Coronavirus news: Pubs and gyms set to close as Johnson prepares to announce new local lockdown measures amid growing northern revolt
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson is set to announce the closure of pubs and gyms when he unveils a new three-tier system for local coronavirus restrictions in England on Monday.
The new system, which has sparked anger from leaders and councils in the north of England, is also expected to lead to millions being banned from mixing indoors and outdoors.
However it remains unclear which parts of England will be placed under the most severe restrictions. Liverpool City Region confirmed that the government had decided on the closures of pubs, gyms, betting shops and casinos in the area but called for more funding to support those affected.
Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, had earlier rejected calls for more financial support for areas hit by local restrictions, arguing that "the national debt is rising" and the government "can't do everything" to protect all jobs.
Scotland reports nearly 1,000 new coronavirus cases
Scotland has recorded 956 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours but no deaths, according to official statistics.
The number of new infections is down from the 1,009 cases on Saturday and from Friday's record high of 1,246 positive test results.
Sunday’s figure represented 14.9 per cent of newly-tested individuals, up from 14.1 per cent on Saturday.
Full UK-wide case figures are expected later today.
Questions raised over government’s failure to account for £3bn spent on coronavirus contracts
Concerns have been raised after new figures showed the government has failed to account for £3bn spent on private contracts since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.
The figures came as three cross-party MPs and the Good Law Project, a non-profit legal organisation, launched legal action against the government over its failure to disclose details of its spending during the pandemic.
Green MP Caroline Lucas, Labour's Debbie Abrahams and Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran have filed a judicial review against the government for breaching the law and its own guidance.
Although the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has disclosed at least £11bn worth of contracts awarded since April, new analysis shows that more than £3bn worth of these contracts has not been made public.
DHSC said due diligence was carried out on all government contracts which have been awarded.
“What we know about the government's procurement practices during this pandemic gives real cause for concern,” Jolyon Maugham QC, director of Good Law Project, said.
“Huge sums of public money have been awarded to companies with no discernible expertise.
“Sometimes the main qualification seems to be a political connection with key government figures.”
He added: “We don't know what else there is to discover because the government is deliberately keeping the public in the dark.
“We are left with no option but to push for transparency through the courts.”
US: Regeneron executives sold more than $1m in stock after Trump treatment
Two executives at US pharmaceutical firm Regeneron have sold $1m (£765,000) in stock after the White House revealed Donald Trump had been given the drug
The president has spoken effusively about the treatment since leaving hospital, describing it as a “cure” for coronavirus.
Our reporter, Harriet Alexander, has the full story below:
Regeneron executives sold more than $1m in stock after Trump praised Covid ‘cure’
Trump posted a video praising the company’s antibody treatment, and Regeneron’s stock jumped over 3 per cent in after-hours trading
‘Get real’ about Covid risk and play your part, Ireland’s health chief tells public
The coronavirus pandemic is worsening at pace, the head of Ireland's health service has warned as he urged members of the public to “get real” and play their part in protecting patients and health workers.
“We all need to get real and play our part to protect patients and our healthcare workers,” Paul Reid, the HSE chief executive, said.
“Increased hospital cases lead to more people in intensive care units and cancelling heart, cancer and other care.
“Let's turn this around quickly by doing the right thing today.”
His warning came as Taoiseach Micheal Martin pledged extra resources to a health system bracing itself for the most difficult of winters.
At midnight last Tuesday, the Irish government moved the country to level three of its plan for living with Covid-19.
Level three involves a greater level of restrictions on people and society, particularly on the hospitality sector.
"If we all change our behaviours and work together we can make level three work, protect lives and livelihoods, show that we can contain the virus and prevent its growth,” Mr Martin said.
US: Trump claims to be 'immune' to coronavirus after illness
Donald Trump has claimed he is now “immune” to coronavirus after receiving treatment in hospital for Covid-19 earlier this month.
The president, who returned to the White House on Monday, also said he had a “protective glow” following his illness.
Health experts are undecided over how long immunity to the virus lasts after infection, with some studies suggesting antibodies fade after a few months.
Our reporter, Griffin Connolly, has more on this breaking story below:
Trump claims he has 'protective glow' and is 'immune' from Covid
‘I feel fantastically,’ president says of Covid-19 recovery
UK study to test if BCG vaccine can protect against coronavirus
A vaccine which is usually given to children for tuberculosis could help protect adults against coronavirus infection, researchers have said.
Researchers at the University of Exeter will lead trials to see if the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine can protect against Covid-19 in a move which could help people fight off the virus until a more effective vaccine is discovered.
Our reporter, Liam James, has the full story below:
UK study tests if BCG vaccine protects against Covid
TB jab could reduce risk of infection, researchers say
Total UK coronavirus cases pass 600,000 as nearly 13,000 new infections reported
A further 12,872 confirmed UK coronavirus cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total to 603,716, according to government figures.
Data from the Department of Health and Social Care also showed an additional 65 deaths recorded on Sunday, bringing the official death toll to 42,825.
However, the total number of deaths registered with Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate has reached 57,347.
A detailed breakdown of today’s cases and testing figures can be found here.
Nearly 3,500 coronavirus patients in hospital in England
In a sign of how the UK’s epidemic has grown in recent days, government figures have shown there are 3,451 Covid-19 patients in hospital in England, as of Sunday, up from 2,329 a week ago.
Meanwhile, there are 401 Covid-19 patients in ventilation beds, up from 310 a week ago.
A total of 544 patients with confirmed Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals in England on Friday, compared with 371 a week earlier.
Police break up party of up to 100 students in Manchester
Police have broken up a party of up to 100 students in Manchester as the city prepares for new lockdown restrictions due to soaring coronavirus infection rates.
Greater Manchester Police said officers went to the address in Withington, an area in the city popular with students, and found a large gathering of young people.
Police issued seven fixed penalty notices (FPN) and a noise abatement order.
The FPNs were some of the more than 70 issued by GMP this weekend for breaches of Covid-19 laws, the force said.
Also on Saturday, officers were called to a house party in Fallowfield in the city, where up to 20 people attempted to flee from the rear of the property.
Four FPNs were issued during this incident.
PA
Covid hospital patients by region in England
Here’s a breakdown of the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital and those on ventilators in each region of England, as of today (previous week's figure in brackets):
East of England - 137 in hospital (94 a week ago), 16 on ventilators (14 a week ago)
London - 338 (272), 57 (50)
Midlands - 576 (417), 81 (62)
North East & Yorkshire - 914 (572), 99 (78)
North West - 1,218 (816), 132 (95)
South East - 174 (104), 8 (8)
South West - 94 (54), 8 (3)
The above figures are all taken from the government’s Covid dashboard.
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