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.
Nottingham tops case rates in England
Nottingham still has the highest rate of new confirmed cases of coronavirus in England.
With 2,763 new cases recorded in the seven days to 8 October, it amounts to 830 cases per 100,000 people - up from 314.5 the previous week.
Other areas recording big jumps in their seven-day rates include West Lancashire (up from 217.8 to 398.1, with 455 new cases); Exeter (up from 229.8 to 380.5, with 500 new cases); Blackburn with Darwen (up from 208.4 to 355.4, with 532 new cases); and Broxtowe (up from 115.8 to 265.7, with 303 new cases).
The list of the top ten areas for case rates, shown below, has been calculated by the PA news agency and is based on Public Health England data published today.
- Nottingham 830.0 cases per 100,000 people (2763 new cases), up from 314.5 (1047) last week
- Knowsley 669.5 (1010), up from 485.9 (733)
- Liverpool 598.5 (2981), up from 504.4 (2512)
- Newcastle upon Tyne 509.5 (1543), up from 420.1 (1272)
- Burnley 503.8 (448), up from 445.3 (396)
- Manchester 477.7 (2641), up from 530.5 (2933)
- Sheffield 439.3 (2569), up from 263.0 (1538)
- Sefton 418.6 (1157), up from 314.7 (870)
- West Lancashire 398.1 (455), up from 217.8 (249)
- St Helens 387.6 (700), up from 323.4 (584)
Slovakia imposes new restrictions
Face masks will be compulsory outdoors in all cities, towns and villages under new restrictive measures coming into force in Slovakia from Thursday.
There will be a ban on public events, including religious services in churches. Exceptions include weddings, funerals and baptisms with a limited number of participants.
Major professional sports competitions are allowed to continue without fans.
Fitness and wellness centers and public swimming pools will be closed. Restaurants are banned from serving meals indoors, and the number of people in stores and shopping centers is limited.
Starting Monday, all high schools across Slovakia will provide only remote teaching.
Slovakia has reported new highs for confirmed coronavirus cases for four straight days this week, with a record 1,887 on Friday. The country has had a total of 19,851 cases, with 61 deaths.
Latest US figures
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a further 53,363 cases, bringing the total to 7,694,865 as of 4pm ET yesterday.
A further 577 deaths were recorded, making the total death toll 213,614.
Liverpool ‘to go into top-level lockdown’
Liverpool is headed for a ‘Tier 3’ lockdown - the most severe level under the government’s new system - and could stay there for six months, according to reports.
Pubs, gyms, casinos and betting shops will be closed but restaurants will stay open, it is claimed.
The new rules are expected to affect the whole of the Liverpool City Region, which includes Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton and St Helens.
More details about the new three-tier lockdown system are due to be unveiled at 10.30pm - with Boris Johnson to give official confirmation on Monday.
Trump ‘immune’ tweet flagged
Twitter has added an advisory notice to Donald Trump’s tweet saying he was immune and could not longer pass Covid-19 to anyone else.
The tweet “violated the Twitter Rules about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information”.
Students fined over ‘negative Covid test party’
Police have criticised the "reckless" behaviour of university students in Nottingham who held a party to celebrate negative Covid test results.
The city faces being placed under new lockdown restrictions on Monday after the case rate rose above 800 per 100,000 people - partly because of hundreds of positive tests among students.
Seven students were fined after officers were called out to reports of a house party in Harrington Drive, Lenton, on Friday night.
The group - including a 21-year-old man, a 21-year-old woman, two 20-year-old women and three 20-year-old men - claimed to officers they were entitled to have the party because they had received negative Covid-19 test results
A further three fines were issued to three students who invited friends to celebrate at their house in Illkeston Road, Lenton, on Saturday. They also claimed they had received negative test results.
A University of Nottingham spokesperson said: "We are deeply disappointed at the behaviour of this minority of students this weekend. This is unrepresentative of the wider university community which has been acting responsibly in following the rules, doing the right thing and helping to reduce the rate of transmission our city.
“The university will investigate breaches of the coronavirus restrictions, which are an offence under our student code of discipline, and there are serious consequences for any students who do not obey the rules, including disciplinary action, fines and campus sanctions – in addition to police fines."
Last month a teenager was fined £10,000 for holding a house party for over 50,000 people:
Teenager apologises for hosting illegal house party after £10,000 fine
The 19-year-old sent a handwritten note to neighbours in Nottingham
Liverpool Metro Mayor denies agreement on Tier 3 lockdown
Steve Rotheram, the mayor of the Liverpool City Region, has rejected reports that a deal has been reached on the area being placed under the highest level of lockdown restrictions.
Eric Trump wrongly claims his father received ‘a vaccine’
“My father literally started day one creating this vaccine,” Eric Trump told ABC news after US president’s recovery from Covid-19. "He worked to push this vaccine and now my father just took it! And you see how well he got over it and I think it’s an inspiration. As Americans, we should be very proud of that.”
Eric Trump claims his father received 'a vaccine' for Covid-19
Eric Trump on Sunday said his father had received ‘a vaccine’ for Covid-19
Lyons and Lille on ‘maximum alert’
Four French cities have joined Paris and Marseille on “maximum alert” status to fight the spread of the coronavirus - bringing the closure of bars and other restrictions.
Lyon, Grenoble and Saint-Etienne in the southeast and Lille in the north were added to the list on Saturday after health authorities in France reported nearly 26,900 new daily infections in 24 hours.
There were just under 5,000 new hospitalizations over the past week, with 928 of them in intensive care units, and the positive rate for the increasing number of Covid-19 tests climbed to 11 per cent.
Nearly 32,690 coronavirus deaths have been counted in France, but the actual number is likely higher due to deaths at home and incomplete reporting from hospitals or rest homes.
Meanwhile a consultation by the National Order of Nurses has found that 37 per cent of staff want to change jobs because of the pandemic.
‘We have not accepted anything’, says Liverpool mayor
Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool (not to be confused with the mayor of the Liverpool City Region) , says that local leaders are still trying to get more funding to support the area while it is under extra restrictions.
His tweet suggests that the government are determined to add the area to the highest-level of lockdown whether or not they agree to it.
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