Coronavirus news - live: Test result turnaround times hit lowest point, as millions in northeast face lockdown
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Your support makes all the difference.The proportion of people in England receiving an in-person Covid-19 test result within the government's 24-hour target period has hit its lowest point since the middle of June.
Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding told MPs the latest capacity for Covid-19 tests stands at 242,000 across the UK, but that demand was currently three to four times higher.
The former Talk Talk boss conceded that tests were lying unused at testing sites, lest they go out of date at backlogged laboratories, where she said the “constraint” lay in the system.
It came as more than 1.5 million people across the northeast of England prepare to be placed under new coronavirus restrictions, bringing the total subject to additional measures to nearly 10 million across the country.
The new rules will see residents banned from socialising outside their own households or support bubble, leisure and entertainment venues shut between 10pm and 5am, and table service only in bars and restaurants from midnight on Thursday.
And globally, reported infections surpassed 30 million, according to a Reuters tally, as countries’ combined official death tolls neared the million mark.
Test and trace stats show 167% rise in positive cases
More than 18,300 people tested positive for coronavirus in the latest weekly data from the government’s test and trace service, an increase of 167 per cent compared to the end of August.
According to the data there was also a 27 per cent increase in the number of people getting tested in the week to 9 September with 571,400 people overall getting a test.
Coronavirus test and trace stats show 167% rise in positive cases
The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.
In my 24-year teaching career, never before have I experienced such a difficult and frankly chaotic start to the school year on a national scale, writes Neil Miller, executive headteacher at London South East Academies Trust, in this piece for Indy Voices.
Opinion: School closures are inevitable if teachers and pupils cannot get Covid-19 tests
With staff and students going sick with coronavirus symptoms, things are chaotic. Children are set to suffer again if we can’t determine active cases in our educational institutions
WHO warns of 'very serious' situation in Europe as cases surge
The number of weekly coronavirus cases in Europe topped 300,000 last week – higher than during the first peak in March – triggering grave warnings from health experts.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, the World Health Organization's European director Hans Kluge warned that Europe was facing a “very serious” situation and advised against "even a slight reduction in the length of the quarantine".
WHO issues 'very serious' coronavirus warning as cases surge in Europe
The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.
New coronavirus restrictions announced for northeast England
More than 1.5 million people across the north-east of England have been placed under new coronavirus restrictions after cases across the region rose dramatically there.
Members of different households will be banned from socialising and pubs and restaurants will have to shut by 10pm under the new measures announced on Thursday morning after Covid-19 cases tripled in the region in three weeks.
New lockdown rules in northeast England as coronavirus cases surge
The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.
Battle against coronavirus ‘is not over’
Matt Hancock has said the coronavirus pandemic is not over.
He told MPs: "Like many other countries around the world, we're continuing to see a concerning rise in cases with 3,991 new cases recorded yesterday.
"And this week the number of patients in mechanical ventilator beds has risen above 100 for the first time since July.
"The battle against coronavirus is not over."
Black Americans more likely to test positive for coronavirus, study finds
A new study examining the racial disparities of the pandemic has suggested Black Americans are twice as likely to test positive for coronavirus than white Americans.
Research carried out by the Epic Health Research Network Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) showed how Hispanic, Black, and Asian patients were more prone to contracting Covid-19 - and more likely to require hospitalisation from it.
The report, published on Wednesday, analysed the health records of 50 million patients from 53 health systems across 21 states, laying bare the racial disparities at play amid the United States’ coronavirus pandemic.
Read more on this from Gino Spocchia below:
Black Americans more likely to test positive for coronavirus, study finds
Black, Hispanic and Asian patients were worst off amid pandemic
Jacob Rees-Mogg accuses people complaining about unavailable tests of ‘carping’
Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that people facing difficulties in getting coronavirus tests and complaining about chaos in the system are “carping” and should instead “celebrate the phenomenal success of the British nation”.
The Commons leader himself was forced to self-isolate last week while awaiting coronavirus test results for one of his children, but was able to return to Parliament as it returned as negative.
Our Political Editor, Andrew Woodcock, reports:
Jacob Rees-Mogg accuses people complaining about unavailable tests of ‘carping’
Commons leader was forced to self-isolate while he waited for outcome of test on child
Coronavirus vaccine will only become available when safe, confirms Matt Hancock
The health secretary has confirmed a Covid-19 vaccine will only be put in place “across the board” when it is safe to do so.
Matt Hancock was asked by DUP health spokesperson Jim Shannon to confirm that “no vaccine will be available on the NHS that has not been rigorously and completely tested”.
Mr Hancock responded: “Of course, we will only allow a vaccine to be put in place across the board when it is safe and the Medicines and Healthcare produces Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are one of the most respected and high quality regulators in the entire world.
“It is they who will make the decision on whether it’s safe to license and of course the question of who should be vaccinated and in what order is again a clinical decision on which we’ll take advice from the joint committee on vaccinations and immunisation.”
Covid-19 cases in Bolton ‘rocketing up’
The number of coronavirus cases in Bolton are “rocketing up”, says Chris Green, Tory MP for Bolton West.
He warned that this is having a “devastating impact on people’s physical and mental health”, as well as livelihoods and businesses.
Speaking to the Commons, Mr Green said: “Many people are heading out of the borough to get their beauty treatments, go to the pubs and restaurants.
“At the same time the testing system is failing to deliver so people are increasingly going to accident and emergency in Bolton and Wigan in the hope of getting a Covid test.”
Matt Hancock reiterated that people “should not go to A&E to access a test” and said almost 7,000 tests were added to the area in the last week.
“The situation in Bolton is very difficult, with over 200 cases per 100,000 population, the highest in the country by a long, long way and we’ve got a lot of work to do to get the situation under control in Bolton,” he added.
More than 100 people told to self-isolate via Protect Scotland app
Nicola Sturgeon has said over 100 people have been told to self-isolate as a result of the Protect Scotland coronavirus contact tracing app.
During First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament, she said the app had been downloaded by more than a million people.
“In the week since it was launched, more than one million people have downloaded the Protect Scotland app and I want to thank everyone that has done so,” she said.
“One million is already a big enough number for us to know that the app can make a difference. In fact, I can report that more than 100 people have been advised to isolate as a result of using it.
“I would encourage everyone that hasn’t yet done so to download it.
“This is a simple - and it is simple - but it’s also an important way in which we can fight Covid-19.”
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