Coronavirus news: R rate climbs again as cases surge and London braces for tighter restrictions
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Your support makes all the difference.The UK’s coronavirus reproduction rate, or R value, has risen again to between 1.3 and 1.6 following a sharp spike in new cases in recent weeks, the government’s top scientific advisers have said.
London was among the areas seeing rising Covid-19 infections, amid reports that tighter restrictions would be imposed in the capital in the coming days.
Meanwhile US president Donald Trump was taken to hospital, just hours after announcing he and his wife had tested positive. White House officials said it was a “precautionary measure”.
Scotland adds Poland and Turkey to quarantine list
Scotland has followed the UK government by adding Poland and Turkey to its list of countries requiring visitors to quarantine, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.
Travellers from the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba will also have to quarantine from tomorrow.
However, Ms Sturgeon said that Madeira and the Azores would be removed from the list of places which are subject to quarantine restrictions.
Both changes will come into effect from 4am on Saturday.
People living alone in Welsh lockdown areas to be allowed to meet one other household
People living alone in areas of Wales under local lockdown rules will be able to meet one other household indoors, the country’s first minister has said.
Mark Drakeford said those living alone in the areas affected would be allowed to form an exclusive “bubble” with one other household in the same county.
This could be a person meeting indoors with a family, or with another adult from a single household.
“We are easing the restrictions so that single adult households will be able to form an alliance with one other household from within that county area,” Mr Drakeford told BBC Breakfast on Friday.
“The idea is to ease some of that sense of loneliness, isolation, not being able to talk to anyone else.
“There's more than one form of harm from coronavirus and a sense of mental wellbeing is an important thing that we can make a difference to through this change.”
There are currently tighter restrictions in 16 areas of Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and parts of North Wales, affecting more than 2.3 million people.
House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he is “very angry” at SNP MP Margaret Ferrier’s “reckless” behaviour in breaking self-isolation rules
Our reporter, Samuel Lovett, has more details below on the ONS’ claim that there is “limited evidence” that the coronavirus incidence rate in England may be levelling off:
‘Limited evidence’ rise in new coronavirus cases levelling off in England
Estimated 116,600 people infected with virus in week to 24 September, says ONS
Downing Street declines to say if SNP MP should step down over self-isolation breach
Downing Street has said Boris Johnson believes everyone must follow the coronavirus rules but declined to be drawn on whether the SNP’s Margaret Ferrier should step down as an MP.
“That is a matter for her and her party. We have been clear of the need for people to follow the rules,” a spokesperson said.
“This is all about saving lives and protecting vulnerable people.
“The prime minister has been clear that everybody needs to follow the rules in order to allow us to reduce the spread of the virus and protect lives.”
Meanwhile in the US…
US vice president Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence have both tested negative for Covid-19 this morning, hours after Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Devin O'Malley, Mr Pence’s spokesperson, said the VP “remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery.”
Mr Pence is tested every day for the virus, the spokesperson added.
Sadiq Khan says coronavirus death figures for black people are ‘unacceptable’
London mayor Sadiq Khan has said it is “unacceptable” that black people are twice as likely to die from coronavirus than white people in the UK.
In a tweet, Mr Khan added that ministers “can and must do more to end these inequalities”.
Young people and students not to blame for rise in cases, Independent Sage says
New research has shown that young people aged 17 to 24 are just as compliant as older people with coronavirus restrictions, the Independent Sage has said.
The panel of scientists, chaired by former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, said the government should stop blaming young people and students for the increasing rates of Covid-19 infections.
Our reporter, Kate Ng, has the full story below:
Young people and students not to blame for rise in coronavirus cases, says Independent Sage
Government should focus on fixing contact tracing system instead of pointing fingers
Coronavirus reproduction rate still rising, experts say
The reproduction number, or R value, of coronavirus transmission across the UK still remains above 1, and is continuing to rise, according to the government’s Sage group.
Data released on Friday showed the estimate for R for the whole of the UK was between 1.3 and 1.6 - up from 1.2 to 1.5 last week.
Sage also cautioned that while there were some early indications to suggest the growth of the epidemic might be slowing, it was too early to draw clear conclusions.
The scientific advisers said it was “still highly likely that the epidemic is growing exponentially across the country” and more data was needed to accurately assess recent changes in coronavirus transmission.
“Over the next few weeks, it will be important that we understand this in the UK and do not become complacent,” they added.
Our reporter, Samuel Lovett, has more details below on the latest increase in the UK’s coronavirus R rate:
UK's coronavirus R rate edges up to between 1.3 and 1.6
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