Coronavirus news: Packed scenes spark concern as pubs reopen across England and holiday makers flock to coast
The latest updates from Saturday 4 July
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Your support makes all the difference.People relished their first pub drinks in more than three months, went to restaurants and finally got haircuts on Saturday as England took its biggest steps yet towards the resumption of normal life after the coronavirus lockdown.
Some pubs started serving from 6 am, sparking worries of over-indulgence, while a number of hairdressers were reported to have opened at the stroke of midnight.
In Spain, more than 200,000 people in the north-eastern region of Catalonia were sent back into lockdown after several new outbreaks of the coronavirus were detected.
Majority think hospitality sector out of lockdown too soon, says poll
More than half of voters think the hospitality sector has been reopened too soon, according to a new poll.
Some 52 per cent believe outlets like pubs and restaurants are going back into business early, the Opinium survey states.
The snapshot survey shows that 73 per cent expect a second outbreak of Covid-19 this year.
It states the government's disapproval rating is at 49 per cent - with just 30 per cent approving of its performance.
The survey also finds that 53 per cent of people think the easing of the lockdown is happening too fast.
More than half of voters, 55 per cent, are also braced to go back into full lockdown before a vaccine becomes available.
Similarly, 52 per cent of people think the government has under-reacted to the situation, while 30 per cent believe it has reacted proportionately.
People in Wales told not to travel more than five miles to pubs in England
People in Wales must continue to follow the five-mile advice and stay local this weekend as pubs open over the border in England, the first minister has said.
Mark Drakeford said that while those living very close to England may be able to visit pubs that are open, it would not be possible for the majority of people in Wales.
Police forces have also urged Welsh residents to heed the "stay local" advice while Transport for Wales said public transport should only be used for "essential travel".
Pubs in England were able to open from 6am on Saturday but those in Wales will only be able to operate outdoors from 13 July.
The "stay local" requirement in Wales will end on Monday when two households will be able to form one extended household - enabling families to be reunited.
Reports of disorder in Nottinghamshire and Essex
Four pubs in Nottinghamshire have closed early due to reports of disorder, according to a local newspaper.
The Mansfield Chad has reported the closure of the Devonshire and the Nag’s Head in Sutton-in-Ashfield, the Jug & Glass in Mansfield Woodhouse and The Swan and The Ravensdale in Mansfield.
Residents say there is a “massive” police presence in the two Nottinghamshire towns, while several people have been arrested, the report claims.
Elsewhere, police in Essex claim to have made four arrests following a “disturbance” in Brentwood High Street.
Special inspector Steve Weaver tweeted: "That didn't last long. Disturbance in Brentwood High street assisted other units. 4 people arrested. 2 of my team have arrested and are currently on the way to custody."
WHO halts hydroxychloroquine trials after failure to reduce death
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Saturday that it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir in hospitalised patients with Covid-19 after they failed to reduce mortality.
The setback came as the WHO also reported more than 200,000 new cases globally of the disease for the first time in a single day.
"These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised Covid-19 patients when compared to standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect," the WHO said in a statement, referring to large multicountry trials that the agency is leading.
The WHO said the decision, taken on the recommendation of the trial's international steering committee, does not affect other studies where those drugs are used for non-hospitalised patients or as a prophylaxis.
China says G4 swine flu virus not new
China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Saturday that the so-called "G4" strain of swine flu virus is not new and does not infect or sicken humans and animals easily, rebuffing a study published earlier this week.
That study, by a team of Chinese scientists and published by the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), warned that a new swine flu virus, named G4, has become more infectious to humans and could become a potential "pandemic virus".
Florida and Texas post record daily increases in coronavirus cases
Florida and Texas, two states that have emerged as the latest hot spots of the US coronavirus outbreak, both reported new single-day record increases in confirmed Covid-19 cases on Saturday - with nearly 20,000 additional infections combined.
For a second straight day, Texas also registered a new all-time high in the number of people hospitalised with the highly contagious respiratory illness - 7,890 patients after 238 new admissions over the past 24 hours.
During the first four days of July alone, a total of 14 states have posted a daily record increases in the number of individuals testing positive for Covid-19.
The recent surge, most pronounced in Southern and Western states that were among the latest to impose mandatory business restrictions at the outset of the pandemic and the first to relax them, has alarmed public health officials ahead of weekend July Fourth holiday celebrations.
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