Coronavirus news: Island travel corridors to replace country-wide quarantines, as UK cases soar by nearly 3,000 in 24 hours
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Your support makes all the difference.Matt Hancock denied the government was “losing control” of the coronavirus crisis, as the government launched a new ‘island corridor’ travel quarantine policy.
The health secretary admitted the sharp rise in daily cases to 2,988 on Sunday - the highest daily figure since late May - was “concerning” but said they were predominantly among younger people from affluent areas.
He made the comments before transport secretary Grant Shapps announced seven Greek islands would be added to England’s quarantine list from Wednesday. Meanwhile a school in Suffolk was forced to close after five teachers tested positive for Covid-19, while two others awaited their test results.
Myanmar's Suu Kyi pulls out of first election trip over coronavirus
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has pulled out of the first event of her election campaign, citing a worsening outbreak of coronavirus in the country, Reuters reports.
The Southeast Asian nation reported 100 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the biggest daily increase since detecting its first infection in March, followed by 45 more today.
Ms Suu Kyi was set to tour the constituency where she is seeking re-election in the commercial capital of Yangon on Tuesday, the first official day of campaigning ahead of polls set for 8 November.
But she revealed in a live Facebook broadcast that the health minister had advised her to cancel the trip.
Last week, a member of the staff at Suu Kyi’s lakeside home in Yangon tested positive for the Covid-19. Speaking about it today, she said she felt bad to hear about the infection.
Myanmar had gone weeks without a local coronavirus transmission until mid-August, when authorities reported an outbreak in the western state of Rakhine.
Since then, the number of cases has more than doubled to 1,464 infections and eight deaths.
Russia reports 5,185 new coronavirus cases
Russia has reported 5,185 new coronavirus cases, pushing its national tally to 1,030,690, the fourth largest in the world.
Authorities this morning confirmed 51 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 17,871.
Philippines reports lowest daily cases rise in almost eight weeks
The Philippines has reported 1,383 new coronavirus infections, its lowest number of new daily cases in nearly eight weeks.
The country’s health ministry said there were 15 new deaths, taking its total Covid-19 fatalities to 3,890.
The Philippines has the most coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia, with 238,727 confirmed cases.
‘Concerning’ rise in UK cases
Matt Hancock has described the daily rise in coronavirus cases on Sunday as "concerning".
The health secretary told LBC: "The rise in the number of cases we have seen in the last few days is concerning.
"It is concerning because we have seen a rise in cases in France, in Spain, in some other countries across Europe - nobody wants to see a second wave here.
"It just reinforces the point that people must follow the social distancing rules, they are so important."
When asked if people were not following the rules he added: "We certainly see cases where they are not, and then we take action."
He said that many cases in Bolton were linked to a single pub, which has been asked to close.
Government figures showed there were a further 2,988 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Sunday, bringing the total to 347,152.
Appeal for younger people to follow social distancing measures
Matt Hancock appealed to younger people to stick to social distancing measures, saying that under-25s, particularly those aged 17 to 21, accounted for a large number of positive coronavirus cases.
Speaking on LBC radio, he said younger people could still have serious illness and could pass on disease to more vulnerable people.
He said: "It is important for everybody to wash their hands, to follow social distancing. It's 'hands, face, space', as in wash your hands, cover your face when appropriate and stay two metres apart where appropriate, or one-metre plus.
"We will take action if people go to big social events that are completely inappropriate, sadly, in a time of coronavirus."
The health secretary added: "In Spain the number of hospitalisations has gone up by 14 times since the middle of July, in France the number of people in hospital has trebled over the last month or so."
Matt Hancock has denied the government is losing control of coronavirus, as he admitted that this weekend’s spike in cases was “concerning”.
Cases confirmed at three north east of England schools
Coronavirus cases have been confirmed at three schools in the north east of England, days after Middlesbrough was officially named as an “area of concern”.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council on Sunday said a positive case had been recorded at St Benedict's RC Primary School.
However, the local authority said the school, in Redcar, will remain open and that parents had been provided with advice.
Further up the coast, in Hartlepool, St Aidan's CE Primary School said it also had a confirmed Covid-19 case.
And Outwood Academy Ormesby, in Middlesbrough, said in a short statement that a confirmed case had been found "within the school community" - adding that the individual did not contract the virus at the school.
In Redcar and Cleveland, 38 new coronavirus cases were recorded in the seven days to 1 September - the equivalent of 27.7 per 100,000 people, up from 10.2 in the seven days to 25 August.
The rate in Hartlepool also experienced a jump, from 7.5 to 22.4, with 21 new cases, while Middlesbrough's rate has risen from 28.4 to 31.2, with 44 new cases.
Middlesbrough was added to the government's Covid-19 watchlist as an "area of concern" on Friday.
Manchester City players Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte have tested positive for coronavirus, the Premier League club have announced.
The club issued a statement to reveal that the Egyptian forward and French defender are self-isolating from the rest of the squad, having returned positive Covid-19 test results.
Roll-out of potential AstraZeneca vaccine ‘most likely’ next year
A Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca will “most likely” be ready to roll-out in the UK early next year, according to Matt Hancock.
Speaking about the vaccine candidate to LBC, the health secretary said: "We have got 30 million doses already contracted with AstraZeneca, in fact they are starting to manufacture those doses already, ahead of approval, so that should approval come through - and it's still not certain but it is looking up - then we are ready to roll out.
"The best-case scenario is that happens this year. I think more likely is the early part of next year - in the first few months of next year is the most likely.
"But we've also bought vaccine ahead of it getting approved from a whole different series of international vaccines as well."
Hancock admits ‘operational issues’ with test booking system
When asked about people having to travel long distances for coronavirus tests, Matt Hancock told LBC there had been "operational issues".
One caller from Nottingham said that when he tried to get a test he was instructed to travel to a Dundee testing centre.
Mr Hancock said no one would be instructed to drive further than 75 miles for a test.
"Over the summer we have seen demand for tests go up and so if your local centre is full then people were asked to go a long way," he said.
"The vast majority of people get access to a test at their local testing centre and it is turned around very rapidly.
"But there have been problems and we are increasing capacity.
"There have been operational problems and operational issues. We have been completely upfront about the challenges that the country faces, but all I can do is just keep driving capacity of the system higher and higher," the health secretary added.
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