Coronavirus news you may have missed overnight: Testing delays force NHS staff to stay at home

Testing delays are causing headaches for NHS frontline staff.

Testing delays have forced NHS staff to remain at home (AFP via Getty Images)

The government’s coronavirus testing system has come under renewed criticism after delays in receiving test results forced NHS staff to stay at home.

Globally, reported coronavirus cases hit 29,279,316 with 928,403 deaths, according to the John Hopkins University world tally. 

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

£800m bid to boost testing as NHS staff forced to stay off work because of delays

NHS staff are being forced to stay at home because of a lack of coronavirus tests, hospital bosses say.

It comes as ministers admit the country’s testing system has faltered due to surging demand.

NHS staff who show symptoms are required to self-isolate until they get a negative test result.

Some hospitals are running their own testing, while others are referring staff to the public system.

‘Rule of six’ laws published minutes before coming into force 

The government’s new “rule of six” restrictions were not published until minutes before they came into effect.

The late appearance of the law sparked renewed anger over the way ministers were introducing legislation to combat the pandemic.

It meant that police officers had limited time to examine the law they are supposed to enforce.

It also appeared there was public confusion over the numerous exemptions to the rule - including grouse shooting and hunting.

Another 2,621 cases of coronavirus were reported on the day the rule came into effect.

Almost 9,000 people could be prosecuted for not paying coronavirus fines 

Nearly 9,000 people could be prosecuted for failing to pay coronavirus fines, official figures show.

Fewer than half of the 19,200 penalties issued in England and Wales have been paid, Attorney-General Suella Braverman said.

A total of 8,930 fines have been paid but 8,954 “have not been paid and therefore fall to be considered for prosecution”.

Anyone who breaks coronavirus restrictions - including breaking the “rule of six” or not wearing a face mask on public transport - could be fined £100, doubling to a maximum of £3,200 for each repeat offence.

Wetherspoons says 66 staff tested postive for Covid-19

Wetherspoons has revealed 66 staff at its pubs tested positive for coronavirus.

The chain, which employs 41,000 people, insisted that its pubs were safe and they had invested £15 million in social distancing measures.

Founder Tim Martin was one of the earliest critics of the UK’s strict lockdown measures.

Birmingham suffers tighter lockdown restrictions

New restrictions banning households from meeting each other has come into force in Birmingham.The restrictions are designed to stop the spread of coronavirus in the UK’s second-largest city after a surge in cases. According to Public Health England, Birmingham had a seven-day rate of 78.2 cases per 100,000 people up to 8 September. The rate was just over 30 for the previous seven-day period.