Coronavirus news you may have missed overnight: Portugal added to travel quarantine list as England sees highest weekly increase of infections

2,919 more people test positive for Covid-19 in UK, with 14 deaths

As the number of coronavirus infections continues to increase in the UK, the government has been accused of “scapegoating” young people for spreading the virus as businesses search for ways to mitigate the spread to avoid closures.

England saw the highest weekly increase in positive cases in the seven days to 2 September since May. The government is also concerned about importing the virus from abroad as Britons go on holiday, and have added several more countries to the travel quarantine list.

Here is your daily briefing of coronavirus news you may have missed overnight.

Portugal mainland added to no-go list, islands exempt

Mainland Portugal has been added to the UK’s travel quarantine list, meaning British travellers currently on holiday in the country will have to self-isolate for 14 days unless they can return to the UK by 4am on Saturday morning.

However, the islands of Madeira and Azores have not been placed on the list. Mainland Portugal is joined by Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion Island. Sweden has been moved to the quarantine exemption list.

Highest weekly increase of coronavirus cases in England since May - new statistics

The number of weekly coronavirus infections in England has risen by 43 per cent, according to the latest government data.

9,864 new positive cases were reported in the seven days up to 2 September, marking the highest weekly figure since the end of May.

Positive cases for Covid-19 have been rising since the start of July and are now 12 per cent higher than the number recorded when Test and Trace was first launched.

Yorkshire pub bans people under 25 amid concerns over rising infection rates

A pub in North Yorkshire has banned all customers under the age of 25, as young people are being increasingly blamed for the rising spread of Covid-19.

Maggie Holmes, owner of the Oddfellow Arms, introduced the policy after a number of young people tested positive for the virus in the village of Sherbern-in-Elmet.

She said: “I’ve taken the decision because my demographic is not primarily that age bracket and I just want to ensure that I’m not closed again like I had to do for four months.”

Government announces Christmas ‘truce’ on evictions for renters in England and Wales

The government has announced a ban on eviction enforcement in the run up to and during the Christmas period in England and Wales.

Bailiffs also cannot enforce evictions in regions under local lockdowns at any time, where those conditions include restrictions on gathering in homes.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: “We have protected renters during the pandemic by banning evictions for six months - the longest eviction ban in the UK. To further support renters, we have increased notice periods to six months, an unprecedented measure to help keep people in their homes over the winter months.

The six-month notice period was announced as part of the extension on the government’s eviction ban last month and will remain in place until at least March next year.

Covid antibodies decline rapidly one month after leaving hospital, study suggests

Coronavirus antibodies “significantly decline” in the month after patients are discharged from hospital, a new study suggests.

Over 80 per cent of Covid-19 patients who recover have varying levels of antibodies, but only a small portion created a “potent” response to the virus if reintroduced to it.

Researchers from Nanjing University Medical School in China monitored antibody responses and found that one in five patients did not have the antibodies capable of fighting the virus after being discharged from hospital.

Antibody levels in patients also declined significantly between three and four weeks later.