Coronavirus news: UK coronavirus cases hit highest ever daily total, as Wales announces more local lockdowns

Covid deaths rise for second week in England and Wales

The number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered in England and Wales has risen for the second week in a row.

A total of 139 deaths registered in the week ending 18 September mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is up from 99 deaths in the week to 11 September, and 78 deaths in the week to 4 September.

Minister under fire for not knowing details of North East restrictions

A government minister has come under fire after she admitted she did not know the details of new coronavirus restrictions due to come into force in the north east tonight.

Labour accused Gillian Keegan, an education minister, of “incompetence” and said her comments would do little to inspire public confidence.

Tory MPs have accused previously ministers of ruling by “dictat” and introducing a series of laws with little or no parliamentary scrutiny, leaving ordinary people confused. 

Weekly deaths in England and Wales now above 100

Official figures show the number of weekly deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales has risen to more than 100 after a two-week dip.

Official figures show there were 139 deaths registered in the week ending 18 September where “novel coronavirus” was mentioned, accounting for 1.5 per cent of all deaths, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Moscow extends October school holiday

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin has extended an upcoming school holiday by a week to limit the spread of coronavirus, days after sources told Reuters the capital's hospitals had been told to free up hundreds of beds.

The Kremlin last week said it did not plan to impose severe lockdown restrictions despite a growing number of new cases of Covid-19, but Mr Sobyanin advised anyone with chronic health problems or those older than 65 to stay home.

Today, the mayor said students would be off from school from 5-18 October and urged parents to keep their children at home.

"Today a significant proportion of the sick - who are often asymptomatic - are children," he wrote on his website.

"When they come home, they easily transmit the virus to adults and elderly family members who get much more sick."

The upsurge in Moscow has escalated since Russia reopened schools on 1 September. The number of new daily infections has more than doubled compared to late August.

Aviation industry’s collapse could be “equivalent of mines closing”

The boss of Heathrow Airport has said the aviation industry’s collapse could be the “equivalent of when the mines closed in the north” if UK travellers have to wait for a coronavirus vaccine before they can fly unrestricted again.

CEO John Holland-Kaye warned that not only would Heathrow be Britain’s only hub airport, but it could end up being the country’s only airport unless things change.

In Wuhan, a new battle has begun

Back in Wuhan, once the ‘Ground Zero’ of the pandemic, a new fight has emerged, writes William Yang.  A group of citizens are now suing the government for what they say was the fatal decision to hide the true danger of the virus in its earliest days. 

Northern Ireland pub curfew

An 11pm curfew has been announced for the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland.

The new curfew will apply from midnight on Wednesday to pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes as well as hotel and guesthouse bars.

First minister Arlene Foster said the measure was being introduced to attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The number of cases of Covid-19 has been rising in recent weeks, with 1,513 positive tests reported in the last seven days.

Ms Foster described the increase in cases as "of serious concern to the executive" and said if not stopped, it will "inevitably lead to an increase in hospital admissions and deaths".

‘Tsunami of health issues’

The toxic debate of health versus economy is reductive, an onslaught of illnesses is certain without any investment or planning for the future, writes Clare Wenham.

12 crew members test positive on Tui cruise

A Tui cruise has had to isolate 12 members of crew after they tested positive for coronavirus.

The infections were detected from a sample test of 150 members of staff on board the Mein Shiff 6 ship, which departed from Palma de Mallorca on 20 September, embarking on a nine-day itinerary that took in a number of Greek islands.

Statista chart using data.gov.uk figures to illustrate UK Covid-19 cases.