Returning to tiered system after lockdown will see infections spike again, warns Sage
Max Stephens
·58 min read
A man wearing a protective face covering walks past a store declaring itself an "essential retailer" in Ashton-under-Lyne east of Manchester in north-west England on November 11, 2020, as people in England live through a second nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus covid-19. - A united effort to tackle spiking coronavirus infection rates has been called for as 56 million people in England went into a second lockdown but with the public weary of restrictions and fearing for their livelihoods. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) - Oli Scarff/AFP
Lockdown measures currently in place in England are likely to take the R number below one but returning to the previous tiered system will cause infections to rise back to levels seen early in November, Government scientists have said.
In a set of new documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) today, experts said that if the four-week lockdown measures are adhered to, the number of hospital admissions and deaths can be expected to fall until at least the second week of December.
However, a longer-term outlook will depend on both the nature of non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented after December 2, when the lockdown measures are expected to be lifted, and policies over the festive period.
A Sage document, dated November 4, said: "If England returns to the same application of the tiering system in place before November 5, then transmission will return to the same rate of increase as today."
The number of new daily cases across the UK is currently thought to be between 55,000 and 81,000.
06:59 PM
Today's top stories:
Older people are more likely to be breaking lockdown rules than their younger counterparts, Government data has revealed, as they are striving to maintain the family unit.
Almost two million people in Scotland's Central Belt face being put into near full lockdown next week after the current restrictions failed to tackle "stubbornly high" Covid-19 levels.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has tested positive for Covid-19 and faces a period of isolation, the Egyptian Football Association have announced.
Christmas could still be saved, with Government scientists believing the coronavirus 'R' rate will soon be below one – allowing for "limited loosening" of social distancing rules over the festive period.
Secondary school pupils are now playing a “significantly higher role” in bringing infections into households, the Government’s scientific advisors have said but they admit they could be catching it from socialising outside of school.
Trump to deliver update on Covid research project 'Operation Warp Speed'
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday will address the nation at 4 p.m. eastern time (2100 GMT) with an update on the so-called Operation Warp Speed program, according to a White House Statement.
In his first public comments since the week of the U.S. election, Trump will update on the U.S. government program that has struck deals with several drugmakers in an effort to help speed up the search for effective treatments for the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.
06:39 PM
China finds coronavirus on packaging of Brazilian beef
The Chinese city of Wuhan said today it had detected coronavirus on the packaging of a batch of Brazilian beef, as it ramped up testing of frozen foods this week as part of a nationwide campaign.
The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement on its website it had found three positive samples on the outer packaging of frozen, boneless beef from Brazil.
The beef had entered the country at Qingdao port on Aug. 7 and it reached Wuhan on Aug. 17, where it remained in a cold storage facility until recently.
The beef shipment's exporter registration code was 2015, the commission said, which refers to a plant owned by Marfrig Global Foods S.A. in Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso state.
06:30 PM
Joe Biden coronavirus adviser suggests four-to-six week lockdown for United States
A senior health adviser to Joe Biden has suggested locking down the United States for four to six weeks.
It came as the US set new records for coronavirus cases, and hospitalisations, and the daily death toll rose to the highest in six months.
Amid a nationwide surge Texas became the first state to record one million cases, and California was not far behind.
Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist appointed to Mr Biden's coronavirus task force, has been warning in recent days that America is "about to enter Covid Hell" and that the figures were "going to go far north."
He said high levels of personal savings, and low interest rates, could mean all wages and losses to small and medium-sized companies being covered during a weeks-long shutdown.
Mr Osterholm said: "We have a big pool of money out there that we could borrow. We could do all of that."If we did that, then we could lock down for four to six weeks. And if we did that, we could drive the numbers down, like they've done in Asia, like they did in New Zealand and Australia."
06:21 PM
New coronavirus cases and hospital admissions drop sharply in France
New infections and hospital admissions for Covid-19 dropped sharply at the end of the second week of a new nationwide confinement in France, health ministry data showed on Friday.
The ministry reported 23,794 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, down from 33,172 on Thursday and compared to 60,486 last Friday.
The number of people going into hospital with the virus plunged to 24 from 737 on Thursday and the number of people going into intensive care dropped to just four from 96 on Thursday and more than 100 per day every weekday last week.
06:12 PM
Listen to the latest episode of our Coronavirus podcast
In this episode: After the US recorded its highest daily rise in new cases and hospitalisations on Thursday, Deputy Editor of The Telegraph’s Global Health Security Team, Anne Gulland joins Theodora Louloudis to discuss the five mammoth challenges the President Elect will be seeking to overcome in his fight against Covid-19.
Top of the list? Tackling misinformation.
06:04 PM
Dental antibiotics are up 25% during the pandemic
The amount of antibiotics prescribed by dentists in Britain has soared by a quarter since Covid-19 struck, according to research published Friday highlighting the risk of a "slow-motion" pandemic of antibiotic resistance.
The study, published in the British Dental Journal, found there was a 60-percent jump in prescriptions by dentists in London in the three months from April to July compared with the same period a year earlier.
The lowest increase was in the southwest of England, which still saw prescriptions rise 10 percent in the same period.
Researchers said more antibiotics were being prescribed as patients see their access to dental procedures severely curtailed as a result of Covid lockdowns and the postponement of non-emergency medical operations.
05:57 PM
Watch: Seoul holds drone display to boost morale during coronavirus crisis
05:47 PM
Older people more likely to break lockdown rules than the young, ONS study finds
Older people are more likely to be breaking lockdown rules than their younger counterparts, Government data has revealed, as they are striving to maintain the family unit.
According to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 23 per cent of people aged 16 to 29 years reported physical contact with at least one other person when socialising indoors in the past 24 hours, excluding those in their household or support bubble.
This marked a decrease from 32 per cent from the week before.
However, the ONS also found that physical contact with at least one other person when socialising indoors was highest for those aged 50 to 69 years, at 25 per cent. In contrast, it was lowest for those aged 70 years and over, at 17 per cent.
Push R below one and keep it there to save Christmas, says scientists
The reproduction rate of coronavirus must stay below one for "some time" to allow families to gather at Christmas, Government scientists have warned.
Documents show the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), which reports to the Scientific Advisory Committee for Emergencies (Sage), believe infections will rise at the same rate as before if the three-tier system is brought back in on December 2.
The team warned that failing to stop the virus taking off again could have an impact on families getting together to celebrate Christmas.
It comes as Sage said today the reproduction number for coronavirus, the R value, is dropping across the UK and is potentially below one in some areas.
05:32 PM
Italy extends lockdowns to more regions, tightens curbs
Restrictions aimed at slowing a surge in coronavirus cases will be extended in various Italian regions, with both Tuscany and Campania set to be designated as high-risk "red zones", the health ministry said on Friday.
Italy recorded 40,902 new infections over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total since the disease came to light in February to 1.107 million - a threefold increase in barely a month.
Looking to limit the spread, the government last week created a three-tier system, with varying degrees of curbs in each area, initially placing four regions in a red zone, two in an orange zone and the rest in a moderate-risk yellow zone.
05:27 PM
Vaccine must not be an excuse to 'ease up' on control measures, says Sage
The prospect of an effective vaccine must not be used as an excuse to "ease up" on efforts to control transmission of the virus, scientists have said.
The Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), chaired by former Government chief scientific adviser Sir David King, said full transparency is essential to safeguard public confidence.
It called for full trial data on the vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech to be made available as soon as possible.
05:18 PM
Ethnic minorities disproportionately affected by Covid-19, new study finds
Ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by coronavirus with Blacks and Asians at increased risk of Covid-19 infection compared to white individuals, according to an analysis published in the Lancet's journal EClinicalMedicine.
About 18.7 million patients from 50 studies were included to establish the findings, the analysis said. Forty-two of the studies were from the United States and eight from the United Kingdom.
"Asians may be at higher risk of ITU (intensive therapy unit) admission and death," the analysis read.
"These findings are of critical public health importance in informing interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality amongst ethnic minority groups," it added.
05:08 PM
Is the alarming rise in Covid cases a result of testing quirks?
The huge rise in coronavirus cases this week makes for bleak reading, and brought fears that even the toughest restrictions are failing to bring numbers under control, reports Sarah Knapton.
More than 33,000 infections were recorded in Britain on Thursday – the highest figure on record, and a jump of more than 10,000 in one day.
Yet delving into the data suggests that the headline figures published on the Government's dashboard each day are not a good measure of the pandemic, and much of the alarming rise may be a result of testing quirks dating back weeks.
In September and October, Professor Jim Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute at Oxford University, noticed something startling about the percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus.
Results from Pillar 2, which is testing the wider population, showed that positivity was between five and 10 per cent, and on some days, even rose above 10 per cent.
It was clearly way too high – the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates a prevalence of less than five per cent – so it indicated that testing was being carried out on groups who were not representative of the wider population.
Over 130 Secret Service officers off sick or quarantining following Donald Trump's rallies
More than 130 Secret Service officers have been infected with coronavirus or quarantining after travelling with President Donald Trump on his campaign trips.
The stricken officers account for 10 per cent of the president’s core security team and their absence was described by one supervisor as “very problematic”.
Mr Trump held a flurry of rallies during the week leading up to the November 3 election.
On November 2, he went on a total of five, including in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, and two stops in Wisconsin.
Countries pledge $2bn to share vaccines fairly around the world
The world has taken a major step towards ensuring the fair distribution of coronavirus vaccines around the world thanks to funding pledges of £270 million from the UK, France and the European Union.
People working inside a Unicef warehouse, the world's largest humanitarian facility, where they are preparing to support the distribution of vaccines globally - AP
The new funding means that the key part of the World Health Organization-led Covax programme has reached its initial target of £1.5bn ($2bn) this year.
However, an additional £3.8bn will be needed in 2021 to reach the long-term aim of having two billion doses of a successful vaccine for fair distribution around the globe by the end of next year.
Schools in Wales could need further Covid measures, health minister says
More control measures may be needed in secondary schools to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething has said.
It comes after evidence published by the Welsh Government's team of scientific advisers said transmissions are at higher levels among secondary school age children than previously recognised.
The latest review by the Technical Advisory Cell (TAC) also said children are more likely to be the first case in a household, and that reopened schools are associated with higher rates of infection in the population.
At Friday's Welsh Government press briefing, Mr Gething said the evidence would lead to discussions between scientific and medical experts about whether more measures were needed in high school environments.
04:43 PM
Penguins find new home after their zoo closed during pandemic
A waddle of penguins have found a new place to live after losing their home when their zoo closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 12 macaroni penguins, from Living Coasts in Torquay, Devon, faced having to relocate to Europe when the attraction announced its closure during the summer.
They were given a new home at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where the UK's only other population of macaroni penguins is based.
After a short quarantine period, the six male and six female penguins joined the zoo's four male macaroni penguins and 19 Humboldt penguins.
12 macaroni penguins, have found a new home at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales, after losing their home during the pandemic - Golley Slater /PA
04:22 PM
Two million Scots face near-full lockdown from next week to tackle 'stubborn' Covid levels
Almost two million people in Scotland's Central Belt face being put into near full lockdown next week after the current restrictions failed to tackle "stubbornly high" Covid-19 levels, John Swinney has warned.
The Deputy First Minister confirmed the Scottish Government had contacted eight local authorities, including Glasgow, in the west of Scotland about them potentially having to move to the highest Level 4 of lockdown.
This would see non-essential shops, public buildings, gyms, visitor attractions, pubs, cafes and restaurants shut their doors. However, schools would remain open.
Mr Swinney said the change could be announced on Tuesday for councils in the Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) health board areas and Stirling, which is also currently in Level 3 of Nicola Sturgeon's five-tier system.
1,072,643 people in Scotland have been tested for #coronavirus
The total confirmed as positive has risen by 1,357 to 79,017
Sadly 56 more patients who tested positive have died (3,244 in total)
Lockdown guidance to be issued before Christmas, says Welsh health minister
Guidance will be issued to people ahead of Christmas on how they can keep themselves and their loved ones safe, Wales's Health Minister has said.
Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government would like to see "common travel arrangements and common expectations" across the UK for the festive period.
He told a press conference in Cardiff that the biggest risk for any "change in a position around Christmas" was whether coronavirus took off again.
"Lots of people want to move around so travel arrangements across the UK are a big factor," Mr Gething said.
"We'd like, if possible, to have common travel arrangements and common expectations.
"We're also going to look to give people some guidance that if they want to spend time with people they haven't seen for some time, to think ahead of how they keep themselves and those people safe.
"We'll be looking at whether we can do things about the numbers of people who meet indoors together because often - whether you celebrate Christmas as a religious event or not - it's still a time of the year when people want to gather together and it's often more difficult to do so outdoors than in.
04:08 PM
NHS trust chief say he has 'no idea of a timetable' for Covid-19 vaccinations.
The chief executive of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, David Loughton, told a West Midlands Combined Authority webinar that he had "no idea of a timetable" for Covid-19 vaccinations.
Professor Loughton, whose trust has seen 30 more Covid-19 patients admitted since Wednesday, said death rates for hospital admissions with coronavirus had halved since April.
Asked if he favoured suggestions that Nightingale hospitals could be used for vaccinations, Mr Loughton told the meeting:
I think there will be an announcement next week exactly how this will be rolled out, but I think you can safely assume it's got to be very local to the population to make it accessible so you get the maximum uptake. I have got no idea of a timetable... there is no definitive time that has been given when this will be available.
04:00 PM
'Dramatic action' may be needed to curb virus spread in Scotland
Parts of Scotland could have the toughest Level 4 coronavirus restrictions placed on them next week as "more dramatic action" may be needed to curb the spread of the virus, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has said.
He warned capacity in hospital intensive care units "could be under real strain" because of the virus and other pressures this winter.
Mr Swinney confirmed the Scottish Government is talking to local leaders in both the Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lanarkshire health board areas about the prospect of moving them from Level 3 to Level 4 - the highest level of restrictions in Scotland's five-tier system.
Such a move would see:
Non-essential shops forced to shut with bars
Restaurants, gyms, hairdressers and visitor attractions also barred from opening
Schools would however stay open.
03:51 PM
Joe Biden's Covid advisors refuse US national lockdown option
The head of Democratic U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's coronavirus advisory board said on Friday there was no plan to shut the country down and that the new administration's approach will be targeted at specific areas.
Dr. Vivek Murthy, a former U.S. surgeon general tapped to lead the board, said doctors have learned a lot about how the virus spreads and what steps to reduce risk are effective.
"We're not in a place where we're saying shut the whole country down. We got to be more targeted," Murthy said in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America."
“We're not in a place where we're saying shut the whole country down. We’ve got to be more targeted."
Football: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah tests positive for Covid-19
Mohamed Salah has tested positive for Covid-19 and faces a period of isolation, the Egyptian Football Association have announced.
Salah was training with Egypt when his positive test was announced - Shutterstock
The Liverpool forward, 28, has been with his country to prepare for African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Togo and underwent tests with his national team doctor.
Egypt say Salah will have more tests “in the coming hours” but has been isolating in his own room and those who have come in close contact with him are also isolating.
Premier League protocol means he faces 10 days in isolation, meaning he is set to miss next week’s clash against leaders Leicester City.
Bus passenger fined £1,710 after twice refusing to wear a face mask
A man has been fined more than £1,700 after refusing to wear a face mask on a London bus for two days in a row.
Frederick Adomako-Frimpong, 49, from Stratford, east London, was among dozens of people fined at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday for failing to wear a face covering on public transport in July.
The court heard he had provided "no reasonable excuse" for not having a suitable covering at Stratford bus station on July 15.
Adomako-Frimpong was stopped again by Transport for London (TfL) staff the following day for the same reason.
He was given a combined fine of £1,710 for the offences after not paying his fixed penalty notice of £100 within 28 days.
03:28 PM
Canadians have to tamp down Covid-19 to save Christmas, PM Trudeau says
Canadians have time to tamp down the surging second wave of Covid-19 by Christmas if they act now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday, as some provinces impose new health restrictions.
"If you want to gather with your loved ones at Christmas, even in a restrained way, we're going to have to make sure that we change the trendlines on this Covid crisis right now," Trudeau said in an interview with 980 CFPL radio in London, Ontario.
In Canada, cases rose by more than 5,500 on Thursday from the previous day, and the average daily increase over the previous week was 4,015.
03:21 PM
Medical breakthroughs 'imperiled' by pandemic as charities forced to cut budgets
Medical breakthroughs have been "imperiled" by the Covid pandemic, with major charities forced to cut their budgets by up to half, experts have warned.
The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) has said the sector could lose close to £8 billion over the next seven years, setting back advances on cancer and heart disease.
In a letter to The Lancet, the heads of Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the ARMC said the kinds of breakthroughs that have halved heart disease deaths and dramatically cut the toll from other major illnesses are now in jeopardy through lack of funding.
Experts said the closure of charity shops because of lockdown, along with the cancellation of thousands of fundraising events, has had a devastating impact on the sector.
A woman buys food a booth at a drive-in Christmas market under a large marquee in Landshut - Andreas Gebert/Reuters Gioberti and Calvino school students study on the street due to school closures imposed by the government due to an increase in COVID-19 disease infections, in Turin, Italy, - Alessandro Di Marco/Shutterstock Store owners hold signs reading "I am essential" as they gather to call for the authorization to reopen their closed stores, in Nantes - Sebastien Salom-Gomis/AFP
03:06 PM
More cases of Covid-19 reported on first post-lockdown Caribbean cruise
Six more passengers have tested positive for Covid-19 on the first Caribbean cruise to sail since March, with every guest on board quarantined in their cabins until the Barbados government gives them permission to disembark (see 13:47)
Bavarian inkeeper opens 'drive-through Christmas market' after lockdown imposed
Refusing to allow coronavirus to steal his Christmas, one Bavarian innkeeper has opened a drive-through Christmas market, complete with artificial snow that falls as you come in.
Some 2,500 Christmas markets are usually held in Germany in the lead-up to the holiday, drawing millions of visitors who sip mulled wine and buy trinkets among wooden huts. But most markets are likely to be cancelled this year due to the pandemic.
Five months after Patrick Schmidt condensed the Bavarian "Dult" folk festival experience into a drive-through delight during the first wave of the pandemic, he is now trying to recreate the Christmas market feeling while sticking to guidelines for social distancing.
"It was a spontaneous idea because of the second lockdown. I thought the Dult drive-in also worked so why not a Christmas market drive-in?"
02:43 PM
Infection rates falling across most areas in Wales by end of firebreak lockdown
Covid-19 case rates were falling in almost every part of Wales by the end of the firebreak lockdown, latest figures show.
The biggest drops were in Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Blaenau Gwent, the three local authorities with the highest rates in the country.
A woman poses in a face mask in Cardiff city centre as Wales enjoys being out of the Covid19 lockdown - Wales News Service
The figures, for the seven days to November 9, are based on tests carried out in NHS Wales laboratories and those conducted on Welsh residents processed in commercial laboratories.
They show that the number of new cases per 100,000 people in Merthyr Tydfil dropped week on week from 732.7 in the seven days to November 2 to 434.3 in the week to November 9.
In Rhondda Cynon Taf the rate has fallen from 571.2 to 345.3, and in Blaenau Gwent the rate is down from 516.7 to 307.7. The only area where the rate was rising was Ceredigion, where it increased from 48.1 to 111.4, while in Gwynedd it remained stable at 53.0.
02:36 PM
New York closes bars and restaurants as infections rise
Bars and restaurants in New York will shut early on Friday as part of fresh measures designed to slow surging new infections in the United States.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that all establishments licensed to sell alcohol, including bars and restaurants, should close at 10 pm.
The United States and parts of Europe are recording higher infection and hospitalisation numbers than they had during the first wave in March and April.
With daily cases nation-wide averaging more than 125,000 in the US, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said he may issue stay-at-home orders for Chicago and the rest of the state if new infections continue their current trend.
"With every fibre of my being I do not want us to get there," said Pritzker. "But right now that seems like where we are heading."
02:27 PM
Italy: Naples primed for new virus curbs as hospitals overwhelmed
The southern Italian city of Naples was braced today for further Covid-19 restrictions as hospitals risked becoming overwhelmed by new cases, with medics forced to treat patients in their cars.
"The situation in Campania (region) is out of control," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told La Stampa newspaper on Friday, adding: "We need urgent restrictions... people are dying."
Outside the Cotugno hospital in Naples, medics brought out oxygen tanks to treat people parked in their cars outside the crowded emergency room, while others in full protective gear awaited ambulances bringing in new Covid patients.
A paramedic carries a patient outside the first aid area of the Cardarelli hospital in Naples - Gregorio Borgia /AP
02:14 PM
North Korean and Russian hackers target Covid-19 researchers, says Microsoft
Hackers working for the Russian and North Korean governments have targeted more than half a dozen organizations involved in Covid -19 treatment and vaccine research around the globe, Microsoft said on Friday.
The software company said a Russian hacking group commonly nicknamed "Fancy Bear" - along with a pair of North Korean actors dubbed "Zinc" and "Cerium" by Microsoft - were implicated in recent attempts to break into the networks of seven pharmaceutical companies and vaccine researchers in Canada, France, India, South Korea, and the United States.
Microsoft said the majority of the targets were organizations that were in the process of testing Covid-19 vaccines. Most of the break-in attempts failed but an unspecified number succeeded, it added.
Few other details were provided by Microsoft. It declined to name the targeted organizations, say which ones had been hit by which actor, or provide a precise timeline or description of the attempted intrusions.
02:03 PM
Ireland eyes phased exit from Covid curbs in time for Christmas
Ireland may take a staged approach to removing Covid-19 curbs from December 1 with the aim of a further easing in the run up to Christmas to allow families to celebrate in a "meaningful way", Prime Minister Micheal Martin hs said.
"There may be a staged approach after Dec. 1. If we can get the numbers way down, we'll obviously have to look at that specific Christmas period and the week leading up to Christmas because I do get that people will want to meet with family," Martin told national broadcaster RTE.
Martin said the government would also issue advice on international travel for the Christmas period by the end of the month after his deputy, Leo Varadkar, urged people on Thursday not to book flights home yet
01:54 PM
Hundreds of Covid-19 clusters and outbreaks occurred in school this term, says Sage
More than a thousand clusters and outbreaks of coronavirus have taken place in educational settings since schools reopened in September, documents suggest.
Children aged 12-16 played a "significantly higher role" in introducing infection into households in the period after schools reopened their doors to all students, Government scientists have said.
The document, released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said there is no direct evidence that transmission within schools plays a "significant contributory role" in driving increased rates of infection among children.
But it adds "neither is there direct evidence to suggest otherwise".
Public Health England (PHE) indicates that there have been more than a thousand instances where there have been two or more positive cases of Covid-19 in educational settings since schools reopened, it says.
01:47 PM
Six cases of Covid-19 on first post-lockdown Caribbean cruise
Five more passengers have tested positive for Covid-19 on the first Caribbean cruise to sail since March, with all on board quarantined in their cabins until the Barbados government gives them permission to disembark.
The news comes just days after the ship, SeaDream I, was forced to turn around and return 120 miles to Bridgetown, Barbados, following an announcement by the captain that there was one confirmed case of coronavirus on the vessel.
It had departed from the Caribbean island on Saturday with 53 passengers on board from various countries, including the UK, who were due to arrive back in Barbados tomorrow (Saturday, November 14). The ship’s usual capacity is 112 passengers.
SeaDream I was the first cruise ship to welcome back passengers in the Caribbean
Russian cases hit record high as Moscow overnight closures begin
Russia has reported a record 21,983 new Covid-19 infections today, as Moscow prepared to close restaurants and bars overnight in an effort to contain the pandemic.
Moscow authorities recently ordered bars, restaurants and nightclubs to close at 11 p.m amid the outbreak of the pandemic - Reuters
Despite a recent surge, Russian authorities have resisted imposing lockdown restrictions as they did earlier this year, stressing instead the importance of hygiene, social distancing and bringing in targeted measures in certain regions.
Moscow, which reported 5,974 new cases in the past 24 hours, has ordered bars, restaurants and nightclubs to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Friday until mid-January. Officials warned of raids and fines for establishments that do not comply.
01:24 PM
Switzerland starts 'rolling review' of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine
Switzerland has begun a rolling review of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine candidate so it can give it a speedy approval should it pass muster in clinical trials, the country's drug regulator said today.
Regulator Swissmedic is already scrutinizing the progress of experimental vaccines being developed by AstraZeneca as well as Pfizer and BioNTech SE in similar rolling reviews.
So-called rolling reviews allow drug companies to submit applications for Covid-19 medicinal products before development work is concluded and prior to the availability of complete supporting documentation.
U.S. drugmaker Moderna said this week that it has enough data for a first interim analysis of its late-stage Covid-19 vaccine trial, raising hopes that initial results will be released soon.
Switzerland has already set aside 400 million Swiss francs ($437 million) to buy Covid-19 vaccines and reserved a total of about 16 million doses of the shots being developed by Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech.
01:17 PM
Scotland: An estimated 39,700 people in homes contracted Covid-19 between Oct. and Nov.
In Scotland, an estimated 39,700 people in private households had Covid-19 between October 31 and November 6 - the equivalent of 0.75 per cent of the population.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said its modelling suggests positivity rates in Scotland had increased in the last six weeks but it is too early to say whether rates are levelling off.
Because of the relatively small number of tests and low number of positives in its Scotland sample, the ONS said results should be interpreted with caution.
This week we’ve introduced modelled daily estimates for Scotland.
Our estimates suggest infection rates in Scotland have increased over the last six weeks. Despite slowing recently, it is too early to say that rates have levelled off https://t.co/i8WHbUMZHspic.twitter.com/v7SHcSk20n
GPs in vaccine row over 'impossible' rollout that could 'threaten patient care'
GPs say the vaccination programme they are being asked to deliver is “impossible” and could threaten patient care.
Amid a growing backlash, family doctors have said the plans drawn up by NHS England are “devoid of realistic expectations” and include “grossly unreasonable deadlines”.
The NHS is drawing up plans for around 1,500 vaccination centres, mostly based at large GP practices, with a deadline to be ready to deliver by 1 December.
But local medical committees (LMCs), which represent GPs, have objected to the schedules drawn up, and said that the demands placed on them could put other patient care in jeopardy.
Coronavirus has been found in mink at two farms in northern Greece, an agriculture ministry official has said.
The strain found in the mink had not mutated from that found in humans, he added.
The breeder at one of the farms, in the northerly Kozani region, also tested positive for the virus, and tests were being conducted on workers. A cull of the 2,500 mink at that farm was due to begin shortly.
Denmark's entire stock of 17 million mink is due to be culled after a mutated coronavirus was found in mink farms - Mads Claus Rasmussen
"This has dealt another blow to the 800 families living off the sector in the region," said Dimitris Kosmidis, head of the Greek fur federation in Kozani.
12:42 PM
Rugby: Fiji Covid-19 cases may force match against France to be called off
The opening weekend of the Autumn Nations Cup has been hampered by news that Sunday's fixture between France and Fiji is under threat, following reports in France of several positive cases of Covid-19 within the Fiji squad.
Two Fijians players had previously tested positive for Covid-19 at the start of the week, with the players concerned then put into isolation.
The Fiji squad, who have been training in Limoges, then underwent a further round of testing on Thursday, reportedly leading to a number of positive results on Friday.
Tournament organisers were set to meet to discuss all possible outcomes at lunchtime on Friday.
Should Sunday's game scheduled to be held in Vannes be cancelled as a result, then France would likely be awarded a 28-0 victory and automatically move to the top of Pool B without having to step onto the field.
Average of 47,700 new daily cases in homes between October and November
There were an average of 47,700 new cases per day of Covid-19 in private households in England between October 31 and November 6, according to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is up from an estimated 45,700 new cases per day for the period from October 25 to 31.
The ONS said the rate of new infections has increased in recent weeks but remained at around 50,000 new cases per day.
The figures do not include people staying in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.
R Rate for Covid-19 drops across the UK, SAGE scientists say
The reproduction number for coronavirus - the R value - has dropped to between 1 and 1.2 across the UK, Government scientists say.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), which advises the Government, said the R continues to fall, with its current prediction representing the situation over the last few weeks.
But it warned that deaths and demand for healthcare will carry on unless R drops below one for an extended period of time.
If the R value is above one then the Covid-19 epidemic continues to grow, but if it is below one it shows the outbreak is in retreat.
12:04 PM
Students given fines after police shut down large party
Police have handed out more than 50 fines to students who breached coronavirus rules with an illegal party.
The incident took place at a Cardiff Metropolitan University halls of residence despite Covid-19 regulations banning large gatherings or entering another residence outside a person's "bubble".
Police body-worn camera footage from Friday November 6 showed one South Wales Police officer banging on the door of the student flat but failing to gain its occupants' attention over blaring music.
Once he and another officer are eventually let in, dozens of young people are seen standing inside and yelling and chanting until one officer shouts: "Kill the music."
The officer wearing the body-worn camera is heard saying to students standing just inside the doorway: "Do you all live in this flat, boys? "It's not good enough, is it? "You are the future of this country and you are messing it right up."
#WATCH | Officers break up party which clearly breaches #COVID19 restrictions. @SWPCardiff have worked with @cardiffmet to retrospectively issue 5️⃣2️⃣ FPNs following the gathering at a halls of residence last Friday.
One-in-four French deaths caused by Covid-19 says PM
One-in-four French deaths are currently caused by Covid-19, says Prime Minister Jean Castex, with the second wave peaking early next week.
"For a week now, we have noted a drop in the number of positive cases," the Prime Minister said about the numbers.
“If that trend is confirmed, the peak of the second wave could be reached at the beginning of next week.”
11:48 AM
Despite virus, Father Christmas will come this year says Italian PM
Father Christmas will still be able to deliver presents to children this year despite the coronavirus crisis, Italy's prime minister has reassured a little boy.
The five-year-old, named Tommaso, wrote to Giuseppe Conte to say he was worried that the man with the big white beard might not be allowed to streak across the skies with his reindeers and squeeze down chimneys.
The prime minister wrote back, assuring the boy that "Babbo Natale" as he is known in Italian will be issued with an "international self-certification" that will allow him to do his job despite the pandemic.
"Dear Tommaso, I read your message and I want to reassure you. Father Christmas has told me that he always wears a mask and maintains social distancing," the premier wrote.
11:40 AM
Ireland footballer Alan Browne had coronavirus during match against England
Republic of Ireland midfielder Alan Browne has tested positive for coronavirus after Thursday night's 3-0 friendly defeat by England.
Ireland's Alan Browne (centre right) tested positive for Covid-19 - Mike Egerton /PA
Preston's Browne, who played the full 90 minutes at Wembley, has been isolated from the rest of the group ahead of Sunday's Nations League fixture against Wales in Cardiff.
A Football Association of Ireland statement said: "The Football Association of Ireland can confirm Ireland midfielder Alan Browne has tested positive for Covid-19.
"The player has been isolated from the group as per Covid-19 protocols, and the HSE and Uefa have been informed of this development.
Pfizer has sold 82% of its vaccine stocks to some of the world’s richest countries
Pfizer has already sold 82 per cent of its vaccine stocks to some of the world’s richest countries, analysis shows, raising concerns that people from poorer nations will be unable to access the life-saving dose.
Christine Stegling, Executive Director at Frontline AIDS, has warned such a move will 'cost lives' saying the "life boats are being boarded by class".
We are outraged by this news but not surprised. It has been claimed that Covid-19 is a ‘great leveller’, when really the pandemic has highlighted seismic health and socio-economic inequalities within and among countries. And now once again, the ‘life boats’ are being boarded by class. We saw exactly the same thing happen in the global rollout of HIV treatment in the 1990s and early 2000s. The world’s richest economies were prioritised, while poorer countries had to wait their turn, irrespective of their HIV rates.It cost lives then, and taking the same approach with Covid-19 vaccines will cost lives again.
Senegal 'close' to developing $1 Covid-19 testing kit, giving results in 'minutes'
Senegal's Pasteur Institute says it is close to developing a $1 Covid-19 test kit that can give results in a matter of minutes.
It is working in partnership with UK research group Mologic.
A small finger-prick of blood is read by a plastic stick and gives a result in under 10 minutes.
It does not require electricity or need lab analysis.
A prototype was tested in June, and once regulatory checks are complete, the plan is to start manufacturing and distributing the kits.
11:19 AM
Record number of Covid-19 deaths in Delhi, as India gears up for 'silent Diwali'
Delhi has recorded its highest single-day Covid-19 death toll, as cases in India’s densely-populated capital continue to surge amidst a nationwide drop in new infections, Joe Wallen reports.
On Thursday Delhi reported 104 fatalities and over 7,000 new infections for the eighth consecutive day, with its “third wave” coinciding with falling temperatures and air pollution rising to severe levels.
While the number of new daily cases in India, which has recorded the world’s second-highest total caseload, have halved since a September peak of just under 100,000, public health experts warn the drop could be attributed to a reduction in testing in many states.
Saturday will mark the major Hindu festival of Diwali and there are fears cases will rise again nationwide as large family groups gather to celebrate and exchange gifts.
India's densely-populated capital of New Delhi saw a record number of Covid-19 deaths yesterday - Rajanish Kakade /AP
11:11 AM
At least 200 care and health workers have now died after contracting Covid-19
At least 200 UK frontline health and care workers have now died after contracting coronavirus.
Through tributes from loved ones and confirmation through sources such as local NHS trusts and other authorities, the PA news agency has confirmed the names of health and social care workers who have died after contracting Covid-19 since March 11.
The most recent victim was anaesthetist Dr Krishnan Subramanian, who died on Thursday. Dr Subramanian worked at the Royal Derby Hospital.
Dr Krishnan Subramanian, a consultant anaesthetist at Royal Derby Hospital, passed away on Thursday at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester after contracting Covid-19 - Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust /PA
Trust chief executive Gavin Boyle said: "This is a very sad day for the UHDB family. Krishnan was a hugely valued member of the team who had worked tirelessly this year to support those who needed care.
"Our thoughts are with his family at this time and I would like to offer our sincere condolences to them on behalf of everyone at UHDB.
11:04 AM
A fifth of adults had contact with someone indoors outside their 'bubble'
A fifth of adults in Britain had direct contact indoors with someone who was not from their household or support bubble at the beginning of November, a survey suggests.
Some 22 per cent of adults polled said they had had physical contact with at least one other person when socialising indoors in the previous 24 hours, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found.
This was in settings such as private homes, cafes, pubs or restaurants, excluding those in their household or support bubble, and is a similar proportion to the week before (24 per cent).
The ONS questioned adults about their behaviour between November 5 and 8 as part of its Opinions And Lifestyle Survey, receiving 4,378 responses.
23% of adults aged 16 to 29 said they’d had physical contact with at least one other person when socialising indoors in the last 24 hours, excluding members of their household or support bubble.
MS drug almost halves hospitalised patients' risk of severe Covid symptoms
A drug used for multiple sclerosis nearly halves the chance of developing severe coronavirus symptoms in hospitalised patients and may prevent deaths, a new trial has shown.
Covid patients at nine hospitals including Southampton General were given an inhaled version of the treatment interferon beta-1a and were twice as likely to recover within 14 days as those in the placebo arm of the trial, even though they were sicker to begin with.
£1.5m donation to get London Symphony Orchestra up and running
The London Symphony Orchestra has received a £1.5 million donation to help it resume live performances.
The orchestra, whose music director is Sir Simon Rattle, said the funding will enable it to "rebuild".
London Symphony Orchestra during rehearsals - Matt Alexander /PA
Sir Simon has previously warned the orchestra would not survive without support.
The donation was made by Elena and Alex Gerko, founder of trading company XTX Markets.
The orchestra previously received £846,000 from the Arts Recovery Fund.
10:14 AM
Consultant anaesthetist dies after contracting Covid-19
The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) said Dr Krishnan Subramanian, who worked at the Royal Derby Hospital, died on Thursday.
Gavin Boyle, chief executive of the trust, said: "This is a very sad day for the UHDB family.
"Krishnan was a hugely valued member of the team who had worked tirelessly this year to support those who needed care.
"Our thoughts are with his family at this time and I would like to offer our sincere condolences to them on behalf of everyone at UHDB."
10:07 AM
New protein treatment 'doubles recovery in Covid-19 patients'
The treatment, called SNG001, is inhaled directly into the lungs via a nebuliser in the hope it will trigger an immune response to the virus, and has so far been shown to "accelerate recovery".
Developed by Southampton-based biotech Synairgen, SNG001 contains interferon beta-1a - a protein the body naturally produces when it gets a viral infection.
The researchers said their findings, published in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, serves as proof-of-concept that SNG001 could help Covid-19 patients in hospital recover.
09:58 AM
Care home residents celebrate Christmas light switch-on
Residents and care workers at Church View nursing home in Liverpool watch a video of this year's Christmas lights switch on in Liverpool city centre.
The video was created for people isolating at home, in care homes or for those who are unable to get into the city centre due to the current coronavirus lockdown in England.
Liverpool - Peter Byrne /PA
09:47 AM
There will be no post-Brexit disruption affecting vaccine, reassures Transport Secretary
Grant Shapps said there is a "back-up to the back-up" to prevent any hitches, amid concerns delivery of the Belgium-manufactured Pfizer jab could be affected if the Government fails to get a trade deal with the EU.
Time is fast running out for negotiations on a deal to succeed ahead of the end of the transition period on December 31, when the UK will leave the single market and customs union.
Mr Shapps's pledge came after Business Secretary Alok Sharma repeatedly failed to allay concerns about the possibility of problems hitting the supply of the jab when new arrangements come into force on January 1.
The Transport Secretary said he could "rule that out" and an "immense amount of work" has gone into border readiness to keep goods flowing.
He said there is a further back-up in the form of a £100 million freight contract, which covers vaccines.
09:30 AM
Public wrongly think average age of Covid death is 65, poll reveals
Laying bare the misconceptions around the threat from the pandemic, the Savanta ComRes survey, for Conservative Woman, also reveals that the majority of people – 52 per cent – believe "long" Covid affects one in three when in fact it is around one in 20.
The median age at which people think coronavirus victims have died is just 65 when the real average is 82.4 years. Average life expectancy is 81.1 years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The poll found that 41 per cent think the virus has been the single biggest cause of UK deaths in 2020, when ONS data shows that, for September, it was the 19th cause in England and the 24th in Wales.
After the news of Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough was announced by Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday, Telegraph readers took to the comments to discuss the new development.
“This is excellent news for those who are vulnerable, haven't been exposed to coronavirus yet and trust the safety process," wrote one reader.
"I would get it if I felt the virus was a serious threat to me but I don't. My wife had Covid with mild symptoms already whereas my kids and I had nothing apart from a few coughs."
Mass testing will allow care home visits, says Transport Secretary
Grant Shapps said the Government intends to further roll out mass testing to allow people to visit loved ones in care homes following pilots.
"We'll be looking to see how they perform and how quickly we can spread that further," he said.
"It's heart-breaking not being able to see your loved ones, or whomever's in a care home.
"We really want to get that resolved but, and it's a big but, we must not get into a position where coronavirus takes root in the care homes - we've all seen how that works out."
08:45 AM
Japan third wave fears
Officials in the country have warned of an impending third wave of infections amid a rise in cases blamed on colder weather and a government campaign to encourage domestic tourism.
As the prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, vowed to secure enough vaccines to cover Japan’s entire population, the number of daily cases continued to rise after several weeks of staying relatively stable.
Japan reported 1,284 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday, bringing its total to 111,222. The death toll stood at 1,864.
Pictured are crowds of commuters wearing face masks at Shinagawa station in Tokyo on Friday.
Tokyo - Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
08:27 AM
430 Covid positive after mass testing in Liverpool
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has said around 90,000 people have been tested for coronavirus in the city's mass testing regime introduced last Friday - with 430 testing positive and going into isolation.
"Four hundred and thirty people are not spreading the virus, it means that we can break the chain of infection," he said.
"The overall aim, of course, is to reduce the admissions into our hospitals, which is also now starting to come down, so we're pleased with the way things are going and we think it will have an impact."
Mr Anderson said of the 430 who tested positive, only around 200 showed any symptoms.
He said the city - which has a population of around half a million - had 38 test centres, which he hoped would increase to around 45 from Monday.
08:11 AM
Breaking: Yorkshire Ripper dies after testing positive for Covid
The Yorkshire Ripper has died in hospital, the Prison Service has confirmed. Peter Sutcliffe, 74, had tested positive for Covid-19 and was suffering from underlying health conditions.
Sutcliffe had reportedly refused treatment at University Hospital of North Durham after being transferred there from the maximum security HMP Frankland, where he was an inmate.
He was serving a whole life term for murdering 13 women across Yorkshire and the North West between 1975 and 1980.
Yorkshire Ripper - Bettmann
He was convicted in 1981 and, after a long spell in Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, he was transferred to HMP Frankland in 2016 after being deemed stable enough to serve time in prison.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "HMP Frankland prisoner Peter Coonan (born Sutcliffe) died in hospital on November 13. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed."
Sutcliffe had reportedly suffered from a range of conditions before his death including heart trouble, diabetes and obesity.
07:44 AM
Lockdown 2 leak not responsible for cases spike, says infectious diseases professor
The leaking of plans for England's second national lockdown to the press is "not a good explanation" for a rise in coronavirus cases, an infectious disease scientist has said.
Steven Riley, professor of infectious disease dynamics at Imperial College London, was asked if the leaking of the lockdown news caused people to "rush out for one last drink or meal or to see their friends, and that produced quite a big increase".
Drinkers enjoy a final pub trip before the second lockdown - Hollie Adams/AFP
He told Radio 4's Today programme: "We do observe a slightly unexpected trend of a kind of fall, then a rise, but it's difficult to ascribe that to any specific factor.
"I think on that point, that's too late, the day that that news came out is probably too late in the sequence of data we have for it to be a primary driver of the uptick at the end of our study.
"Based on what we see at the moment, that's not a good explanation for the pattern we see.
"It could have been ahead of that time, so during that week, if people were anticipating lockdown and started to change their behaviour earlier than the day of that event, and that's possible."
07:31 AM
'We will emerge from lockdown permanently scarred'
"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," writes Allister Heath in The Telegraph.
"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."
More than 800 police officers tested positive for Covid since pandemic began
Data obtained through freedom of information requests by the PA news agency's RADAR service show 849 officers across 24 of the UK's 45 forces have tested positive for the virus.
The Police Federation said officers across the country are in "constant worry" when faced with offenders who may spit, bite and cough while being dealt with.
Officers in Trafalgar Square, London - Simon Dawson /Bloomberg
The figures include 228 officers from Police Scotland, 101 from West Midlands Police and 95 from Greater Manchester Police.
They do not include the Metropolitan Police, which is yet to respond to the FOI request submitted in September, and the other 20 forces who did not provide the information.
Forces that responded did so between October 6 and November 6, so case numbers could now be higher.
06:58 AM
Vaccines could be flown into UK to avoid Brexit barriers
Coronavirus vaccines could be flown into the UK to avoid potential disruption at the border when Britain leaves the single market and customs union at the end of the year, the Health Secretary has said.
Matt Hancock said he was "confident" that a no-deal Brexit would not delay supplies, amid concern that the Pfizer vaccine - which is manufactured in Belgium - could be affected by Britain's departure from the EU.
The Cabinet minister said: "We have a plan for the vaccine which is being manufactured in Belgium, and if necessary we can fly in order to avoid those problems... we've got a plan for all eventualities."
It comes after the head of British firm Croda International, which supplies a crucial ingredient in the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidate, warned that avoiding border disruption will be "a crucial step" in ensuring it is available to millions of people.
06:44 AM
Highest daily Covid cases since pandemic began
The UK recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began amid concern that infections are rising quickly among the elderly.
Another 33,470 lab-confirmed cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the 24 hours before 9am on Thursday, according to the latest Government figures.
A further 563 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus as of Thursday.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said the highest rates of infections were among younger generations.
But she said: "Worryingly it is rising quickly in those over 80 who are most at risk of poor outcomes. The current measures are in place to help protect all of us, and anyone can suffer serious illness from this virus."
06:29 AM
Officials thought Covid would 'never travel this far'
The country was ill-prepared for the coronavirus pandemic as officials felt a virus would "never travel this far", England's former chief medical officer has claimed.
Dame Sally Davies said she questioned whether the country should rehearse for a coronavirus outbreak in 2015 but was told it would not "reach us properly" by Public Health England officials.
She told The Telegraph that officials had focused on the threat of pandemic influenza - so prepared for the "wrong pandemic".
But Public Health England said this is not true, adding: "Dame Sally Davies participated in exercises which planned specifically for a MERS coronavirus scenario in the UK amongst other health threats."
"Our goal remains to create a global supply of a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine for many people around the world, as quickly as we can," said BioNTech's Sean Marett.
The vaccines, which are administered in two doses, would be enough to treat almost half of Israel's nine million people.
Israel's health minister, Yuli Edelstein, said the first vaccines would arrive in January, with deliveries throughout the year.
He said the deal would make Israel one of the first countries to offer the vaccine to its citizens.
Israel is also seeking vaccines from other sources and developing a vaccine of its own.
05:42 AM
'Ominous' winter ahead as US Covid cases surge, warns Fauci
Chicago's mayor issued a month-long stay-home advisory on Thursday, while Detroit's public schools called a halt to in-person instruction.
They are among attempts to curb the spread of coronavirus as more than a dozen US states reported a doubling of new cases in the past two weeks.
The two Midwestern cities became the latest in a growing number of states and metropolitan areas - including New York, California and Iowa - moving this week to re-impose public health restrictions that had been eased in recent months.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged residents in the nation's third-largest city to restrict social gatherings to 10 people - AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
The measures were driven by surging numbers of daily infections, rising hospitalisations and ominous spikes in the rate of Covid diagnostic tests returning positive.
The onset of winter, with people more likely to congregate indoors, will only worsen the trends, experts say.
California on Thursday became the second state, after Texas, to see its tally of confirmed infections to date climb above one million.
As a record 60,000 Americans were hospitalised with the disease over a single day, Dr Anthony Fauci expressed his concern for his fellow countrymen.
The United States faces a “challenging and ominous” winter as it battles to control a surging number of coronavirus cases, the country’s top infectious diseases adviser said.
Total cases across the United States hit an all-time daily high for a third straight day on Thursday, reaching at least 160,000, and crossing the 100,000 mark for a ninth consecutive day, Reuters data showed.
The number of people hospitalised with the virus surged to at least 66,500 by late Thursday, the highest ever for a single day during the pandemic.
The death toll rose by at least 1,170 to a total of 242,979.
05:22 AM
New Zealand considers making masks compulsory
New Zealand's government could soon make wearing masks mandatory on public transit in Auckland and on planes nationwide as it continues to investigate a new community case of coronavirus.
Virus Response Minister Chris Hipkins said there were no plans to raise the nation's alert level after genome testing linked the latest case with a military worker who caught the virus at a hotel used as a quarantine site.
Mr Hipkins said he would recommend the mask mandate to Cabinet on Monday for its approval.
New Zealand has been largely successful in its efforts to stamp out community spread of the virus.
05:03 AM
Fears in South Korea as case numbers continue to grow
South Korea has reported its biggest daily jump in cases in 70 days as the government begins fining people who fail to wear masks in public.
The 191 cases added to the country's caseload on Friday represent the sixth consecutive day of more than 100 and the highest daily increase since September 4 when authorities reported 198 new infections.
More than 120 of the cases were from the Seoul metropolitan area, where coronavirus has spread in places including hospitals, nursing homes, churches, schools, restaurants and offices.
The steady spread of the virus has alarmed government officials, who eased social distancing measures to the lowest level since October to soften the pandemic's shock on the economy.
While this has allowed high-risk venues like nightclubs and karaoke bears to reopen, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a virus meeting on Friday that the viral spread could force the government to "seriously consider" tightening social distancing again.
"We are at a precarious situation," he said, pleading for citizen vigilance and for unionists and civic groups to cancel planned rallies.
04:34 AM
Australia says no to foreign students in favour of returning Aussies
Australia will not allow foreign students to return as the Government prioritises the return of locals stuck overseas, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.
Australia closed its borders in March to all non-citizens and permanent residents in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19.
With foreign students worth about A$35 billion (£19 billion) a year to the Australian economy, the Government had hoped to slowly allow overseas students to return in 2021. Trials began earlier this year.
But with thousands of Australians wanting to return, Mr Morrison said there were not enough quarantine facilities.
"There is a queue, and Australians are in the front of the queue," he said.
Australia caps the numbers of locals allowed to return home each week. Once locals arrive, they enter hotel quarantine for two weeks.
Australia on Friday was on course to record a sixth straight day without any locally acquired infections.
The country has recorded about 27,700 infections and 907 deaths, far fewer than many other developed nations.
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