China has reported no new coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the first time since January, as the death toll from the disease reached 75,000 people worldwide.
Meanwhile, more than 160 current and former global leaders are urging the world’s 20 major industrialised nations to approve $8bn (£6.5bn) in emergency global health funding to hasten the search for a vaccine, cure and treatment for Covid-19 and prevent a second wave of the pandemic.
It comes after Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care as his Covid-19 symptoms worsened and Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, took over the government’s response to the crisis. His first job will be to lead the government’s emergency daily coronavirus “war Cabinet” meeting with senior colleagues and the UK’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, and chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance.
Download the new Independent Premium app
Sharing the full story, not just the headlines
Follow the latest updates
‘UK’s security at risk’ amid government confusion
The UK’s security will be at risk unless the government quickly clears up confusion about who is in charge in Boris Johnson’s absence, a former Tory defence minister says.
Tobias Ellwood raised the alarm after Michael Gove refused to discuss who had the authority to press the Trident button if the country came under nuclear attack.
Queen thanks healthcare workers on World Health Day
The Queen has released a message of gratitude dedicated to healthcare workers to mark World Health Day, Sabrina Barr reports.
World Health Day is a global awareness day commemorated on 7 April.
To mark the occasion, the theme of which this year is “support nurses and midwives”, Queen Elizabeth II has released a message of thanks, in the form of a video on the royal family’s social media channels and a published letter.
Iran death toll increases by 133
Iran’s coronavirus death toll rose to 3,872 with 133 deaths in the past 24 hours, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state TV today.
The total number of cases climbed to 62,589, with 2,089 new infections, while 3,987 infected people were in a critical condition, he said.
China and Russia close land border
China and Russia are closing their land border and river port near Vladivostok following the discovery of 59 confirmed cases of the new Covid-19 among Chinese citizens returning home via the crossing.
Beginning today, all Chinese citizens who arrive in the border region aboard Russian domestic flights will be forced to undergo a 14-day quarantine, according to a notice posted on the website of the Chinese consulate in Vladivostok.
Only those holding special passes will then be permitted to travel on the Russian side of the border area, the notice said.
It was not clear whether pass holders would be able to cross into China.
In addition, all guesthouses, nursing homes, on the Russian side of the border area will also be closed to outsiders through June 1, the notice said.
“Here, the consulate general strongly recommends and reminds relevant Chinese citizens to fully take into consideration the above situation” and not seek to return to China through the border crossing, the notice said.
Jet2 cancels all flights until mid-June
As the coronavirus crisis deepens, Britain’s second-biggest holiday company has cancelled all flights and holidays up to mid-June, Simon Calder reports.
Jet2, based in Leeds but with operations from airports across the UK, made the move after the Foreign Office warned against overseas travel “indefinitely.”
Too early to talk about easing of new cases in Germany
It is too early to talk about an easing of new cases of coronavirus in Germany, the head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases said.
“We need to wait a few days to see if there is a trend in the reports,” Lothar Wieler, president of the RKI, told reporters.
The RKI said earlier on Tuesday that Germany’s confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 3,834 in the past 24 hours to 99,225 on Tuesday, rising again after four consecutive days of drops.
The World Health Organisation has no blanket recommendation for countries and regions for easing measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, but urged them not to lift them too early, a spokesman has said.
“One of the most important parts is not to let go of the measures too early in order not to have a fall back again,” said WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier in a virtual briefing.
“It’s similar to being sick yourself if you get out of bed too early and get running too early you risk falling back and having complications,” he added.
Spanish coronavirus deaths increase for first time in five days
The pace of coronavirus deaths in Spain ticked up slightly for the first time in five days, with 743 people succumbing overnight to reach a total of 13,798.
That compared to 637 people who died during the previous 24 hours in the nation with the second highest toll of fatalities in the world from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Total cases rose to 140,510 today from 135,032 yesterday, the health ministry said.
Taxpayer faces £4.5bn bill if law on holiday refunds stays the same, travel trade association warns
Change the law on refunds for cancelled holidays, or half-a-million jobs are at risk: that is the warning from Abta, the travel trade association.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought almost all domestic and international tourism to a standstill.
With the Foreign Office now warning against travel abroad indefinitely, Abta calculates holiday firms face paying customers back an estimated £4.5bn, Simon Calder reports.
Children In Need and Comic Relief join forces for special live charity event
BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief will come together for the first time in a special televised event, The Big Night In, to raise money for those affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Charlotte Moore, director BBC Content, said: “BBC One will bring the nation together for this special one-off live charity event.
“I would like to thank both BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief for joining forces in these unprecedented times to provide their support to local charities, projects and programmes across the whole UK; and to all of the stars taking part in this unmissable night of entertainment when the country needs it most.”
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said: “The Big Night In is a fantastic way to channel the amazing outpouring of generosity we are seeing from the British people.
“It’s brilliant to see BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief coming together for the first time to ensure help gets to those that need it most, and to celebrate those who are going above and beyond in their communities.
“We’re working with the BBC and others to ensure this event is a huge success.
“As government develops further measures, we will work together to coordinate our efforts in the battle against coronavirus and remind everyone to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”
What the papers are saying about the prime minister’s health
News of Boris Johnson’s worsening health in his personal battle against coronavirus has dominated UK front pages and provoked concern from media around the world, Conrad Ducan reports.
The decision to move the prime minister to an intensive care unit (ICU) on advice of his medical team came as a shock to many and was an alarming escalation after Mr Johnson had previously described his symptoms as “mild” and tweeted earlier on Monday that he was in “in good spirits”.
India to allow exports of anti-malaria drug requested by Donald Trump
India will allow some exports of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, the foreign ministry has said, after the US president, Donald Trump, urged New Delhi to release supplies of the drug seen as a possible treatment for Covid-19.
The Indian government had earlier put a hold on exports of hydroxychloroquine as well as on the pain reliever, paracetamol, saying it had to meet its internal demand.
But Mr Trump spoke to India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi over the weekend seeking supplies and later hinted that India may face retaliation.
“It has been decided that India would licence paracetamol and HCQ in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on our capabilities,” said Indian foreign ministry spokesman, Anurag Srivastava.
“We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic,” he said.
Six-month timescale for armed forces involvement ‘reasonable assumption a month ago’
General Sir Nick Carter, asked if he still believed six months was a reasonable timescale for the armed forces involvement in the coronavirus operation, replied: “I think that was a reasonable assumption a month ago and I think we’re all playing each day as it comes at the moment.”
Pressed on what the armed forces would do if there was civil unrest in the country, Sir Nick replied: “I think it’s most unlikely that we would get involved in public order at all.
“Generally speaking our role in this is to back-fill the police in those roles that don’t face the public so the police force are able to manage public order on the country’s behalf.”
He added, if needed, they could help in the “non-prisoner facing” roles in prisons.
Miss England 2019 returns to work as NHS doctor
Miss England 2019 has decided to hang up her crown and return to work as an NHS doctor during the coronavirus pandemic, Sarah Young reports.
Bhasha Mukherjee was a junior doctor specialising in respiratory medicine before competing in the Miss World pageant on behalf of England in December 2019.
After winning the crown, the 24-year-old planned to put her medical career on hold so that she could travel the world for various humanitarian efforts.
However, four weeks into her ambassadorship in India on behalf of Coventry Mercia Lions Club, where she donated stationery to schools and gave money to a home for abandoned girls, news broke that the coronavirus situation was worsening back home in the UK.
Unemployment will rise in Switzerland, government official warns
Switzerland’s jobless figures will rise in the coming months as the strict measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic could force even successful companies to shut down, a government official said.
“I believe unemployment will clearly increase,” said Boris Zuercher, the head of the labour department at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco).
“The longer this situation lasts, the harder it is to get out. If it continues like this for another three or four months, it will also affect solvent companies.”
Government measures ‘simply don’t work’ for small and medium-sized firms
Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said the government’s measures “simply don’t work” for small and medium-sized firms affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “An average haulier will make probably 2 per cent margin, they will have about two to three weeks worth of cash flow within their business.”
Mr Burnett added he is hopeful the government will provide further support as the industry is “keeping the nation fed”, noting: “It’s so marginal, that 2 per cent margin, the lack of payment from debtors at the moment is creating a cash flow problem, you can’t service a loan if you haven’t got any money coming in.
“So we need cash, we need grants, we need injections to balance and normalise this cash flow problem, and the loans system simply doesn’t work at this point in time.”
Nurse demonstrates how wearing gloves can cause cross-contamination of germs
A nurse has shared a video explaining how wearing gloves when you go out to do your grocery shopping can cause cross-contamination of germs, Sabrina Barr reports.
Molly Lixey, a registered nurse from Michigan, shared a video on Facebook in which she demonstrates how easily you can spread germs when wearing gloves.
Please allow a moment for the blog to load
