Coronavirus news - live: Mainland Portugal added to quarantine list and England sees highest weekly case rise since May
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Your support makes all the difference.Travellers returning to England from mainland Portugal must self-isolate for 14 days if they arrive after 4am on Saturday, Grant Shapps has said.
It came after the number of weekly coronavirus cases in England rose by 43 per cent, according to government data, in the highest weekly figure since the end of May.
In total 9,864 new infections were reported in the seven days up 2 September. Positive cases have been increasing since the start of July and are now 12 per cent higher than the number recorded when Test and Trace first launched.
Trump’s Nevada campaign rallies at risk due to coronavirus health guidelines in battleground state
Donald Trump has planned two campaign rallies in Las Vegas and Reno for over the weekend, but they’re at risk after local officials revealed the gatherings would violate health guidelines related to the coronavirus pandemic, writes Danielle Zoellner.
Adam Laxalt, the co-chair of Trump’s campaign in Nevada, shared on Twitter on Wednesday that the president’s planned rally venues were cancelled on the campaign. He blamed the state’s Democratic governor, Steve Sisolak.
Trump’s Nevada campaign rallies at risk due to coronavirus health guidelines
‘This is unprecedented – to cancel an incumbent President’s campaign stop inside 60 days of a major contested election in a swing state,’ Trump campaign co-chair says
New quarantine rules in NI
From Saturday people arriving in Northern Ireland from Portugal - except Madeira and the Azores - Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion must quarantine for 14 days.
Sweden will be added to the region's safe list, meaning from 4am on Saturday those arriving in Northern Ireland from Sweden will not need to self-isolate.
Health minister Robin Swann said: "There is no doubt that the situation with Covid-19 is not only changing rapidly locally, but also globally. As always the safety of the citizens of Northern Ireland will always be my priority.
"We will continue to monitor the situation in all countries and will move swiftly to make changes to the regulations when necessary."
Woman fined twice in one day for refusing to wear face mask while shopping
A woman has been fined under coronavirus regulations twice in one day for refusing to wear a face covering in a supermarket, writes Andy Gregory
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has set up dedicated Covid-19 patrols in supermarkets to hand out face masks and ensure compliance with the rules.
Officers in Rochdale said on Wednesday they handed a face mask to a woman who then to entered the shop without wearing it.
When challenged by officers, she “refused to put the covering on without a valid exemption reason” and was issued with a fixed penalty notice, the force said.
Rochdale woman fined twice in one shopping trip for refusing mask
New police patrols set up in supermarkets to hand out face masks and enforce rules
Turkey mulls allowing late-stage trials of Russia’s vaccine
Turkey is considering a request from Russia to conduct phase three trials of of the Sputnik V vaccine.
Health minister Fahrettin Koca said a decision would be made in the next week.
Speaking to reporters after holding talks with local health officials in southeastern Turkey, Mr Koca said phase three work had already started on a vaccine from China and Pfizer, and added that the Russian request was being evaluated.
Scientists voiced concern at Russia’s announcement that it had approved Sputnik V for use due to a lack of evidence for its safety and efficacy.
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