Coronavirus news – live: Russia Covid vaccine branded ‘foolish’ as young people who vape found to be seven times more at risk
Follow the latest updates
Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health
Get our free Health Check email
The NHS faces a “potentially catastrophic winter” if coronavirus cases creep back up at the traditional time of maximum pressure on the service, the NHS Confederation has warned. Its director, Dr Layla McCay, said staff were already “exhausted and overstretched”.
Elsewhere, Russia claims to have approved for use the first Covid-19 vaccine. Vladimir Putin said the jab, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, had received the green light from the country’s health ministry even as human trials were still going on. It will be called Sputnik V.
And globally, infections have passed 20 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. Deaths are approaching the 750,000 mark, while 12.3 million people have recovered.
Indonesia sees lowest daily case count in months
Indonesia reported 61 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, its lowest daily tally for more than four months.
The Asian city-state locked down in mid-April after mass outbreaks in cramped migrant worker dormitories pushed its caseload to one of the highest in the region.
Last week, it said it had cleared infections from all of the dormitories - housing around 300,000 workers - barring some blocks which continue to serve as isolation zones.
Russia claims to have approved first Covid-19 vaccine
Russia has approved the world’s first vaccine for Covid-19, President Vladimir Putin said.
The vaccine was developed Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute in Moscow and on Tuesday received approval from the country’s health ministry.
Duterte volunteers for Russian vaccine trial
Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has offered to be “injected in public” with a Russian coronavirus vaccine, as Moscow prepares to launch the jabs without full clinical trials to international scepticism, writes Chris Baynes.
Mr Duterte declared he had “huge trust” that the vaccine would be “really good for humanity” despite safety concerns raised by virologists and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Russian ambassador to Manila said last week Vladimir Putin’s government would be willing to supply the vaccine to the Philippines as Covid-19 infections surge in the southeast Asian nation.
UK Covid-19 deaths near 60,000
More than 56,800 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered in the UK, official data shows.
Figures published on Tuesday by the ONS show that 51,779 deaths involving Covid-19 had occurred in England and Wales up to 31 July, and had been registered by 8 August.
Figures published last week by the National Records for Scotland showed that 4,208 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to 2 August, while 855 deaths had occurred in Northern Ireland up to 31 July 31 (and had been registered up to 5 August) according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
Together, these figures mean that so far 56,842 deaths have been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.
More on Edward Argar vs Gavin Williamson
A health minister has warned a major Public Health England report into the transmission of coronavirus among school children is still a “work in progress”, as he urged caution about “reading too much” into the incomplete study, writes Ashley Cowburn.
Despite the education secretary Gavin Williamson insisting the study showed "little evidence that the virus is transmitted at school” in an official statement, Edward Argar claimed no-one had seen the final results of the yet-to-be-published work.
Philippines update
The Philippines reported 2,987 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, taking its tally of confirmed cases to 139,538 - the highest in southeast Asia.
A health ministry bulletin also reported 19 more fatalities, bringing the country's death toll to 2,312.
Harry Roque, a spokesperson for Rodrigo Duterte, said an intensified contact tracing to isolate positive cases was necessary to slow community transmission, as he dismissed the possibility of extending a two-week strict lockdown due to end on 18 August in and around the capital Manila.
Mr Duterte today volunteered to be a guinea pig for Russia's apparent new Covid-19 vaccine.
First community cases for 102 days emerge in NZ
New Zealand has logged its first community coronavirus infections for 102 days.
Scottish pupils back in school today
Pupils in Scotland will return to the classroom as schools in the country become the first in the UK to begin reopening.
Councils across the country are taking different approaches to the time frame for reopening for the first time since 20 March.
Pupils in the Scottish Borders are returning on Tuesday, as are some in Shetland on a phased basis.
Elsewhere, pupils will return from Wednesday, with many councils operating a phased return ahead of the 18 August deadline for all pupils to be back full-time.
Oldham becomes worst-hit spot in England
Oldham has overtaken nearby Blackburn to become the worst-hit area for coronavirus in England, new government figures show, writes Colin Drury.
The surge in cases comes despite the Greater Manchester town being included in the so-called northern lockdown, with households there banned from mixing.
Some 145 new Covid-19 infections were identified in the borough in the seven days up to Sunday, according to Public Health England - the equivalent of 61 cases per 100,000 people.
P&O cancels yet more cruises
P&O Cruises has extended the suspension of sailings until November.
The UK's largest cruise line blamed Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice for people to avoid cruises due to coronavirus.
It has cancelled all sailings until 12 November, while two trips with longer itineraries due to begin in January 2021 have been suspended.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies