious diseases who has been at serious odds with President Donald Trump over Covid-19, said that after Pfizer's vaccine, another is "literally on the threshold of being announced".

Moderna, which is co-developing its vaccine candidate with the US National Institutes of Health, says it is close to reaching a threshold in trials to apply for an emergency use authorisation from US regulators.

"The cavalry is coming, but don't put your weapons down," Fauci said by video-link to the Chatham House international affairs think-tank in London.

"Help is on the way, but it isn't here yet," he said, urging the public to respect public health measures such as wearing masks and washing hands.

Fauci added that the coming vaccines should be made available to poorer countries as well: "You should not live or die depending upon where you happen to have been born."

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases  - Graeme Jennings

04:09 PM

Positive Covid test ends first Caribbean cruise since start of pandemic

The first cruise to depart in the Caribbean since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic has come to an abrupt end after one passenger tested positive for Covid-19.

SeaDream I, which departed Barbados on Saturday with 53 passengers on board, arrived back to the coast off Bridgetown overnight where it remains, with those travelling confined to their cabins.

According to those on board, just after 12pm local time (4pm UK) the captain, Torbjorn Lund, made an announcement that a passenger had been feeling unwell and a Covid-19 test had come back positive. All passengers and non-essential crew were told to go back to their cabins and to isolate.

Ben Parker has the latest here.

The affected cruise ship set sail from Barbados on Saturday

04:02 PM

Turkey bans smoking outdoors and over 65s from leaving their home

Turkey has become the latest country to ban smoking in the name of Covid safety. 

The moratorium on lighting up in crowded public places, effective from November 12, is to ensure citizens comply with Turkey’s strict mask rules. Face coverings must be worn outside the home at all times, but smokers had been seen lowering them to indulge their habit. 

Turkey’s other new Covid restrictions include a lockdown on senior citizens in some provinces, including the capital Ankara and its largest city Istanbul, with over 65s only allowed outside between 4pm and 8pm (this does not include visiting tourists).

Elsewhere in the country, senior citizens must remain indoors between 8pm and 10am. Meanwhile, all businesses, including restaurants and cinemas, must close at 10pm. 

Oliver Smith has more.

A woman wearing a mask is seen in a market, in Istanbul, Turkey - Barcroft Media

03:44 PM

Covid plunges India into recession for first time in history

Before the pandemic the country had the world's fastest-growing economy but the informal jobs market has left many without a safety net

India has entered into the first recession in its history, as Covid-19 continues to ravage economies across the developing world.

The gross domestic product of the world’s second-most populous nation contracted by a record 23.8 per cent in the three months until the end of June, and a further 8.6 per cent in the quarter until September, according to the Reserve Bank of India.

Until the onset of Covid-19, India had possessed the world’s fastest-growing economy, thanks to its youthful and entrepreneurial population.

Joe Wallen has the full story.

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample at a COVID-19 testing center in Hyderabad, India -  Mahesh Kumar A / AP

03:35 PM

Further 317 people die with coronavirus in England

A further 317 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 35,640, NHS England said on Thursday.

Patients were aged between 33 and 98. All except nine, aged between 48 and 81, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between October 10 and November 11.

The North West was the worst-affected region, with 90 deaths, followed by the North East & Yorkshire, with 80 and the Midlands with 74.

There were 23 deaths registered in London, 21 in the East of England,  15 in the South East and 14 in the South West. 


03:34 PM

Prove you're Covid-free before going to live events, Ticketmaster boss hints

Concert-goers may have to prove they are coronavirus-free before being allowed to attend live events, Ticketmaster has said.

The British ticketing website said it is exploring ways to sync up with third-party medical providers to link Covid vaccine status or test results to digital tickets.

It stressed that it would not be making it a requirement that a fan must undergo a test in order to attend a concert or buy a ticket and that it would ultimately be up to event organisers or venues to set their own policies.

The firm said the idea is far from being implemented and that, if it was developed, all personal healthcare information would rest with the medical provider.

Sam Meadows has more.


03:27 PM

Hungarian government signs up to Russia's Sputnik vaccine

The Hungarian government has become the first EU country to order samples of Russia's Sputnik vaccine.

The move will be regarded as further evidence of a close relationship between the Hungarian  and Russian governments that has unsettled some of Hungary’s Western allies.

Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, said “now is about the lives of people” and that the “issue of vaccines is becoming over-politicised”.

“We are interested in buying the vaccine from the most possible sources and we will definitely not allow anybody to put pressure on us to not negotiate with Eastern counterparts," he told RT, Russia’s state owned news network.

He added that a small number of samples would be delivered in December and bigger quantities could be ordered from January.

Mr Szijjarto added that Hungary was also negotiating with Russia over the possibility of producing the vaccine, or part of it, in Hungary.

Matthew Day reports from Warsaw.


03:23 PM

Biden ignores Trump to build team with eye on raging pandemic

US President-elect Joe Biden will press on with building his governing team on Thursday, ignoring President Donald Trump's refusal to concede.

The Democratic former vice president has shrugged off the Republican incumbent's long-shot challenge to his victory, naming longtime adviser Ron Klain on Wednesday as White House chief of staff, his first major appointment.

New records for daily coronavirus infections and hospitalizations in the United States ensured that the presidential transition will be dominated by the response to the pandemic, which has accelerated since the November 3 election. Trump remains in office until Biden's inauguration on January 20.

Foreign allies have congratulated Biden. A group of prominent former world leaders known as The Elders, chaired by former Irish President Mary Robinson, urged Trump to accept defeat, fearing he was "putting at risk the functioning of American democracy."


03:06 PM

WHO in talks with Russian institute on Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in discussions with the Russian institute that developed the Sputnik V candidate vaccine against Covid-19 over its potential application for emergency use listing, the U.N. agency said on Thursday.

In a statement to Reuters, the WHO said: "We look forward to receiving the data for their Sputnik V candidate vaccine. If a product submitted for assessment is found to meet the criteria for listing, WHO will publish the results widely."

By granting the vaccine emergency use listing, the WHO would effectively be recommending its use to member states.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is reportedly 92 per cent effective at protecting people from Covid-19 according to interim trial results, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday.


02:45 PM

BAME patients could be prioritised for Covid vaccine

Black and Asian people could be prioritised for vaccination after new analysis showed they are far more likely to be infected with coronavirus.

The University of Leicester said it believed the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) would re-examine its priority list after a large meta-analysis showed black people are twice as likely to be infected with the disease than white people.

The review also found that Asian people have a 1.5 times greater risk.

Sarah Knapton explains more.


02:31 PM

Imperial College team work out how to keep RNA coronavirus vaccine in the fridge rather than -70C

A British team at Imperial College have worked out how to keep an RNA vaccine, similar to the leading Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus candidate, stable in the fridge. 

The research is significant because one of the leading obstacles to a full-scale roll-out of the Pfizer vaccine is the fact that it needs to be deep frozen at -70C. 

Earlier this week, scientists and governments around the world hailed results from Pfizer and BioNTech, which showed that its vaccine prevented disease in 90 per cent of its trial participants, as the light at the end of the tunnel for the pandemic. 

But there are concerns that the challenges in distribution may be insurmountable, particularly in hotter countries with less developed infrastructure. Deep freezing a vaccine requires dry ice or specialised containers four times colder than normal freezers. 

Jennifer Rigby explains more here.

Transporting vaccines which need to be 'deep frozen' at -70C or lower is a huge challenge - Sam Mednick / AP

02:25 PM

Care homes guidance is 'overly cautious', says MP

Huw Merriman, a Tory MP, has criticised government guidance for care homes for being “overly cautious”.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One, the MP for Bexhill and Battle called for “regular testing for at least one designated family member” of care home residents and for safe and closer contact between families, provided that testing and better PPE is made available.

Mr Merriman said it was “crucial” that we have a system that “recognises one designated visitor, who is regularly tested” and then allowed “closer and more humane contact” with their family member in the care home.


02:17 PM

Wales case count rises by more than 800

There have been a further 867 cases of coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 63,151.

Public Health Wales reported another 34 deaths, taking the total in Wales since the start of the pandemic to 2,142.


02:16 PM

Covid infections in England doubled during October

Covid-19 infections rose sharply in October with double the number of cases reported by the end of the month compared to the beginning, a large prevalence study led by Imperial College London said on Thursday.

"Findings from the sixth REACT study show that between 16th (October) and 2nd November, prevalence of infection was 1.3 per cent, meaning 130 people per 10,000 were infected, up from 60 people per 10,000 in the previous report (in early October)," the health ministry said in a statement on the prevalence study. 


02:11 PM

British-Canadian vaccine to enter large human trials

A combination of an experimental Covid-19 vaccine from Canadian drug developer Medicago and Britain’s GSK will enter into large human studies involving more than 30,000 healthy adults, the two companies said today.

The news comes days after the companies said the vaccine candidate produced virus-neutralising antibodies in all volunteers in an early-stage study.


02:07 PM

Shoppers shrug off pandemic and pollution ahead of India's biggest festival

Crowds packed New Delhi markets on Thursday ahead of India's biggest holiday of the year, shrugging off record coronavirus cases and toxic smog in the capital.

Shoppers looking for food and last-minute gifts before the Diwali festival of lights said they were fed up with being cooped up, no matter the deadly threats around them.

New Delhi recorded 8,600 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest number since the pandemic started and 85 deaths, and experts said the teeming markets could easily become "super-spreaders".

India has reported nearly 8.7 million infections, the world's second-highest caseload behind the United States, and there are fears that a Diwali surge could hit major cities across the country of 1.3 billion.

Nearly a week of "hazardous" level air pollution has only added to health fears.

Loudspeaker warnings to wear masks and maintain social distancing serenaded bargain hunters who packed the narrow lanes of Lajpat Nagar market, one of the busiest in the city of 20 million people.

Shoppers crowd a market ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease, in the old quarter of Delhi, India -  ADNAN ABIDI / REUTERS

02:04 PM

Schools open in Senegal after months-long virus break

Senegalese children resumed classes on Thursday after the government closed schools in March in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in the West African nation.

Some four million primary- and secondary-school pupils were meant to return to classrooms, but the turnout nationwide was unclear.

UNICEF had said last month that only one in three countries in Central and West Africa had reopened schools at the due date for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Senegal, a poor nation with a population of about 16 million people, has so far been spared a large coronavirus outbreak.

Health officials have registered 15,744 positive cases to date, with 326 fatalities. Only 31 people are currently being treated for the disease in the country.

Senegal initially declared a state of emergency when the pandemic reached the country in March, closing schools, imposing a curfew and restricting international flights.

The government has since eased or lifted most of the restrictions, however, with children returning to school the last major anti-virus measure to come to an end.

School students gather on their first day back at school in the popular Yoff Neighbourhood in Dakar - JOHN WESSELS / AFP 

01:59 PM

South Africa reopens borders as Covid-19 cases rise

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the country's borders would re-open for international travel in a bid to revive a struggling tourism industry as Covid-19 cases rise, Anna Pujol-Mazzini reports.

South Africa has recorded over 740,000 coronavirus cases and 20,000 deaths this year, making it the worst-hit country on the continent. A nationwide lockdown in May slowed the pandemic, but it dealt a huge blow to one of Africa's largest economies.

"We are opening up international travel to all countries subject to the necessary health protocols and the presentation of a negative Covid-19 certificate," Ramaphosa announced in a televised address on Wednesday.

"By using rapid tests and strict monitoring we intend to limit the spread of the infection through importation," he added. "We expect that these measures will greatly assist businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors."

Tourism made up nearly 3 per cent of South Africa's GDP in 2016, employing 4.4 per cent of workers.

The government did not provide details on the date of the reopening. Borders had partially reopened in October after months of closures, but visitors from high-risk countries including the United Kingdom, France and the United States were banned.

It has seen a surge in positive cases following the recent reopening of airports and businesses after months in lockdown.

A tourist seen photographing African elephants at the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa's Eastern Cape - John Seaton Callahan / Moment

01:51 PM

Ukraine’s president hospitalised with mild case of Covid-19

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, has been hospitalised together with his chief of staff after testing positive for coronavirus, Nataliya Vasilyeva reports from Moscow.

His spokeswoman, Iuliia Mendel, insisted on Thursday that both President Zelenskiy and Andriy Yermak, his chief of staff, are “active and displaying mild symptoms.”

Mr Zelenskiy, whose wife spent more than two weeks in hospital with a severe case of Covid-19 in June, tested positive for the virus earlier this week and was moved to a hospital in the capital Kyiv on Tuesday to enjoy “better conditions for self-isolation and care for coronavirus patients,” according to his spokeswoman.

Mr Zelenskiy has kept a busy schedule in the past couple of months, traveling around Europe for talks. He was on an official visit in the UK in October, meeting with Boris Johnson as well as the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge.

Ukraine is buckling under a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic as the total number of confirmed cases reached half a million after a record 11,000 new cases were reported on Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have ordered all non-essential businesses to be closed Friday night to Monday morning for weekend lockdowns this month.

Maxim Stepanov, Ukraine’s health minister, on Thursday conceded that what Ukraine really needs to deal with the deteriorating hospital crunch is a full lockdown but he said that the country “can’t afford it because of the economy.”


01:47 PM

New York imposes curfew on bars and restaurants in 'last chance' to stop Covid-19 second wave

New York is imposing lockdown restrictions on bars, restaurants and gyms, with the mayor warning it is the city's "last chance" to stop a second wave of Covid-19.

The venues would close at 10pm and indoor gatherings would be limited to 10 people, official said.

More restrictions would follow if necessary, said the governor, Andrew Cuomo, as the city faced a return to lockdown seven months after it was the epicentre of the pandemic.

The warning came as America again posted a record number of cases, with the daily tally of new infections hitting 145,000. The seven-day average of cases is more than 123,000.

Ben Farmer has more.


01:15 PM

Ireland confident strict Covid-19 restrictions will be dropped by December

The Irish government is confident that it will be able to drop some of the strictest Covid-19 restrictions in Europe on schedule in December following a sharp fall in infection rates, deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Thursday.

"I think everyone is confident now that we will ease restrictions in December," Varadkar told parliament.

Rules which have closed all bars, restaurants and non-essential retail and banned non-essential travel more than 5 kilometers from home are due to lapse on December 1, though ministers have said less strict restrictions are likely to remain.


01:04 PM

Pope Francis offers free Covid tests for Rome's most disadvantaged citzens

Pope Francis is offering free coronavirus tests for Rome’s poor and homeless as part of the Roman Catholic church’s World Day of the Poor activities, the Vatican said today.

The swabs are being offered at a clinic near St Peter’s Square which the pope set up several years ago to provide basic medical care to destitute people, some of whom live on the streets in the neighbourhood around the Vatican.

Italy surpassed the 1m infections mark yesterday, leapfrogging Mexico to become one of the top 10 worst-affected countries globally, according to a Reuters tally.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella told reporters that up to 50 coronavirus tests a day were being done and the initiative would continue indefinitely.

Those who test negative receive a certificate to enter a shelter and those who test positive are directed to further treatment.


12:36 PM

100-fold rise in patients waiting a year for treatment at NHS hospitals

The number of patients waiting more than a year for NHS treatment has risen 100-fold in a year, new figures show, with more than 4.3 million people now on waiting lists. 

Across England, 139,545 people had waited more than 52 weeks to start treatment as of September this year - the highest number for any calendar month since September 2008.

In September 2019, the figure was just 1,305.

The data from NHS England also shows 1.72 million people were waiting more than 18 weeks to start treatment in September.

Lizzie Roberts has more.

A man walk past a giant mural featuring Manchester Royal Infirmary nurse Debra Williams as an angel, in the city's Northern Quarter in Manchester - PETER POWELL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

12:25 PM

Misinformation could prompt people to turn against Covid-19 vaccine

Conspiracy theories and misinformation fuel mistrust in vaccines and could push levels that potential Covid-19 vaccines are taken in the United States and Britain below the rates needed to protect communities against the disease, a study found on Thursday.

The study of 8,000 people in the two countries found that fewer people would "definitely" take a Covid-19 vaccine than the 55 per cent of the population scientists estimate is needed to provide so-called "herd immunity".

"Vaccines only work if people take them. Misinformation plays into existing anxieties and uncertainty around new [Covid] vaccines, as well as the new platforms that are being used to develop them," said Heidi Larson, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who co-led the study.

"This threatens to undermine the levels of Covid-19 vaccine acceptance," added Larson, who is also director of the international Vaccine Confidence Project.

Vials with a sticker reading, "COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only" and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo - DADO RUVIC / REUTERS

 

In the misinformation study, 3,000 respondents in each country were exposed between June and August to widely circulating misinformation on social media about a Covid-19 vaccine. The remaining 1,000 in each country, acting as a control group, were shown factual information about Covid-19 vaccines.

Before being exposed to misinformation, 54 per cent of those in the UK said they would "definitely" accept a vaccine, as did 41.2 per cent in the United States. But after being shown the online misinformation, that number fell by 6.4 percentage points in the UK group, and by 2.4 percentage points in the United States.

In both countries, people without a college degree, those in low-income groups and non-whites are more likely to reject a Covid-19 vaccine, the study found.

Women were more likely than men to refuse a Covid-19 vaccine, but more respondents in both countries said they would accept a vaccine if it meant protecting family, friends, or at-risk groups.


12:20 PM

The history of Cuba's vaccine programme

Cuba has long exported vaccines to the developing world, including shots against meningitis and hepatitis B, although data on recent sales is not public.

Late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro backed a home-grown biotech sector in the 1980s, partly so Cuba could become more self-sufficient in the face of a U.S. trade embargo. It has since become a major part of the economy.

Cuba produces 8 of the 12 vaccines in its national immunisation program and has exported hundreds of millions of vaccines to more than 40 countries, according to BioCubaFarma President Eduardo Martinez.


12:17 PM

Cuba leads race for Latin American coronavirus vaccine

As Latin American nations test experimental coronavirus vaccines from across the globe and economic heavyweights such as Brazil and Mexico jockey for supply deals with major drugmakers, Communist-run Cuba already has two of its own vaccines in clinical trials.

Should its efforts succeed, the Caribbean island could become an important supplier to neighboring countries that might otherwise struggle to access vaccine supply as wealthy Western nations rush to secure doses, regional experts said.

"Cuba's contribution with its vaccine could be very important for certain vulnerable groups in our region" such as the elderly, or remote indigenous communities, Jose Moya, the representative in Cuba for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), told Reuters.

If a Cuban vaccine proves safe and effective, it would become available for purchase in the region through PAHO, the Americas regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO), Moya said.

Cuba's vaccine progress is being tracked by COVAX - a program co-led by the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) to ensure global distribution of vaccines - he said.

Cuba's two vaccine candidates – known as Sovereign 1 and Sovereign 2 – are not among the nine COVAX has chosen for its portfolio to date, a CEPI spokesman said.


12:14 PM

How Africa's entrepreneurs are filling the gaps in the continent's Covid-19 response

Innovations have made a "huge difference" in Africa's fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as entrepreneurs step in to fill gaps in health systems and keep economies moving, according to experts.

Since the first infection was recorded in Nigeria at the end of February, entrepreneurs have developed tools ranging from contact-tracing apps in Kenya and Ghana to WhatsApp chatbots in South Africa and self-diagnostic tools in Angola.

More than 120 new health technologies were recorded this year by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa, according to a report published earlier this month.

"These innovations have made a huge difference. We are fighting Covid-19 in the context of weak health systems," Moredreck Chibi, WHO's regional innovation adviser for Africa told the Telegraph. 

Anna Pujol-Mazzini has more.

A Doctor wears a protective mask inside the emergency ward in Pikine Hospital in Dakar  - JOHN WESSELS / AFP

12:01 PM

Oxygen rushed to suspected Covid-19 cases at overwhelmed hospitals in Naples

Oxygen is provided to people with suspected Covid-19 infection as they line up waiting to access the entrance to the infectious diseases emergency unit at the Cotugno hospital in Naples.

A surge of Covid-19 cases in Naples has threatened to overwhelm hospitals in the region.

Read more in Nick Squires's report (from 11:21am).

Oxygen is provided to people with suspected COVID-19 infection as they line up waiting to access the entrance to the infectious diseases emergency unit at the Cotugno hospital in Naples - FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP

11:54 AM

Police break up lockdown gym class

Gym goers were stopped from an outdoor exercise session by a group of five police officers.

The group were holding a group workout at premises in Harlow despite there being a national lockdown. 

Video footage shows one woman continue to lift weights even as the police as them to disperse from the industrial estate in Essex.

Gym goers were stopped from an outdoor exercise session - Ripped Gym facebook

 


11:50 AM

South Africa's unemployment rates tips over 30%

South Africa's jobless rate rose to 30.8 percent between July and September, the highest level since 2008, according to government figures released Thursday.

The increase is largely attributed to months-long anti-coronavirus restrictions that battered Africa's most industrialised economy.

"In the 3rd quarter of 2020 there were significant movements in the South African labour market... which resulted in a significant increase of 7.5 percentage points in the unemployment rate to 30.8%," the national statistics agency StatsSA said.

"This is the highest unemployment rate recorded since the start of the (Quarterly Labour Force Survey) in 2008."

StatsSA said the recorded number of unemployed during the third quarter was 2.2 million higher than in April-June, bringing the total to 6.5 million.


11:48 AM

China faces rising coronavirus risks from imported infections

China is facing an increased risk of local transmission of the new coronavirus from imported cases as the spread of the global pandemic accelerates, a senior official at the country's health authority said on Thursday.

In winter, there might be sporadic cases in some areas in China and some pocket cluster cases in others, Li Bin, vice minister of the National Health Commission, said at a press conference.

"China's epidemic prevention and control work cannot be relaxed for a single moment," Li said.

Countries such as India, Brazil and France are reporting tens of thousands of new infections daily. By contrast, China has largely controlled the spread of the coronavirus since early summer, although clusters of community infections have periodically hit parts of the country.

In the past week, a handful of local cases linked to food imports have emerged in the northern port city of Tianjin, while an airport worker in Shanghai has contracted the virus even though he has had no direct contact with infected patients.

Officials at the news conference noted a rise in imported cases among travellers arriving from abroad.


11:46 AM

Why missing the stamp duty deadline could actually save you money

Buyers are rushing to transact before the stamp duty holiday ends – but in some areas, missing the deadline could actually save you money.

Combined with pent-up demand and a new desire to move to larger properties after lockdown, the tax break has driven a well-documented post-lockdown property surge.

Because of how quickly house prices have grown in recent months, some movers have found that what they will gain from the tax holiday is outweighed by price inflation.

When the tax break ends, analysts expect values to fall, cancelling out much of the recent growth. Many savvy buyers are waiting, betting that what they lose on the tax savings will be made up in price discounts.

Melissa Lawford explains more.

A woman views a display of properties for sale in an estate agent's window -  Dinendra Haria/LNP

11:42 AM

German minister warns restrictions may extend through winter

Germany's health minister said on Thursday he expects restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic will continue through winter, with life unlikely to get back to normal in December or January even if infections fall.

"I don't see events with more than 10 or 15 people happening this winter," Jens Spahn told RBB broadcaster.

Germany reported 21,866 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 727,553 and jumping back above 20,000 after four days below that figure, while the death toll rose by 215 to 11,982, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Germany's states are due to meet on Monday to review whether partial lockdown measures imposed on Nov. 2 have been enough to slow a steep rise in new infections that risks overwhelming hospitals.

Merkel said on Thursday there were hopeful signals that a coronavirus vaccine could be on the horizon, but warned it would take time. She declined to say whether Germany might allow bars and restaurants to open again in December.

"We all have to be sensible, we have to get down to 50 cases per 100,000 people over 7 days," she said in response to a question on whether the lockdown would end this month. The figure is currently 139 per 100,000.


11:39 AM

How Tenerife became a haven for remote workers

Pubs and restaurants shuttered until December, 4.30pm sunsets caught from your home-slash-office, and a fresh travel ban. With such gloomy prospects, who can blame remote workers for ditching the UK? 

Draconian border restrictions may have struck south-east Asia off the digital nomad map, but a growing number of Britons are turning to the Canary Islands, and specifically Tenerife, to see out 2020 – and perhaps beyond.

Read more here.

Mount Teide, Tenerife

11:32 AM

Germany airliner begins rapid coronavirus testing trial

An employee of Lufthansa, Germany's largest airline, holds up a rapid coronavirus testing device.

Lufthansa has begun trials of the first comprehensive Covid-19 antigen rapid tests on selected routes between Munich and Hamburg.

An employee of a new Lufthansa corona quick test center shows the test device into the camera at the airport in Munich, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. Lufthansa starts the first test runs for comprehensive Covid-19 antigen rapid tests on selected routes between Munich and Hamburg. -  Matthias Schrader / AP

11:27 AM

Iran's coronavirus death toll exceeds 40,000

 Iran's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 457 to 40,121 on Thursday, the highest in the Middle East, with the total number of identified cases reaching 726,585, health ministry data showed.

Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV that Iran had identified 11,517 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.


11:23 AM

English contacts traced still near record lows as weekly cases rise 8%

 Positive Covid-19 cases in England rose 8 per cent on the previous week, the same weekly rate of increase as before, the country's test and trace scheme said on Thursday, with the proportion of contacts of the cases reached remaining near record lows.

There were 141,804 people transferred to the contact tracing system between Oct 29 and Nov 4. In total 85 per cent of positive cases were reached and asked to provide information about their contacts, up from 82.7 per cent reported for the previous week.

However, of the 314,817 people identified as coming into close contact with someone who had tested positive, just 60.4 per cent were reached and asked to self-isolate. Little change from the 59.6 per cent record low reported last month.


11:21 AM

Italy man dies on floor of hospital loo

A man who died on the floor of a hospital toilet in Naples has become a grim emblem of Italy's struggle to handle a dramatic rise in Covid-19 cases, Nick Squires reports from Rome.

The man died in a lavatory in the overwhelmed Cardarelli hospital in Naples. He had been suffering from coronavirus symptoms and was waiting to be tested.

The exact circumstances of his death were not clear but the hospital has launched an investigation.

In other Naples hospitals, doctors have had to take oxygen out to patients waiting in cars to be admitted.

In the nearby town of Castellamare di Stabia, four people reportedly died before setting foot in accident and emergency, amid long queues for hospital care.

Emergency beds are being set up in churches and military field hospitals built by the army.

In Rome, one man says he was kept on a stretcher in a hospital for 12 days because there were no beds available.  The 58-year-old claimed there was little food and patients at one point threatened to call the Carabinieri police. 

"They were the worst days of my life," he told La Repubblica newspaper. "Hospital is worse than the illness."

On Wednesday, another 623 deaths were recorded, the highest number since early April, when Italy was in the grip of the first wave of the pandemic. It brought the total number of deaths in Italy to nearly 43,000. 

More than a million Italians have been infected with the virus.


11:11 AM

Rishi Sunak signals plans for winter Eat Out to Help Out after second lockdown

Rishi Sunak has suggested that he is mulling a winter version of the summer's Eat Out to Help Out scheme to help boost the economy after the second national lockdown. 

During an interview about the latest GDP figures this morning, the Chancellor was asked if he was planning to dust off the scheme which gave diners 50 per cent off meals, up to £10 per person, from Mondays to  Wednesdays throughout August.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Mr Sunak said: "We'll talk about specific measures, but more broadly I think it's right when we finally exit this (lockdown) and hopefully next year with testing and vaccines, we'll be able to start to look forward to getting back to normal.

"We'll have to look forward to the economic situation then and see what the best form of our support.

"We want to get consumers spending again, get them out and about, we'll look at a range of things to see what the right interventions are at that time."

A man passing a sign advertising the 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme - Dominic Lipinski / AP

11:03 AM

Gamers v governments: who can save the world from a deadly pandemic?

Gamers across the globe will now be able to try their hand at saving the world from a deadly disease outbreak in a reboot of Plague Inc.’s popular disaster-themed video game.

Original versions of the app-based simulation saw players develop and deploy a deadly pathogen designed to wipe out humanity.

In the latest update, Plague Inc: The Cure, the roles are reversed. Players must now take on the role of the saviour fighting to keep a global pandemic under control.

The game is, of course, a fantasy but elements closely mirror the current coronavirus crisis gripping the world thanks, in part, to its developers who drew on scientific input from real-world infectious disease experts.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) which is helping to fund a vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) all lent a hand in helping create the latest update.

Read more here.

A screenshot from Plague Inc: The Cure - Ndemic Creations

10:55 AM

India has second largest number of Covid cases in world

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample at a Covid-19 testing centre in Hyderabad, India.

The country's tally of confirmed cases, currently the second largest in the world behind the United States, has exceeded 8.6 million.

India - Mahesh Kumar/AP

10:42 AM

Increase in urgent cancer referrals

NHS England figures also show that a total of 199,801 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in England in September 2020, up from 195,196 in September 2019 - a rise of 2%.

This compares with a year-on-year drop of 15% in August, 19% in July and 21% in June.

Urgent referrals where breast cancer symptoms were present - though not initially suspected - were down from 13,475 in September 2019 to 10,963 in September 2020, a fall of 19%.


10:31 AM

Covid-secure earthquake drill in South Korea

Members of the disaster relief organisation Hope Bridge wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of coronavirus crouch under desks during an earthquake drill at their office in Seoul, South Korea.

The country is in final talks with global drugmakers including Pfizer Inc over potential coronavirus vaccines as it seeks to secure supplies to cover 60% of its population this year, health authorities have said.

South Korea - Ahn Young-joon /AP

10:20 AM

Almost half a million people waiting for crucial diagnostic test

More than 400,000 patients in England had been waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test in September.

A total of 420,445 patients were waiting for one of 15 standard tests, including an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy.

The equivalent number waiting for more than six weeks in September 2019 was 38,750.

The number has fallen in recent months, however, after peaking at 571,459 in May 2020.


10:16 AM

Highest number of people waiting for treatment for more than a decade

The number of people having to wait more than 52 weeks to start hospital treatment in England stood at 139,545 in September of this year - the highest number for any calendar month since September 2008.

One year earlier, in September 2019, the number having to wait more than 52 weeks to start treatment stood at just 1,305, according to the figures from NHS England.

The total number of people admitted for routine treatment in hospitals in England was down 27% in September compared with a year ago.

A&E attendances at hospitals in England continue to be below levels of a year ago, according to the latest figures from NHS England.

A total of 1.6 million attendances were recorded in October 2020, down 26% from 2.2 million in October 2019.

Emergency admissions to A&E departments at hospitals in England also showed a fall last month, down 14% from 563,133 in October 2019 to 481,846 in October 2020.

NHS England again said this is likely to be a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak.


10:01 AM

People of black and Asian ethnicities up to twice as likely to be infected with Covid-19

Data also suggests that the risk of being admitted to intensive care after catching coronavirus may be twice as high for Asians when compared to those from white ethnicities.

The analysis, published in the EClinicalMedicine by The Lancet, is based on pooled data from more than 18 million people who had taken part in 50 studies in the UK and US.

The scientists said that their findings should be of "importance to policymakers going forward".

However, they added that any decisions on whether those from Black and Asian backgrounds should be on the priority list for a Covid-19 vaccine will need to come from the Government and Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on all aspects of vaccination.


09:45 AM

Councils warn of insolvency risk without big cuts

Many of England's largest local authorities are warning they could be forced into "damaging" cuts to services next year to remain solvent, with social care among the areas likely to suffer without more government support.

Only one in five of England's county councils and county unitary authorities is confident of delivering a balanced budget without drastic action, says the County Councils Network.

Ministers say councils have been given an "unprecedented" £7bn.


09:30 AM

Christmas presents at risk as online orders rocket

Retailers are bracing for December chaos as supply chain mayhem threatens to deprive millions of families of their presents and wreck hopes of a profitable Christmas.

A brutal mix of lockdown measures, staff absences and fearful customers are in danger of derailing the crucial festive season even when non-essential shops are able to reopen next month, experts warned.

Shoppers in Dunfermline, Scotland - Iain Masterton/Alamy

Stores are grappling to cope with a surge in online demand far above anything previously expected as the pandemic forces millions of consumers to change their habits, with John Lewis shifting stock around and toy chain the Entertainer warning of disaster if compulsory closures are extended.

At worst, the problems could mean customers are unable to buy their Christmas presents due to delays in the system - scotching hopes of a strong end to the year as firms struggle to build up their threadbare cash reserves before heading into January.

Read the full story here.


09:17 AM

How is the UK is coping with a second wave?

In a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson said "no responsible Prime Minister can ignore" the rising rates of Covid-19 infections as he announced the lockdown.

He said "we need to be humble in the face of nature", adding that the virus was spreading even faster than the worst case scenario envisaged by scientists.

According to the latest figures released by the Government, there are currently 1,256,725 known cases in the UK, and  50,365 people have died.

Read The Telegraph's analysis here.


08:54 AM

'Pathetic' power struggle has no place during pandemic, says Labour leader

Sir Keir Starmer said the public would be aghast at time being wasted on petty in-fighting at Downing Street while a pandemic gripped the country.

Boris Johnson’s No.10 operation has been thrown into turmoil following the dramatic resignation of one of his closest aides. Lee Cain announced late on Wednesday he was quitting as director of communications.

Sir Keir told LBC: “This is pathetic. I think millions of people will be waking up this morning, scratching their heads, saying what on earth is going on?

“We’re in the middle of a pandemic, we’re all worried about our health and our families, we’re all worried about our jobs, and this lot are squabbling behind the door of Number 10.

“It’s pathetic. Pull yourselves together, focus on the job in hand.”


08:25 AM

Tory 'hawks' suggest workers should get the coronavirus vaccine before the elderly

A row has broken out within the Conservative Party with “hawks” suggesting workers should be vaccinated ahead of the elderly to get the economy back on track.

It comes after it was revealed that Britain has secured 40 million doses of the new Pfizer vaccine which is enough for around one third of the population.

Earlier this week health officials stressed that age would be "far and away" the biggest factor in deciding who is eligible for the vaccine. Everyone over the age of 50 has been placed on a "preliminary" prioritisation list, with the very oldest taking precedence.

However the divide between the Hawks and Doves over the Government's approach to coronavirus has been evident throughout the pandemic, with Hawks pushing for the economy to be prioritised over the dovish commitment to protecting the NHS.

Read the full story here.


08:00 AM

Economy surged after first lockdown but slowed before second

The UK economy surged by a record 15.5% between July and September as Britain rebounded out of recession but the recovery slowed sharply even before the second lockdown, official figures show.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the third-quarter growth was the highest since records began in 1955 and came as restrictions eased after the spring lockdown.

But month-on-month growth slowed to 1.1% in September as the Government's Eat Out To Help Out hospitality-boosting scheme ended.

Diners enjoying the Eat Out to Help Out scheme - Oli Scarff/AFP

Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: "While all main sectors of the economy continued to recover, the rate of growth slowed again, with the economy still remaining well below its pre-pandemic peak.

"The return of children to school boosted activity in the education sector. Housebuilding also continued to recover while business strengthened for lawyers and accountants after a poor August.

"However, pubs and restaurants saw less business after the Eat Out To Help Out scheme ended, and accommodation saw less business after a successful summer."


07:47 AM

Pfizer chief sold stock worth $5.6m on same day as vaccine announcement

Pfizer’s chief executive sold shares worth millions on Monday, the same day the drug maker announced its coronavirus vaccine was more than 90pc effective.

Albert Bourla sold more than 130,000 shares on Monday as part of a scheduled plan to sell some of his stake in Pfizer, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing. 

The shares were sold at $41.94 each - close to the intra-day high of $41.99 - meaning he made about $5.6m (£4.2m) from the sale.

Read the full story here.


07:29 AM

Passenger flights between London and New York could be running by Christmas

Quarantine-free passenger flights between London and New York could be running by Christmas if the Government gives the green light, according to Heathrow airport's chief executive.

In an interview with The Telegraph, John Holland-Kaye said an industry working group had drawn up plans for a trial scheme under which passengers could have a test up to 72 hours before flying and a second test on arrival at the airport. If negative, they would avoid any quarantine in the US or UK.

Travellers check in for flights in New York this month - Noam Galai /Getty Images North America 

The scheme is being considered by the Government's testing taskforce, headed by Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, and Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, alongside separate plans for a single Covid test and release regime five days after arrival in the UK to slash quarantine by nine days.

Read the full story here.


06:58 AM

'Lessons must be learned' as death toll exceeds 50,000

Leading doctors have said it is "vital that lessons are learned" from the pandemic as the UK's official coronavirus death toll exceeded 50,000.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said the figures were a "terrible indictment" of the Government's lack of preparation and organisation with regard to handling the virus.

The latest Government data showed 50,365 people had died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, making it the first country in Europe to exceed 50,000 deaths.

Responding to the news, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chairman, said: "This is a point that should never have been reached.

"In March, Professor Steve Powis said that if the public adhered to the nationwide lockdown the total toll could be kept below 20,000.

"Today's figure is a terrible indictment of poor preparation, poor organisation by the Government, insufficient infection control measures, coupled with late and often confusing messaging for the public."


06:46 AM

Chancellor should pay postage fees for small businesses competing with Amazon, says Lib Dems

Chancellor Rishi Sunak should "level the playing field" for small businesses competing with giants like Amazon by covering their postage fees this Christmas, the Lib Dems have urged.

The party's Treasury spokeswoman, Christine Jardine, called for a scheme to help shops hit by decreased footfall during the coronavirus pandemic in a similar vein to how the Eat Out to Help Out scheme aided restaurants.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) welcomed the "creative idea" to help firms survive, while the Treasury defended its "comprehensive" support package to date, pointing towards the recently-extended furlough scheme.

"When people turn online to do their Christmas shopping, free postage offers from online shopping giants and the ease of Amazon Prime are incredibly tempting," Ms Jardine added in a statement.

"That makes it an even tougher climate for small business and shut shops. I'm asking the Chancellor to level the playing field and give small businesses the chance to thrive for online at-home shoppers.

"We want the PM to pay the postage on online purchases from small local independent shops to make them a more viable option for people hunting for Christmas presents and encourage people to shop small from home."


06:37 AM

Mass testing of students will not be legally enforceable, Government confirms

Earlier this week the Department for Education announced that students were to be sent straight home from university after lockdown so that they can spend Christmas with their families, with  all lectures and classes to have moved online by December 9.

It comes after the The Telegraph revealed that the Government intends to roll out mass testing at universities so that students with a negative test can return home straight away. 

Students who test positive will have to remain on campus while they isolate for 10 days and they would then be free to travel home after this.

However, the Department for Education has since confirmed that the tests will not be mandatory and that there will not be any new laws to force students to be tested.

Read the full story here.


05:57 AM

Britain's descent into a post-Covid socialist nightmare

This ought to be a time for hope, for optimism, for celebration even, and yet it is hard to shake off a sense of impending doom. The end of the Covid emergency is finally in sight, but that doesn’t mean that all will soon be for the best in this best of all possible worlds, writes Allister Heath

Yes, the vaccines may allow Britain to return to a society with most of the trappings of normality, hopefully by the spring. But that is where the Panglossian vision ends. It is never possible for a traumatised country entirely to turn back the clock, vaccine or no vaccine, and any politician presuming otherwise is in for a terrible shock. We will emerge from lockdown a permanently scarred country. The old Britain is gone, replaced by a jaded, poorer, more indebted, more risk-averse and, above all, more collectivist economy.

The story of the past nine months all over the Western world is one of state failure on a colossal scale, ended only by the extraordinary capitalist miracle that is Big Pharma: the script could almost have been written by Ludwig von Mises or Ayn Rand. Yet this risks not making any difference to the Left-wards, socialist shift triggered by the virus and our response to it.

Read the full article here. 


05:34 AM

Hospitals in US overwhelmed by surge in cases

After several weeks of rapidly rising coronavirus cases, hospitals around the United States are once again overwhelmed, forcing local authorities to take new measures to cope with the pandemic.

On Wednesday a record 65,368 people were in the hospital with Covid-19 across the country, marking the second day in a row and second time ever that the tally passed the 60,000 mark, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

Around the country officials were scrambling to staunch the spread.

In New York state, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that any establishment with a liquor license, including bars and restaurants, would have to close at 10:00 pm beginning on Friday. The rule will also apply to gyms.

At the border city of El Paso in western Texas, a state where coronavirus cases have now exceeded one million, more than 1,000 people are in hospital in the county of El Paso alone, a substantial portion of the state's nearly 6,800 hospitalisations.

A medical worker stands at a Covid-19 state drive-thru testing site at UTEP, in El Paso, Texas - AP

"These are dark times," Ogechika Alozie, chief medical officer at the city's Del Sol Medical Center, told CNN on Wednesday. "I think the biggest word is just fatigue. And there's frustration."

Cases are so high that Texas Governor Greg Abbott has requested a military medical centre be converted for intake of non-Covid patients in order to free up space in hospitals. County officials, meanwhile, have requested additional mobile morgues.


05:21 AM

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