Category Archives: Coronavirus

Coronavirus live news: Spain exceeds 1m cases; Lazio region imposes curfew

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Spain is first western European country to pass milestone; Rome among latest to bring in curfew; German health minister has Covid-19

Four US states reported a record one-day increase in Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday including Wisconsin, a hotly contested state in the 3 November election, as infections keep rising across the Midwest and beyond.

Coronavirus deaths hit daily records in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin, according to a Reuters analysis. Wisconsin also reported a record daily increase in new cases together with Illinois and Ohio, the analysis showed.

The US is likely to have enough safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines available to inoculate the most vulnerable Americans by the end of 2020, health and human services secretary Alex Azar said.

The US government is “cautiously optimistic” that one or two vaccines, likely from Pfizer or Moderna, will be available by the end of the year and can begin to be distributed to Americans, officials said during a news conference.

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Obama stumps for Biden in Philadelphia as polls show Trump trailing in state – live

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Meanwhile, it seems Trump supporters in North Carolina were asked to avoid QAnon clothing.

The president refused to disavow QAnon during an NBC town hall last week. “I don’t know about QAnon,” he insisted.

A Trump campaign worker ahead of the President’s rally in Gastonia, NC, is informing attendees as they arrive at the main entrance that they cannot wear any QAnon attire.

“No flags, no signs, no e-cigarettes, no clothing with obscenities, no QAnon attire...” w/ @carolelee pic.twitter.com/vnddhTewH1

Joe Biden is leading by an average of 5 points in Pennsylvania – but Trump won the state by less than one point in 2016.

Here’s how the candidates are polling in swing states:

Related: US election polls tracker: who is leading in the swing states?

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UK coronavirus live: Sheffield city region mayor says ‘inaction not an option’ as he agrees tier 3 restrictions

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Latest updates: South Yorkshire third region in England to get strictest measures after local leaders agreed a deal with government

This is from Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, this morning.

Our aim in this negotiation was simple: to agree a deal based on what people will actually need to get through this rather than the arbitrary sum being forced on us all one by one.

We hoped to set a template for others to use. Presumably that’s why the Government walked away. https://t.co/DirwF8dvua

Here are some more lines from Robert Jenrick’s interview with the Today programme this morning.

The mayor of Greater Manchester was never willing to draw this to a conclusion. The public health situation was deteriorating. It would have frankly been irresponsible of the government to allow this to continue for many more days without bringing it to a conclusion.

In a meeting with the prime minister, the prime minister offered £55m, Andy Burnham asked for £65m. The prime minister said: ‘Look, let’s just compromise, and get this done for the sake of people in Greater Manchester.’

The money is still there. It’s got Greater Manchester’s name on it.

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Andy Burnham hits out at Tory MPs over Covid negotiations criticism

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Greater Manchester mayor dismisses claims by local MPs that he rejected a good deal

Andy Burnham has lambasted Conservative MPs trying to encourage the government to pick off Greater Manchester councils one by one after the region failed to collectively reach a coronavirus deal with ministers.

The government said the £60m business support offer unanimously rejected by Burnham and Greater Manchester’s 10 leaders was “still on the table”, as it was announced the Sheffield city region would be the latest in England to be put into the tightest tier 3 restrictions.

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New Zealand records 25 Covid cases amid arrival of foreign fishing crews

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Twenty-three cases caught at the border, with two more local transmissions linked to Sunday’s port worker case

New Zealand has recorded 25 new cases of coronavirus, the biggest daily toll the country has reported since the height of its initial outbreak in March and April.

Two were local cases and the rest were discovered at the border, including 18 infections among Russian and Ukraine fishing crews who had arrived on a charter flight from Moscow days earlier.

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Trump says US is ‘crushing’ coronavirus as country passes 220,000 deaths – video

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The president is 'crushing' Covid-19 as the country surpasses 220,000 deaths from the virus. Speaking at a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump told voters 'If you want depression, doom and despair. Vote for sleepy Joe Biden. And boredom'. Trump blamed former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when his microphone cut out during the rally and also claimed that if the virus had not struck he would not have needed to campign very hard to win re-election.

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Joe Biden criticises Donald Trump for renewed Fauci attack over Covid – US politics live

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It’s worth noting that Mitch McConnell said the Senate would consider a coronavirus relief bill “at some point” if a deal is reached between House speaker Nancy Pelosi and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin.

That phrasing leaves it very unclear when the Senate would take up a coronavirus relief package if an agreement is reached.

Mitch McConnell said he would put a coronavirus relief bill on the Senate floor for a vote, if the White House and congressional Democrats can reach a deal on the package.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin are expected to discuss the negotiations again in about a half an hour, and Pelosi has said she is “optimistic” about reaching an agreement.

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PM confirms Covid tier 3 restrictions for Greater Manchester as talks fail

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Boris Johnson refuses to specify how much support region will get

Greater Manchester will be moved into the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions from midnight on Thursday, Boris Johnson has confirmed as he refused to say whether a £60m offer of support for the region remains on the table following failed negotiations.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, the prime minister did not specify how much support the region would get. Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, had sought £90m in support for businesses and staff affected by the measures, dropping the request to £65m, but ministers offered £60m and ended the talks without a deal.

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Global report: record Covid cases and new lockdowns across Europe

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Parts of Spain and Italy facing restrictions as Ireland set to become first EU country to reimpose national lockdown

Regions in Spain and Italy have returned to lockdown and Ireland will do so from Wednesday as countries across Europe continue to report new Covid infection highs and governments struggle to contain the second wave of the pandemic.

The northern Spanish Navarre region, where the number of cases per 100,000 people is 945 against 312 nationally, announced a two-week lockdown from Thursday that will be stricter than measures imposed on Madrid by central government.

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Lockdown conflict between regional and national authorities in Spain

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Regional health minister of Madrid described state of emergency as ‘attack on people of Madrid’

  • Coronavirus – latest updates
  • See all our coronavirus coverage

    • Lockdown tensions between central government and regional authorities are not confined to the UK.

    On 9 October, Spain’s Socialist-led coalition government was forced to declare a state of emergency to put Madrid and eight surrounding towns into a limited lockdown after the regional government flip-flopped, protested and mounted a legal challenge to the restrictions.

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    A decade in the building, Madrid’s showpiece hotel has everything … except guests

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    Spain’s tourist sector – including the new Four Seasons hotel – is bearing the brunt of Covid, with the capital’s occupancy rates at 15%

    Madrid’s first new grand hotel in almost half a century has more than enough to recommend it to even the most discerning and demanding of visitors.

    As well as a presidential suite for VIPs and their bodyguards, there is a spa, a handy branch of Hermès, and a restaurant by the three Michelin-starred chef Dani García, whose rooftop terrace appears to float high above the busy streets of the city centre.

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    Covid-19: what can we learn from the HIV/Aids pandemic? – podcast

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    Prof Ravi Gupta’s career has informed HIV treatment and curative strategies in the UK and at the Africa Health Research Institute. His treatment of a London patient is, to date, only the second ever successful treatment of an HIV patient, where the person remains long-term virus free. Gupta talks to Sarah Boseley about how a career in HIV research is informing the testing and treatment for Covid-19 and what we can learn in any parallels between the two viruses

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    Parliament resumes as Victoria reports one new Covid case and NSW five – politics live

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    Budget estimates continue with Australia’s coronavirus response on the agenda. Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry will reconvene for an extraordinary session while in NSW testing rates drop below 7,000. Follow all the latest updates

    Keith Pitt, bless him, attempts a dixer on the Queensland resources industry which LNP candidates in central and north Queensland can cut up and put on their facebook page for three people to look at, but the dixer isn’t the right question, so he can’t use his zinger, or get his time back.

    Neither can we.

    Steve Burt, he is a typical driller, he is big, he’s bearded, he is rough as hessian underwear to be honest

    Catherine King to Michael McCormack:

    The Australian audit office told Senate estimates last night that it provided AFP on 10 July potential evidence about potential defrauding of the Commonwealth.

    Thank you, Mr Speaker. Whilst I appreciate this is the subject of many inquiries being made by Senate estimates, as you would expect, this is an inquiry, the Australian Federal Police are looking into it and the ANAO has referred this matter to the AFP, as has the Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure.

    And, of course, an independent investigation is also going into the matter, being conducted by the Commonwealth Ombudsman Dr Thomas, the former Inspector-general of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Dr Vivienne Thom.

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    Coronavirus live news: WHO warns about quarantine failures, Argentina records 1m cases

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    Ireland orders six-week lockdown; Trump says Americans ‘tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots’ discuss Covid; Canada passes 200,000 cases. Follow latest updates

    Still in New Zealand and Suff reports that 440 fishermen from Russia and the Ukraine arrived on Friday and are isolating at the Sudima Hotel, near Christchurch Airport. The outlet says:

    Stuff previously reported about 440 fishermen from Russia and Ukraine were due to arrive (in NZ) on two flights chartered by fishing companies – the first of which is thought to have touched down from Moscow via Singapore on Friday.

    Many of the 237 people onboard have been isolating at the Sudima Hotel, near Christchurch Airport, since their arrival.

    The New Zealand Herald is reporting that 11 international sailors in a Christchurch hotel have tested positive for Covid – 14 more cases are “under further investigation”, according to the ministry of health.

    “All are imported cases detected at routine day 3 testing. None involve cases in the community,” the ministry said, according to the Herald.

    #BREAKING Health officials have confirmed 11 international seamen in a Christchurch hotel have tested positive for Covid — 14 more cases are 'under further investigation". https://t.co/huU1IMW9fj pic.twitter.com/UiXWm7nevj

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    Coronavirus live news: Belgium to postpone elective hospital procedures; Bulgaria makes masks mandatory

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    Senior virologist warns Belgium might need to return to full lockdown if surge not checked; Bulgaria move follows record daily cases

    The UK prime minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday he would impose tougher lockdown restrictions on the Greater Manchester region in the north of England despite failing to reach a deal on funding support with local leaders.

    Related: PM confirms Covid tier 3 restrictions for Greater Manchester as talks fail

    At no point today, were we offered enough to protect the poorest people in our communities through the punishing reality of the winter to come.

    Related: Greater Manchester: Burnham condemns ministers as tier 3 talks collapse

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    US elections 2020: Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s possible paths to power – podcast

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    Lauren Gambino, political correspondent for Guardian US, discusses which states Biden will need to win to take the White House, and what Trump will need to do to retain the presidency

    What matters on 3 November is not which candidate gets more votes in the US election, but who secures the 270 electoral college votes needed to get to the White House. Lauren Gambino, political correspondent for Guardian US, talks to Anushka Asthana about Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s possible paths to power.

    In 2016, Trump pulled off a shock victory by becoming the first Republican presidential candidate in 28 years to win Michigan, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin - but by razor-thin victories says Lauren. Biden wants to get a higher turnout among African American voters and he wants to try and win back white, working-class former Democrat voters. Biden is also looking for support from the suburbs, particularly college-educated women and men who are increasingly turning away from Trump, and seniors. Biden has been trying to take back the narrative by reframing the race as “a campaign between Scranton and Park Avenue” and polls currently have Biden leading in these battleground states. The president is also struggling to maintain control of states he won a bit more easily in 2016 – namely Florida, Arizona and North Carolina. If Trump loses Florida, where Biden has a marginal lead, it will be almost impossible for him to win the White House.

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    Hundreds of Victoria hotel quarantine guests must be screened for HIV over blood testing contamination fears

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    Authorities reveal blood glucose test devices were incorrectly used on 243 people, necessitating screenings for blood-borne diseases

    More than 200 people who went through hotel quarantine in Victoria must be screened for HIV amid fears of cross-contamination from incorrect usage of blood glucose test devices.

    Several such devices were used on multiple people in quarantine between 29 March and 20 August, necessitating screenings for blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis B and C and HIV.

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    Can the centre hold? Germany looks to its Covid-stricken high streets

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    Minister battles to rescue retailers amid fears for 50,000 shops and hundreds of thousands of jobs

    The stakes for Germany’s high streets could not be greater when the economics minister, Peter Altmaier, summons trade representatives across the country this month for a series of crisis workshops to discuss how to save them from collapse.

    In Germany, as elsewhere across Europe and beyond, the coronavirus pandemic has blown a huge hole in street retail – accelerating the decline in footfall precipitated by the rise of online shopping.

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    Greater Manchester given midday Tuesday deadline for tier 3 deal

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    Government says it will impose tier 3 restrictions on the region if no agreement reached

    The strictest Covid restrictions will be imposed on nearly 3 million people across Greater Manchester if no deal is reached by midday on Tuesday, the government has said in a dramatic ultimatum.

    The communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, warned northern leaders late on Monday night that if they fail to agree to pub closures and a ban on household mixing, the tier 3 measures will be brought in unilaterally.

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