The government has defended its response to coronavirus after Jeremy Hunt said he did not understand why large gatherings had not been cancelled. The former health secretary said: “I think it is surprising and concerning that we’re not doing any of it at all when we have just four weeks before we get to the stage that Italy is at.”
Ministers anticipate that up to 60 per cent of people will become infected, it is understood, but the hope is that – by delaying the peak to ease pressure on the NHS and protecting the old and vulnerable – the numbers of deaths can be reduced. There are now 798 official positive cases in the UK, and British Army personnel have now been drafted in to help with logistical planning.
Elsewhere, Nepal has shuttered its side of Mount Everest, curtailing climbing season because of coronavirus, and Madrid has ordered bars, restaurants and shops to close. An Australian minister has now caught the illness, and the German state of Bavaria is reportedly closing all schools and kindergartens until 6 April.
Three more cases confirmed in Birmingham – city council
Birmingham City Council has announced three further confirmed cases of the virus in the city – bringing the total number up to five.
Two people are in hospital receiving treatment, while the other individual is in the community and is self-isolating.
Birmingham City Council’s director of public
health, Dr Justin Varney said: “Further cases of Covid-19 were expected and we continue to work hard with partners in the NHS and Public Health England to manage the ongoing situation.
“Please be reminded that the risk to the general public remains low and we are doing everything possible to prevent the virus from spreading.”
Local and mayoral elections suspended for one year
Mayoral and local elections in the UK will be postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The move will disrupt votes for 118 local councils, 40 police and crime commissioner races and 8 mayors across the country – including in London where Sadiq Khan will retain his place at City Hall in an election due to be contested by Conservative Shaun Bailey and independent Rory Stewart.
Labour calls for suspension of May elections due to coronavirus
The Labour party is calling on the government to suspend the local elections scheduled for 7 May because of the spread of the coronavirus.
General secretary Jennie Formby has today written to the Electoral Commission to support its call for a postponement, saying that Labour “always want democratic processes to continue as much as is practical and safe”, but the primary focus for council staff as we head towards the peak of the outbreak should be on providing essential public services.
Labour also notes that elections in 2001 were postponed because of the foot and mouth outbreak and that “this is a far more serious situation affecting human health”.
State of emergency in Spain
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez is declaring a state of emergency over the coronavirus.
Sanchez said a special cabinet meeting would on Saturday formally declare a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters is reporting.
It will allow authorities to confine infected people and ration goods in a steep increase in Spain’s response to the rapidly-spreading coronavirus.
With 4,209 cases, Spain has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in Europe after Italy and Sanchez said the number could rise to over 10,000 next week. About 120 people have died.
Iran to clear streets
Iran’s armed forces will clear all cities within 24 hours to contain the spread of coronavirus that has killed more than 500 people, the official IRNA news agency has reported.
The extraordinary measure was announced by Iran’s military chief of staff Maj-Gen Mohammad Baqeri, who said: “Clearing shops, streets and roads will be carried out in the next 24 hours as a national decision.”
Northern Ireland cuts back on health services
Health services in Northern Ireland will be significantly reduced over the coming days and weeks to free up resources to care for coronavirus patients, the region’s health minister has said.
Services affected will include non-urgent outpatient appointments, day cases, inpatient and diagnostic work. Suspect cancer cases and other urgent care will continue, unless advised by hospital groups, minister Robin Swann said in a statement.
Updated Cyprus information
The Foreign Office has the following to say about travel to Cyprus: “The Republic of Cyprus government has announced stricter measures on UK nationals entering Cyprus applicable from 14 March.
“All UK nationals arriving in Cyprus from that date should self-isolate for 14 days. Those who are due to leave the country before the end of 14 days may do so provided they do not display symptoms.
“UK nationals who arrived in Cyprus prior to 14 March are not affected by these measures. The above measures are expected to remain in place until further notice.
“The administration in the north of Cyprus has introduced a temporary ban on British nationals entering the north of Cyprus from 12 March. This ban, aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus, does not apply to British nationals with residency status in the north of Cyprus.”
Just when it seemed like the world couldn’t resemble the opening scenes of an apocalyptic horror film any more, it appears the coronavirus has sparked gang warfare between monkeys on the streets of Thailand.
For understandable reasons, the pandemic has led to a decline in tourism around the globe. The Lopburi monkey population is usually split in two with one group residing in the city while the other patrols the area around the temple. Many of the monkeys rely on food from tourists but these are desperate times and tourists are few and far between. Because lots of people have isolated themselves and are working from home, there’s also very few cars on the streets, so the monkeys are more free than ever to roam the streets.
The extraordinary fighting scenes were captured on video when one monkey found a single banana and hundreds of others swarmed in. This sparked the kind of mass brawl that used to be synonymous with warring fans at any major sporting tournament.
