Coronavirus news – live: Face coverings will not be made in compulsory in shops, Michael Gove says as Herefordshire farm in lockdown
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Face coverings will not be made mandatory in shops, Michael Gove said – two days after Boris Johnson hinted that England could copy Scotland by introducing the rule.
The cabinet office minister also stepped up calls for people to return to work following reports that the government was set to ease restrictions on using public transport.
It came as a Herefordshire farm went into lockdown after 73 vegetable pickers tested positive for coronavirus. The 200 staff are being kept in isolation in mobile homes at the site.
Meanwhile Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would be prepared to impose a border quarantine with England to prevent the spread of the virus if necessary, though there were no “immediate plans” to do so.
Follow our live coverage below
Hungary imposes border restrictions - with quarantine for UK
Hungary has imposed new restrictions on cross-border travel as of next Wednesday in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after a surge in new cases in several countries, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said.
Under the new rules, Hungarian nationals returning from high risk countries listed as "yellow" and "red" will have to go through health checks at the border and will have to go into quarantine. The same applies to foreigners coming from "yellow" countries, but their entry will be banned from "red" countries.
Countries in the Balkans such as Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and neighbouring Ukraine belong to the red category, among some other states.
Serbia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are among countries listed as "yellow", while travel from Croatia -- a popular holiday destination for Hungarians -- is free for the time being. The list will be regularly reviewed.
Transit and cargo travel, as well as business trips are exempt from the restrictions but health checks can be conducted.
Hungary, which has a population of around 10 million, had recorded 4,234 cases of COVID-19 and 595 related deaths as of Sunday.
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World update
Spain - Two northern regions are voting in today amid tight security measures to avoid more outbreaks of the coronavirus. More than 400 people who have tested positive in Basque Country and Galicia have been prohibited from leaving their homes to vote and people must wear face masks and remain 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart in polling stations.
Mexico's Health Ministry has reported 6,094 new confirmed coronavirus infections and 539 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 295,268 cases and 34,730 deaths.
Brazil - One of southern Brazil's biggest footballing derbies was cancelled less than 24 hours before kick-off on Saturday after 14 members of one side tested positive for Covid-19. "One of the teams had 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and it is necessary for all the players to follow the necessary protective measures," the Santa Catarina health secretariat said in a statement.
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Coronavirus 'can severely damage the heart'
More than half of heart scans among hospitalised Covid-19 patients are abnormal, suggesting the virus may have a devastating impact on this vital organ, according to new research.
A study from 69 countries, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), found that 55 per cent of 1,261 patients studied had abnormal changes to the way their heart was pumping, with around one in seven showing evidence of severe dysfunction.
'Government need to get act together on masks', says mayor
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has again called on Boris Johnson to make face masks mandatory in enclosed public spaces.
He highlighted the different messages sent out by the prime minister and cabinet office minister Michael Gove in the space of two days.
Mr Khan tweeted: "Friday: PM - we need to be stricter on face masks Sunday: Michael Gove - masks won't be made mandatory in shops This pandemic is far from over, but our response is once again behind the rest of the world. The Govt need to get their act together."
No-mask tip-off hotline launched in Ohio
A county in Ohio has launched a hotline so that callers can report people who do not use face masks, amid concerns over a surge in the number of coronavirus cases across the state.
Armond Budish, the executive of Cuyahoga county, announced the service on Friday and said complaints would be managed by county officers and would be forwarded to local health authorities.
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Coronavirus outbreak at farm in Herefordshire
More than 70 vegetable pickers at a farm in Herefordshire have tested positive for coronavirus after an outbreak among the 200-strong workforce living at the site in mobile homes.
Public Health England and Herefordshire Council are monitoring the situation at AS Green and Co, based in Mathon near Malvern, where staff are being treated as one extended bubble.
Katie Spence, PHE Midlands Health Protection Director, said: “We are working closely with the management at AS Green and Co to support the health and wellbeing of their workforce and wider public health.
"At this phase of the pandemic, we still expect to see cases in the community and within settings where people are closer together, such as workplaces, which is why the Test and Trace system is important, to help us pick up on any potential problems and swiftly to take remedial action to reduce spread.
"To support this workforce of around 200 key workers, the company has put in place a range of infection control measures to try to reduce the risk of staff being exposed to Covid-19. Measures include supporting testing on site, promoting social distancing in communal social areas and in the indoor packaging area; providing PPE for staff where applicable, encouraging regular handwashing for at least 20 seconds, and promoting the use of face coverings in closed areas.
"Despite these measures, a small number of workers became symptomatic earlier this week and they and a few close contacts among the workforce were tested initially and found to be positive. In line with NHS guidance, affected individuals were asked to self-isolate for 7 days, with their households and close contacts asked to isolate for 14 days.
"As we have seen a global trend of large food producers being subject to outbreaks, as a precautionary measure, the decision was made to test the entire workforce. The initial batch of results showed a significant percentage of positive cases, despite these individuals being asymptomatic. We are still awaiting a few final results, but currently we have 73 positive cases of COVID-19 among the workforce.
"PHE Midlands and Herefordshire Council are therefore working with AS Green and Co to closely monitor and manage the outbreak and support individual workers."
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