Coronavirus news you may have missed overnight: Prince William tested positive for Covid-19 in April, as WHO boss goes into quarantine

UK recorded 23,254 positive cases and 162 deaths on Sunday

Coronavirus has infected more than one million people in the UK since the start of the pandemic, as England is set to enter a second nationwide lockdown on Thursday in an attempt to curb the spiking number of cases. 

On Sunday, another 23,254 positive cases and 162 deaths from the virus were confirmed. 

The death toll in the UK now stands at more than 46,500 and there are predictions that the second wave of the virus could be far more deadly than the first.

On Monday, Boris Johnson will tell MPs that there is “no alternative” to another lockdown, explaining: “Models of our scientists suggest that unless we act now, we could see deaths over the winter that are twice as bad or more compared with the first wave.” 

Here’s the coronavirus news you may have missed overnight:

Downing Street slaps down Gove over lockdown extension comments

Boris Johnson and cabinet minister Michael Gove have clashed about the possible length of a second nationwide lockdown. 

While the prime minister announced on Saturday that the restrictions will last from 5 November until 2 December, Michael Gove told Sky News the following day that the lockdown could last beyond early December.

Downing Street later tried to correct Mr Gove’s comments, with one source telling The Independent: “This is very much seen as a 28-day set of measures, then we will go back to the regional approach." 

Prince William tested positive for Covid-19 in April

It has been reported that the Duke of Cambridge tested positive for the virus in April, but did not tell anyone for fear of worrying them.

Sources at Kensington Palace confirmed that the future monarch contracted coronavirus earlier this year, according to the BBC.

Meanwhile, The Sun reported that William had kept the news private, explaining that "there were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone".

The prince was treated by palace doctors and isolated at his family home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk, the paper added.

Labour calls for probe after vaccine tsar allegedly shared ‘sensitive documents’

The Labour party has called for a probe into allegations that Kate Bingham, the head of the UK’s vaccine taskforce, disclosed government documents at an event for female financiers in the US.

Ms Bingham allegedly produced documents marked “official sensitive” at the $200-a-head networking event, according to The Sunday Times.

They reportedly showed which vaccines the UK is planning to invest in. 

Ms Reeves, shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “These revelations are deeply concerning – not only because trust in a government official is in jeopardy but because the law could have been broken."

However, the government said Ms Bingham had done nothing wrong and that the documents had been cleared for release by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Head of WHO to quarantine

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will go into self-isolation after coming into contact with an unnamed person who later tested positive for Covid-19.

The director-general of the World Health Organization tweeted on Sunday that he is “well and without symptoms” but will work from home “in line with WHO protocols”.

He has been at the centre of the global response to the pandemic, which has now infected 46.5 million people and caused more than 1.2 million deaths, according to data from John Hopkins University.