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UK’s official death toll reduced by 5,377 following review of figures

The UK’s official coronavirus death toll has been reduced by more than 5,000 following a review of how the figures are calculated, the Department of Health and Social Care has said   - LESLEY MARTIN/AFP via Getty Images
The UK’s official coronavirus death toll has been reduced by more than 5,000 following a review of how the figures are calculated, the Department of Health and Social Care has said - LESLEY MARTIN/AFP via Getty Images
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..

10:43 PM

Today's top stories

Follow the latest coronavirus updates in Thursday's live blog.


10:43 PM

Official death toll reduced

The UK’s official coronavirus death toll has been reduced by more than 5,000 following a review of how the figures are calculated, the Department of Health and Social Care has said.

Officials said as of Wednesday August 12 the number of all deaths in patients testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK within 28 days was 41,329.

Earlier Government figures said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday.

The DHSC said the change came after the UK Government and devolved administrations agreed to publish the number of deaths that have occurred within 28 days of a positive lab-confirmed Covid test result each day.

Previously deaths were included for anyone who had died following a positive coronavirus test at any point.

A new set of figures showing the number of deaths that occur within 60 days of a positive test will also be published in England, it added.


09:57 PM

Coronavirus can spread on surfaces, scientists say, but people remain biggest infection risk

Scientists have said that getting coronavirus from another person remains by far the most likely route of infection, despite claims that new outbreaks in New Zealand and China are linked to surfaces. 

In New Zealand, the authorities are investigating whether the country's first local cases in 102 days come from imported freight, as one of the four infected family members works in a cool store in Auckland. 

Read the full story by Jennifer Rigby here


09:43 PM

Peru bans family gatherings and extends lockdown as cases surge

Funerary employees in protective suits prepare to lower the coffin into the ground during the burial of a COVID-19 victim at the local cemetery in the remote Aymara highland village of Acora, one hour away from the city of Puno, close to the border with Bolivia - CARLOS MAMANI/AFP via Getty Images

Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra has banned family gatherings and extended lockdowns to five more regions of the country amid a fresh spike in cases of Covid-19.

Fifteen of Peru's 25 regions were already covered by rolling lockdowns. Mr Vizcarra announced the return of a blanket Sunday curfew as figures revealed a 75 per cent surge in infections among children and adolescents.

"Now those who are infecting us are the people we know, the relatives who come to visit us, the friends who get together to kick a ball around or enjoy a barbecue," Mr Vizcarra said in a speech broadcast from the Government Palace in Lima. "It is a problem that together we have to solve."

In recent days, the Andean country has registered a daily average of 7,000 confirmed infections and 200 deaths, according to official data.

There have been 489,680 confirmed cases while the dead totalled 21,501 by Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said.


09:28 PM

Worldwide summary

Here are the latest coronavirus updates from around the world.

  • The United States has entered an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to acquire 100 million doses of its potential Covid-19 vaccine for around $1.5 billion, the company and White House has said.
  • The wearing of face masks in public is compulsory in the Brussels region from today, regional authorities have announced, as Belgium battles one of the most serious coronavirus outbreaks in Europe.
  • France will gradually ramp up police checks to ensure people wear face masks where it is mandatory and respect social distancing amidst a new surge of Covid-19 infections, the government's spokesman has said. It comes the country's health ministry said 2,524 new confirmed cases were reported on Wednesday, compared to 1,397 on Tuesday.
  • Germany has recorded the biggest daily increase in new coronavirus cases in more than three months, data showed, with the health minister warning of outbreaks in nearly all parts of the country due to holiday returnees and party-goers. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 1,226 to 218,519, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) showed. That was the biggest daily increase since May 9.
  • Coronavirus cases in Spain jumped by nearly 1,700 today, part of a surge that has prompted the construction of a military field hospital in the hard-hit Aragon region and led authorities in Galicia to practically ban smoking in public places.

  • A city in China's eastern Anhui province found Covid-19 on the packaging of shrimps from Ecuador, state media reported today, in the latest instance of the virus being detected on imported products.

  • Jordan will close for a week its only land trade border crossing with Syria after a spike in Covid-19 cases coming from its northern neighbour, officials said.

09:17 PM

Brazil records more than 55,000 new cases

Brazil has registered 55,155 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,175 deaths, the health ministry said.

The country now has 3,164,785 confirmed cases and 104,201 deaths.


09:01 PM

Q&A: Updated PHE measures to record Covid-19 deaths

A review of how Covid-19 deaths are calculated in England has reduced the UK death toll by more than 5,000.

But what is the new methodology and why have the figures changed?

  • How was the death toll data calculated previously?

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) daily figures represents the number of reported deaths in all settings of people who have tested positive for Covid-19.

Previously, Public Health England (PHE) fed into this data by including anyone who had died following a positive coronavirus test at any point.

Data from Public Health Wales, Health Protection Scotland and the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency is also included in the DHSC statistics.

  • Why was publication of the daily death figure paused?

Matt Hancock, Health Secretary, ordered an urgent review into how PHE calculated Covid-19 death figures after researchers criticised "statistical flaws" in the way England's deaths were reported.

Professors Yoon Loke and Carl Heneghan raised concerns that anyone who had ever tested positive for Covid-19 and then died was included in England's death figures - even if they have died from something else.

They said that no patient was allowed to recover from the virus because "anyone who has tested Covid positive but subsequently died at a later date of any cause will be included" in the data.

  • How are the deaths being calculated now?

From now on, authorities will include the number of deaths that have occurred within 28 days of a positive lab-confirmed Covid-19 test result each day.

DHSC says that the approach will be used in all four UK nations.

Experts previously said the issue with the data only related to England, as Scotland and Northern Ireland were already using the 28-day cut-off method.


08:42 PM

Trump to unveil eight measures to help school reopenings

The Trump administration will unveil eight new measures today for schools to follow as they reopen to increase protection against the coronavirus pandemic, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said.

"We want them (schools) to open soon and safely, and we're coming up with eight measures or so on how to do that, which will be announced today," Conway said in an interview with Fox News Channel.

President Trump held a schools event on Wednesday where a small group of parents, teachers and assorted other individuals called for the reopening of schools, though the administration did not unveil particular steps.

Mr Trump has scheduled a news conference at 10.30pm (UK time), where he will be joined by members of his coronavirus task force, including White House adviser Scott Atlas, who is a forceful advocate of reopening schools.

The President has repeatedly pushed for schools to reopen, saying there are low risks to young people from the virus, even as teachers and public health experts have raised alarms about whether it could be done safely.

But, despite Trump's efforts, most of the country's largest school districts have said they would start the school year with online classes, as states across the country have battled a spike in cases over the summer.

US President Donald J. Trump with Vice President Mike Pence and Kellyanne Conway as they participate in 'Kids First: Getting America's Children Safely Back to School' event in the East Room of the White House - Doug Mills/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 
U.S. President Donald Trump attends an event on opening schools  - Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg

08:27 PM

Covid border patrols could destroy escape networks used by North Korean defectors, activists warn

The North Korean Central Committee of the Workers' Party -  STR/KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images

The impact of the coronavirus combined with an unprecedented crackdown on defector-run groups by a South Korean government focused on improving relations with Pyongyang may destroy networks refugees have long relied on to escape the authoritarian North, activists have warned.

This year, the number of North Korean defectors escaping to the South plummeted to an all-time low of 147 as of June, mainly because the North sealed its borders to keep the coronavirus from ravaging its ailing health sector.

Read the full story by, Nicola Smith, here.


08:17 PM

France 'on the brink' of being placed on travel quarantine list

France was “on the brink” of being removed from quarantine-free travel on Wednesday evening, as ministers met to finalise its status.

The Government’s 'Covid Cabinet', chaired by Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, met on Wednesday to discuss implementing a mandatory 14-day quarantine on travellers arriving from the country.

Sources said the decision was on a “knife edge” after a week of fluctuating cases.

Read all the latest, by Amy Jones, here.


08:12 PM

Worldwide coronavirus deaths surpass 500,000

 View our worldwide tracker below to see how the coronavirus has spread around the world.


07:49 PM

Almost 10 per cent of deaths attributed to Covid-19 were not related to coronavirus, PHE admits

Nearly 10 per cent of coronavirus deaths  reported by Public Health England  (PHE) were not related to Covid-19, the body has admitted. 

The Department of Health has been urgently reviewing the way it records deaths after Oxford University noticed in July that former coronavirus patients were being included in mortality figures even if they had recovered and died of something else. 

On Wednesday the true extent of the problem emerged, when PHE published a report showing that 3,664 people who had been included in 40,160 English coronavirus deaths did not have Covid-19 on their death certificate.

Read the full story by Sarah Knapton, Telegraph's Science Editor, here.


07:28 PM

New contact tracing app to be trialled from Thursday

A new coronavirus contact tracing app will be trialled in England on Thursday, according to reports.

The app is intended to support the NHS Test and Trace effort by keeping a log of others who come into close contact, but the plans have been marred by constant delays and privacy concerns.

An initial version tested on the Isle of Wight was ditched by the Government in June over accuracy issues, weeks after Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, first suggested it would be available in mid-May.

The Government has since moved on to technology designed by Apple and Google - already used in several countries across the world - which handles data in a more privacy-friendly manner and does not suffer the same type of accuracy error.

However, this method is said to struggle with a problem of its own, measuring distance between people correctly.

According to the BBC, the Isle of Wight will be part of the trial once again, as well as one other area in England and a volunteer group.

"We need the app to help stop transmission by tracing close-proximity contacts as quickly and as comprehensively as possible, capturing those contacts we don't know or don't remember meeting," Professor Christophe Fraser, a scientific adviser to the Department of Health from Oxford University, told the broadcaster.

"The app should enable us to return to more normal daily activities with the reassurance that our contacts can be rapidly and anonymously notified if we get infected."


07:19 PM

Countries should stockpile PPE as if on a war footing, says face mask inventor

N95 face masks -  Angus Mordant/Bloomberg

Governments should stockpile protective medical equipment to prepare for possible pandemics in the same way that they prioritise weapons purchases for potential future conflicts, says the inventor of the lifesaving N95 face mask. 

Dr Peter Tsai, 68, recommended the war-like footing after suddenly being pulled out of his short-lived retirement earlier this year as US healthcare workers rapidly ran out of the vital protective gear at the start of the pandemic. 

Read the full story by Nicola Smith, Telegraph’s Asia Correspondent, here.


06:55 PM

NHS Test and Trace not yet fit for purpose, say NHS leaders

The NHS Test and Trace system in England is not "fit for purpose, let alone world class" - NHS Providers has said.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of the body which represents NHS Trusts, said there is an "awful lot" to do to get the service in place for winter.

He said research to be published by the body later this week will show NHS leaders "are not particularly confident" about the system so far.

Speaking to the All Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus, Mr Hopson said the service should have been set up sooner.

Meanwhile, the number of people entering the system and the number providing contact details need to increase, he said. And financial support should be in place to ensure that those who are asked to isolate do so, Mr Hopson added.

It comes after officials announced that 6,000 contact tracers would be axed and the national service would become more local.


06:34 PM

40pc of A-level grades will be downgraded from predicted results, schools minister admits

Almost half of A-level grades will be downgraded from teachers' predictions under the current grading system, the schools minister admitted for the first time ahead of results day on Thursday.

Nick Gibb confirmed that 40 per cent of grades submitted to exam boards by schools will be "adjusted" downwards by a statistical model.

Read the full story by Camilla Turner, here.


06:21 PM

LISTEN: How Spain lost control - again

Spain’s coronavirus lockdown was the strictest of all – and it worked. But less than two months after the state of emergency ended, the country is once again topping the European league of Covid-19 transmission.

Madrid-based journalist, James Badcock joins Theodora Louloudis to discuss why partying among the young and a patchy contact tracing system mean the country’s become the sick man of Europe. Listen to the podcast below.


06:12 PM

Cases jump in Spain as one region installs military hospital

Coronavirus cases in Spain jumped by nearly 1,700 today, part of a surge that has prompted the construction of a military field hospital in the hard-hit Aragon region and led authorities in Galicia to practically ban smoking in public places.

Health ministry data showed 1,690 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed in the 24 hours to Wednesday, up from the 1,418 reported on Tuesday and bringing the cumulative total to 329,784. The new daily number excluded Madrid, which did not provide fresh data due to technical difficulties.

Since lifting its strict lockdown around six weeks ago Spain has struggled to keep a lid on new infections, with average daily cases rising from less than 150 in June to more than 1,500 in the first 12 days of August.

soldiers install modules in the car park of the Hospital Clinico Universitario in Zaragoza, Spain. Spain's army is setting up a field hospital in Zaragoza as the northern city struggles to stop a new spike in cases of the coronavirus. - MDE via AP

In scenes reminiscent of the epidemic's March-April peak, TV footage showed air force personnel setting up dark green tents to serve as a field hospital in Zaragoza, Aragon's regional capital in northeastern Spain.

Set to open on Friday, the facility attached to Zaragoza's University Clinic hospital will be used as a triage centre and temporary ward, the air force said in a statement.

With 571 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, Aragon has the highest prevalence of the virus in Spain. Navarre, with the second-highest rate, has just 159 cases per 100,000 people.


05:52 PM

Greece reports 262 new cases

A tourist wearing a face mask against the spread of the new coronavirus, leaves Stoa Attalos in the ancient Agora archeological museum in Athens - AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis

Greece reported 262 new cases of Covid-19 today, its highest daily tally since the start of the outbreak in the country, health authorities said.

The latest jump in cases brings the total number of infections in the country to 6,177 since its first infection surfaced in late February. There have been 216 deaths recorded.

The increase in infections in recent weeks has prompted authorities to gradually introduce more restrictions during the peak of the tourism season.


05:37 PM

Expert reaction: Updated PHE measures to record Covid-19 deaths

Prof Keith Neal, Emeritus Professor of the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Nottingham, said:

“The two new measures are sensible. The 28 days is widely used in many countries and England is now the same as the rest of the UK. 

“One issue with 28 days is that some people are in intensive care for longer than 28 days and will not require a further test (or it may be negative later in the illness) and can clearly die from COVID.  The new 60 day limit requires COVID-19 to be on the death certificate so these COVID deaths are appropriate. 

“The previous measure of always being a COVID death even if recovered was unscientific. As COVID deaths fall the number of recovered patients, particularly the very old and those with severe underlying conditions are now dying from these conditions and not COVID-19. 

"These non COVID deaths in survivors would become an ever increasing percentage of the England COVID deaths being reported. It had become essentially useless for epidemiological monitoring.”


05:24 PM

UK official death toll reduced following recalculation of figures

The Department of Health and Social Care has reduced the coronavirus death toll by more than 5,000 following a review of how figures are calculated.

Officials said as of Wednesday August 12 the number of all deaths in patients testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK within 28 days was 41,329.

Earlier Government figures said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday.

The DHSC said the change came after the UK Government and devolved administrations agreed to publish the number of deaths that have occurred within 28 days of a positive lab-confirmed Covid test result each day.

Previously deaths were included for anyone who had died following a positive coronavirus test at any point.

A new set of figures showing the number of deaths that occur within 60 days of a positive test will also be published in England, it added.

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have been 56,800 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.


05:21 PM

Ibuprofen usage does not increase the risk of death from Covid-19

Ibuprofen does not increase the risk of death from Covid-19, a new study has concluded, following controversy over its use earlier in the pandemic.

The UK opted not to prescribe the common painkiller after a number of high-profile suggestions that it could worsen virus symptoms.

In March, French health minister Oliver Véran said ibuprofen and cortisone “could be a factor of aggravation of the infection”.

This was followed by British Government guidance that was in place for a month and urged patients against using ibuprofen if symptomatic.

But the new study, which has been published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, found that regular usage of painkillers including ibuprofen does not increase the risk of death.

Read the full story by Dominic Penna here.


05:00 PM

France reports more than 2,500 new infections

France has reported another significant rise in confirmed coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours.

The country's health ministry said 2,524 new confirmed cases have been reported, compared to 1,397 on Tuesday.

The number of deaths also increased by 18, versus 14 the previous day.

But the number of people in ICU has fallen from 391 on Tuesday to 379 today.

UK holidaymakers are awaiting the news that France may be removed the Foreign Office quarantine exemption list. 

Read more: Holiday quarantine: Which country will be next?


04:55 PM

In pictures: The coronavirus pandemic around the world

People queue outside a polling station during second day of the Egyptian senate election in Cairo, Egypt, 12 August - KHALED ELFIQI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 
Health workers wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits take shelter while conducting a COVID-19 coronavirus screening under heavy rain in Mumbai on August 12 - INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP 
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks to reporters after a TV interview in the Russell Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 12 August  - JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 
Job seekers try to access an online appointment system on their mobile phones as people queue outside a regional employment office in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Aug. 12 - Angel Garcia/Bloomberg

04:39 PM

Virus cluster identified among Glasgow pupils

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has identified a coronavirus cluster which includes high school pupils.

The health board said the eight positive cases include pupils at Bannerman High School in Baillieston - a suburb of Glasgow.

None of the cases are experiencing anything but mild symptoms, it said.

"The school reopened today but none have actually attended as they are self-isolating at home," it said in a statement.

"Test and Protect staff are contacting anyone who may be affected and there is no current added risk to the wider community due to this cluster of cases.

"Health and local environmental health staff are working closely with the school and a number of other local businesses to contact trace any close contacts of the cases and appropriate advice is being advice given to these individuals."


04:27 PM

Hair loss emerges as latest long-term Covid-19 symptom

Lasting effects of the coronavirus such as fatigue, breathlessness and muscle degeneration have already been documented, but health experts are now warning that hair loss could be the latest long-term effect for patients.

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) has seen a significant rise in patients reporting “dramatic hair loss” months after experiencing virus symptoms, but warned the long-term impact of the virus on the hair follicles is still unknown.

Dr Sharon Wong of the BAD said patients appear to be experiencing telogen effluvium, a form of hair loss which occurs after stress, shock or trauma. It can also be triggered by an acute illness and high fever, she said.

Read the full story here.


04:16 PM

What’s happened today?

If you're just joining us, here are the latest UK coronavirus developments.

  • The Government said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday, up by 77 from the day before. 1,009 people tested positive during the same period, bringing the total positive cases in the country to 313,798.
  • The UK has crashed into a its deepest-ever recession after Covid-19 prompted the worst quarterly fall in output since records began. Britain’s economy contracted by 20.4pc during the second quarter – between April and June – leaving it as the world’s worst-hit major economy
  • Aberdeen's lockdown will continue for another week despite no deaths today. The First Minister said last week that restrictions would be imposed on the city again after a local outbreak was identified.
  • A-level students in England will be able to use grades in mock exams to progress to university and college courses and employment following a last-minute U-turn in advance of results day on Thursday.

03:59 PM

WATCH: New Zealand announces four probable new cases

1.6 million workers in Auckland must stay home and schools and pubs have been shut after  four new cases of Covid-19 were identified in New Zealand's commercial capital.

The new cases end a run of 102 days with no community transmission in New Zealand.


03:41 PM

UK Covid-19 deaths rise by 77

The Government said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday, up by 77 from the day before.

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have been 56,800 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.


03:26 PM

Five charts showing where Covid hit the economy hardest

The UK was declared the “sick man of Europe” by economists after a second quarter plunge in GDP bigger than anywhere else, Tom Rees writes.

Under the bonnet, there were unprecedented collapses across almost every sector, but some industries bore the brunt of the pandemic blow.

The Telegraph has put together five charts showing where Covid-19 inflicted the most economic pain.

Here's a sneak of the first one below, click here to view all five.

Sunak's wage subsidies support households


03:15 PM

UK records more than 1,000 new cases of Covid-19

More than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK in the last 24 hours, new figures from the Department of Health show.

1,009 people tested positive, bringing the total positive cases in the country to 313,798.

The daily figure was down from 1,148 on Tuesday.

It was the third time the daily number of cases has surpassed 1,000 this month. Previously, it had last topped 1,000 in June

The figures relate to people who have had at least one lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 test result.


03:00 PM

Edge of Covid-19

Stevie Nicks has urged fans to wear a face covering and warned she may never sing again if she catches Covid-19.

The Fleetwood Mac star, 72, argued that the virus itself "is not political" but a "silent killer hiding in the shadows".

The singer, who has been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice - once as a solo artist and once with Fleetwood Mac - added: "If I get it, I will probably never sing again.

"Put me on a ventilator and I will be hoarse for the rest of my life."


02:53 PM

German institute says Covid-19 vaccine could be available in autumn

Germany's leading infectious disease institute said a first vaccine against the coronavirus could be available as early as autumn but warned that it may take longer to control the pandemic.

"Preliminary projections make the availability of one or several vaccines seem possible by autumn 2020," the Robert Koch Institute said in a statement on its website, citing a global effort to bring immunisations to market.

"It would be dangerous at this point to trust that a vaccination from autumn 2020 can control the pandemic," it cautioned.

The impact of any vaccine could be tempered by viral mutations or by the resulting immunity only lasting a short time immunity, the institute added.


02:44 PM

Six more coronavirus deaths in England

A further six people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals to 29,431, NHS England has said.

The patients were aged between 57 and 96 and all had known underlying health conditions.

Two deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.


02:32 PM

Covid-19 is a crossroads for education – we must use this moment to help girls seize their futures

The pandemic amplifies existing inequalities – and girls’ education will disproportionately suffer as a result:

Pauline has lived through a lockdown before. When she was 19, the Ebola virus swept across Liberia. Schools were closed for seven months.

When they re-opened, thousands of girls were unable to return because they had to go to work to keep their families fed, got pregnant or were married early – but boys didn’t face the same barriers.

The injustice of this gave Pauline a mission: “We must ensure both boys and girls are equally educated.” 

Half a decade later, Pauline is out of school again – one of 350 million girls and young women in developing countries whose lives have been upended by school closures to stem the spread of Covid-19.

While it’s too early to know the extent of learning that will be lost, we know that crises amplify existing inequalities and that girls’ education will disproportionately suffer as a result. Ten million more secondary-school aged girls may never set foot in a classroom again.  

This would be a huge loss, and not just for these girls. Educated women are vital to public health and economic recovery. And the recent success of women-led nations in fighting the coronavirus illustrates how crucial it is for both girls and boys to see themselves as doctors, scientists and Prime Ministers to confront the challenges of the future.

This opinion piece from Alice Albright, Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen and Tiffany Drake has more.


02:18 PM

Tate confirms job losses

The commercial subsidiary of the Tate museums has confirmed plans to cut hundreds of jobs because of the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

Staff have been updated on the outcome after a period of consultation over the "difficult decision" to make 313 redundancies cross Tate Enterprises, affecting retail and catering jobs.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has described the cuts as unnecessary and is organising a series of strikes in protest.

Hamish Anderson and Carmel Allen, directors of Tate Enterprises, said in a statement: "Tate Enterprises has had to make the difficult decision that many businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors now face, to restructure its business because of the impact of the pandemic."


01:59 PM

Is a second wave beginning to sweep through Europe?

Today the UK became the latest country in Europe to see its finances hit by lockdown, with the biggest recession on record. 

However, with case numbers creeping up all around Europe, the question remains: will there be a second wave and will we need another lockdown?

Sarah Newey from our Global Health Security team explains the science behind a resurgence in the virus:

While it is undoubtedly the case that there has been an uptick in cases in some countries, including Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg, experts are divided about whether this spike in infections really constitutes a “second wave”.

Much of the debate comes back to the term itself, which is ill-defined. It has become a shorthand for any resurgence in infections, whether a localised outbreak, national crisis, or a continent-wide spike. 

But “second wave” is also disputed due to its roots in describing influenza outbreaks, said Dr Tom Frieden, who served as director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for eight years under Barack Obama.

He told the Telegraph that the phrase “implies that this [virus] will act as the flu acts”, with seasonal peaks and troughs and rapid mutations. “We don't know that - it might, but it might not.”

You can read the full piece here.


01:36 PM

Three more deaths in Wales

Another five people who tested positive for coronavirus in Wales have died, bringing the total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,586.

Public Health Wales said the total number of cases in the country increased by eight, bringing the revised total of confirmed cases to 17,484.


01:19 PM

Swiss to allow events of 1,000 or more people from October

Switzerland will allow events with more than 1,000 people from October 1 provided organizers agree to strict hygiene measures and have authorization from regional authorities, the government has decided.

"The Federal Council thereby intends to ensure that the epidemiological situation in Switzerland does not deteriorate," the government said.

"At the same time, this careful reopening step takes into account the needs of society and the economic interests of sports clubs and cultural venues."


01:02 PM

No link to higher Covid death rates among ibuprofen users, study says

Early on in the pandemic, there was controversy over the use of ibuprofen after a French health minister advised against the use of ibuprofen.

Scientists in Britain launched a review to assess ties to the drug and Covid-19.

The Commission on Human Medicines' expert working group concluded: "There is currently insufficient evidence to establish a link between use of ibuprofen and susceptibility to contracting Covid-19 or the worsening of its symptoms."

But a new study, which examined data from eight British hospitals at the height of the pandemic, found that the regular use of painkillers including ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac did not increase the risk of death from the disease.

Their study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, examined information on 1,200 patients and found no clear evidence that routine use of non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with higher Covid-19 mortality.


12:55 PM

Sweden puts Austria and Liechtenstein on safe travel list

Sweden withdrew its recommendation to citizens not to take unnecessary trips to Austria and Liechtenstein on Wednesday, but kept in place warnings over travel to the United Kingdom and several European states amid an upturn in Covid 19 infections.

Sweden had already withdrawn advice against unnecessary trips to countries like neighbours Denmark and Norway and a number of other destinations in Europe, such as France, Germany and Spain.

However, restrictions will remain in place for Britain, Ireland, Latvia, Finland and a number of other countries until at least August 26.


12:50 PM

Jordan to close border with Syria after spike in Covid-19 cases

Jordan will close for a week its only land trade border crossing with Syria after a spike in Covid-19 cases coming from its northern neighbour, officials said.

They said the interior minister's decision to close the main Jaber border crossing would come into effect on Thursday morning.


12:34 PM

More sobering statistics

Here's another graph of the current economic downturn which has eclipsed all from the financial crash, post-eighties slump and global oil crisis in the seventies.


12:31 PM

TUI and Germany agree on additional coronavirus aid package

TUI has reached an agreement with the German government on an additional aid package worth 1.2 billion euros (£1.08 billion) to provide sufficient liquidity, the tour operator said as the company is hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

The package will help cover TUI's seasonal swing through winter 2020/21 and beyond or if there are long-term travel restrictions and disruptions related to the pandemic, it said in a statement.

TUI and state-owned lender KfW agreed to increase an existing credit line by 1.05 billion euros, the company added.


12:13 PM

Pandemic to push Swiss federal finances into the red

The Swiss federal government expects a financing deficit of 20.9 billion Swiss francs (£17.59 billion) and an ordinary budget deficit of 3.1 billion francs this year as the coronavirus pandemic hits revenue.

"According to initial estimates, the extraordinary budget measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic amount to 17.8 billion francs," it said.

Switzerland ran a federal budget surplus of 3.6 billion francs in 2019 but, like other countries around the world, it was forced to shutter much of the economy for weeks to stem the spread of the disease.


11:57 AM

Aberdeen lockdown to continue for another week despite no deaths today

The First Minister said last week that restrictions would be imposed on the city again after a local outbreak was identified.

Bars and restaurants were closed, as well as the return of the five-mile travel limit from homes.

Nicola Sturgeon said there have now been 177 confirmed cases linked to the coronavirus outbreak in Aberdeen.

There have been no coronavirus deaths in Scotland in the last 24 hours.

The First Minister said 19,126 people have tested positive for the virus, up by 47.


11:44 AM

Record numbers seek medical help online

Record numbers of people in England sought help through the NHS 111 website during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, NHS Digital has said.

The health body reported more than 30 million users visited NHS 111 online between February 26 and August 11.

Over six million of these completed an online coronavirus assessment.

In mid-March, NHS 111 online was used more than 950,000 times a day, a rate 95 times higher than it normally would be, NHS Digital said.


11:32 AM

How Spain lost control of coronavirus - again

Progress made through a strict lockdown has all but evaporated for the new sick man of Europe. James Badcock has the latest from Madrid:

Spain’s coronavirus lockdown was the strictest of all – and it worked.

But less than two months after Spain’s state of emergency ended, the country is once again topping the European league of Covid-19 transmission, with the total caseload touching 323,000, ahead of the UK now.

On June 15, six days before the lockdown was lifted, Spain registered 40 new cases.

Over the past week, Spain is averaging 3,400 confirmed new cases per day.

The transmission rate currently stands at 90 active infections per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to France’s 29, 17 in the UK, 13 in Germany and just eight in Italy, whose initial epidemic was of a similar size to that of Spain.

What has gone so wrong?

You can read the full story here.

Coronavirus testing at Vilafranca del Penedes in the Barcelona province, Spain - Emilio Morenatti /AP 

11:09 AM

Coronavirus found on Ecuador shrimps in China, according to Chinese state media

A city in China's eastern Anhui province found the novel coronavirus on the packaging of shrimps from Ecuador, state media reported today, in the latest instance of the virus being detected on imported products.

The coronavirus was found on the outer packaging of frozen shrimps bought by a restaurant in Wuhu city when local authorities carried out a routine inspection, CCTV, China's state television, said.

The news broke a day after a port city in eastern Shandong province said it found the virus on the packaging of imported frozen seafood, although it did not say where it originated.

Since July, several other Chinese cities have also reported cases, including the port cities of Xiamen and Dalian, prompting China to suspend imports from three Ecuadorean shrimp producers.


10:51 AM

Vietnam PM says next 10 days 'critical' in virus fight

Vietnam's Prime Minister has said that the next 10 days would be critical in the Southeast Asian country's fight against a new coronavirus outbreak, which resurfaced late last month after three months of no domestic cases.

Vietnam was lauded for suppressing an earlier contagion through aggressive testing, contact-tracing and quarantining, but it is now racing to control infections in multiple locations linked to the popular holiday city of Danang, where a new outbreak was detected on July 25.

"Note that the period from this week to the middle of next week is critical," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said.

"Which measures should we continue to implement to win against the virus? Which lessons have we learnt from this current outbreak?", said Phuc.

Vietnam reported three new coronavirus infections today, raising the number of cases in the country to 866, with 17 deaths. All fatalities stemmed from the new outbreak.


10:36 AM

Beauty therapists being forced to work illegally while waiting for the government's green light

We speak to a beautician 'working illegally' to support herself - and prevent her business from going under. This is her story:

"Everyone is working illegally," says Laura, the founder of a London based skin clinic. "I don't know one facialist or brow and lash technician who hasn't had to go back to work because it has been five months now."

"Our clients are desperate to come back, they don't care [about the restrictions] because they don't understand why they're allowed to go to some clinics for chemical peels and Botox, but they can't come to me to get their facials. This is no longer about safety and proximity to the client, this is now a question of politics."

You can read the full piece here.


10:18 AM

Paris marathon cancelled as Covid-19 cases pick up in France

This year's Paris marathon has been cancelled, organisers said, as France battles against a resurgence of the virus.

The marathon was originally due to take place on April 5 but had been postponed to Nov. 15 because of the pandemic.

"After having tried everything to maintain the event, we, alongside the City of Paris, feel obliged to cancel the 2020 edition of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris and the Paris Breakfast Run," organisers said in a statement.

"Faced with the difficulty that many runners, especially those coming from abroad, had in making themselves available... it was decided that it would be better... for those concerned if we organised the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris in 2021.

The Paris marathon, one of the most popular events on the global running calendar routinely attracts over 40,000 participants.


10:03 AM

Youth unemployment poses mental health risk, says new reports

Young people could suffer long-term damage to their wellbeing because of unemployment, a report has warned.

The Prince's Trust said its research suggested a link between youth unemployment and poor mental health.

A survey of more than 2,100 people aged 16 to 25 found that even before the coronavirus pandemic, the overall wellbeing of young people had fallen to its lowest level in the study's 11-year history.

One in four of those questioned said they always or often felt hopeless, rising to almost half of those not in work, education or training. Jonathan Townsend, chief executive of the Prince's Trust, said:

"These findings are more poignant than ever in the face of the current economic crisis and rising joblessness.

"The events of recent months mean millions of young people all over the UK now face the prospect of unemployment, as well as the lasting damage this can have on their wellbeing and future opportunities.

"If we don't act now, we risk a lost generation of young people destined for long-term joblessness, mental health problems and poverty."


09:44 AM

Sobering statistics

With the UK's recession confirmed by the latest figures on GDP, its worth putting it into context of previous hits to the economy.

This graph by the ONS shows that even our last recession following the global financial crisis barely measures as a blip in comparison.

You can keep up to date with how the markets across the world are coping with the pandemic with our live business coverage.


09:39 AM

UAE lifts entry permit restrictions on foreign residents

The United Arab Emirates on has lifted entry restrictions that required foreign residents who are overseas to seek approval before returning to the Gulf state.

The UAE in March suspended the entry of non-citizens as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.

It has since gradually allowed residents to return, either by granting them special exemptions or through an online registration system though many still remain overseas.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority on said registration was no longer required.


09:23 AM

France to ramp up police checks to ensure masks are worn

France will gradually ramp up police checks to ensure people wear face masks where it is mandatory and respect social distancing amidst a new surge of Covid-19 infections, the government's spokesman has said.

"We're at a tipping point (...) We're going to mobilize polices forces to make checks," BFM TV showed Gabriel Attal telling journalists while visiting the Mediterranean island of Corsica.

"But it's not the police people should be afraid of (...) they should fear the virus, that lurks and contaminates," he said.


09:12 AM

Israel to examine Russia's Covid-19 vaccine

Israel will examine Russia's Covid-19 vaccine and enter negotiations to buy it if it is found to be a "serious product", Israel's health minister said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday his was the first country to grant regulatory approval to a coronavirus vaccine, after less than two months of human testing. His health minister dismissed allegations that the vaccine was unsafe.

"We are following vigilantly every report, no matter what country," Israeli Health Minister Yuli Edelstein told reporters. "We have already discussed the reports from the research centre in Russia about the vaccine development.

"If we are convinced it is a serious product, we will also try to enter negotiations. But I don't want to delude anyone. The ministry's professional staff is working on this all the time. The vaccine will not come tomorrow," he said.

Israel is developing its own vaccine candidate and intends to begin human trials as early as October. It has also signed with Moderna and Arcturus Therapeutics for the option to buy their potential vaccines.


08:54 AM

A-level students told they can choose mock results in last minute change

Gavin Williamson's 'triple lock' plan will let students revert to their mock grades on Thursday if their estimated results are low after lockdown has thrown exam results into confusion. Tony Diver has more:

Results in mock tests - which were held before schools were forced to close amid the Covid-19 crisis - will carry the same weight as the calculated results to be awarded this month, Gavin Williamson said on Tuesday night.

Students who are worried their estimated grades are too low can opt to boost them by using mock scores if they are higher.

The move was described by one union leader as "panicked and chaotic," while Labour warned it did not go far enough to protect the "Covid generation".

You can read the full story here.

Two students congratulate each other after receiving their A level results last year - Andrew Matthews /PA 

08:43 AM

Hong Kong reports 62 new coronavirus cases

Hong Kong has reported 62 new coronavirus cases, as authorities cautioned that the global financial hub still faced a critical period to contain further transmissions of the virus and warned residents to stay vigilant at social distancing.

Authorities said 61 of the 62 cases were locally transmitted.

Since late January, around 4200 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 63 of whom have died. Today's figure was up from Tuesday's 33 cases.


08:31 AM

Germany seeing "a lot of outbreaks all over the country"

Germany has recorded the biggest daily increase in new coronavirus cases in more than three months, data showed, with the health minister warning of outbreaks in nearly all parts of the country due to holiday returnees and party-goers.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 1,226 to 218,519, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) showed. That was the biggest daily increase since May 9.

The number of coronavirus deaths remained relatively low, edging up by six to a total of 9,207.

"This is, no doubt, very worrying," Health Minister Jens Spahn told Deutschlandfunk radio, adding that citizens had to remain cautious to prevent the virus from spreading further.

"Because we now have a lot of outbreaks all over the country," Spahn said.


08:15 AM

Indonesia reports 1,942 new coronavirus cases

Indonesia has reported 1,942 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 130,718, data from the government's health ministry website showed.

The Southeast Asian country also added 79 new deaths, taking the total number to 5,903, the highest Covid-19 death toll in Southeast Asia.


08:05 AM

Top 10 countries by case number

This chart by our data team shows the top countries in the world by Covid-19 case number.

Yesterday, the global total coronavirus case number hit 20 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Track more Covid-data here.


07:44 AM

Covid outbreak closes court for a week

Manchester Crown Court will remain closed this week after six staff members tested positive for coronavirus.

An entire deep clean of the Crown Square building has taken place but the site will remain temporarily closed until staff return, said HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)

All urgent work has been moved across the city to Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Details of the six employees have been passed to NHS Test and Trace, added HMCTS.

Crown Square closed on Thursday morning after a worker's positive Covid-19 test and then again from Monday when three more staff members tested positive over the weekend.


07:15 AM

Brussels makes masks compulsory amid rising infection rate

Belgians board a busy train to the beach - as the virus rate soars -  Sylvain Plazy/AP

The wearing of face masks in public is compulsory in the Brussels region from today, regional authorities have announced, as Belgium battles one of the most serious coronavirus outbreaks in Europe.

Face masks were already required in most closed public spaces since July 11 for people aged 12 and over.

The measure was extended in the 19 municipalities of the Brussels region after the threshold of 50 daily cases per 100,000 people was crossed, the regional government said in a statement.

Belgium has one of the highest per capita death rates from Covid-19 in the world and infections are again rising after earlier success in bringing the epidemic under control.

The number of cases in the country of around 11.5 million people topped 75,000 on Wednesday. Nearly 10,000 deaths have been registered.


06:56 AM

US signs vaccine deal for 100 million doses

The United States has entered an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to acquire 100 million doses of its potential Covid-19 vaccine for around $1.5 billion, the company and White House has said.

The United States has made deals to acquire hundreds of millions of doses of potential Covid-19 vaccines from several companies as part of its 'Operation Warp Speed' program, which aims to deliver a vaccine in the country by the end of the year.

Moderna's price per dose comes to around $30.50 per person for a two-dose regimen.

With the exception of its deal with AstraZeneca, which offered a lower price per drug in exchange for upfront research and development costs, all the deals price Covid-19 vaccines between $20 and $42 for a two-dose course of treatment.

Moderna's vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, is one of the few that have already advanced to the final stage of testing and is on track to be completed in September, the company said this month.

Moderna's deal with the U.S. only pays out in full if the drugmaker hits certain unspecific timing benchmarks for vaccine delivery.


06:50 AM

Boris Johnson: Life in recession-hit Britain will be 'bumpy'

With the latest news from the Office for National Statistics confirming a contraction of more than 20 per cent in the UK economy, here is Boris Johnson's warning that the country could be in for a rough few months.

 Anna Mikhailova, our deputy political editor, has more.


06:42 AM

Copycat leaders mimicked each other in coronavirus response, study finds

World leaders based decisions on implementing lockdown measures on what neighbouring countries were doing to prevent the spread of the virus, a study has suggested.

In research of 36 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - including the UK, US and New Zealand - Swedish researchers examined when decisions such as school closures and restrictions on internal travel were implemented.

They found that despite differences in the spread of the virus, countries mimicked each other in a short space of time, with around 80 per cent of OECD nations implementing multiple measures within a two week period in March.

The researchers said this was "striking" given the differences in the scale of the pandemic in each country, the preparedness of healthcare systems and the make-up of their populations.

Author Professor Karl Wennberg, from the Institute for Analytical Sociology at Linkoping University, said: "We found that the decisions were not based on, or had a very weak correlation to, standard epidemiological indicators such as number of infections, number of deaths, intensive care capacity etc.

"A much stronger determinant was whether many neighbouring countries had already implemented measures."


06:38 AM

Minister defends last-minute schools decision

Nick Gibb, an Education minister, has defended the Government's eleventh-hour decision to allow A-level and GCSE students in England to use their mock exam results.

Mr Gibb said only a small number would be affected by the move, which was designed as a "safety net" to ensure that no students were disadvantaged by the system for assessing their grades following the cancelling of exams.

"It is just making sure at the edges that no student is disadvantaged. This is just to give a safety net for any student who might fall through the system," he told Sky News.

"It will only affect a small group of people. Most young people tomorrow will get the grade that the teacher sent in to the exam board that they thought they would get."


06:30 AM

Britain's economy contracts by 20 per cent amid Covid pandemic

Britain has officially entered into recession after the coronavirus crisis saw the economy contract by a record 20.4 per cent between April and June, the Office for National Statistics has said.

Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: "The recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the biggest fall in quarterly GDP on record.

"The economy began to bounce back in June with shops reopening, factories beginning to ramp up production and housebuilding continuing to recover.

"Despite this, GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February, before the virus struck.

"Overall, productivity saw its largest-ever fall in the second quarter. Hospitality was worst hit, with productivity in that industry falling by three-quarters in recent months."

Follow all the latest on the economic news on our live blog here.


06:06 AM

Everything you need to know on Wednesday morning

If you're just joining us while you're having your breakfast, here are our top Covid-19 stories today.


05:58 AM

Coronavirus on today's front pages

Good morning. There is plenty of Covid-19 news on this morning's front pages, amid other stories about the royals and Ed Sheeran.

The Daily Telegraph leads with the story that Gavin Williamson is under mounting pressure to follow Scotland’s lead and ensure all A-level pupils receive their predicted grades.

Today's Daily Telegraph

 

The Mail, Guardian and Times have also splashed the education row.

Today's Guardian and Mail

 The Financial Times writes that Rishi Sunak could be forced to delay this year's budget, or replace it with a watered-down economic statement to avoid making spending cuts or introducing tax rises during the global pandemic. Boris Johnson is already managing expectations ahead of some new economic data, released today, that is expected to show the UK has fallen into recession.

Rishi Sunak could delay this year's budget

03:55 AM

China reports virus on frozen seafood

China has reported instances of the coronavirus being detected on the packaging of imported frozen seafood.

On Tuesday, the city government of Yantai, a port city in eastern Shandong province, said it had found the virus on the packaging of frozen seafood that had arrived from the port city of Dalian, which recently battled a surge of cases.

Officials said in a statement the seafood was from an imported shipment that landed at Dalian but did not say where it originated.

In July, customs officers in Dalian, a major port in the northeastern province of Liaoning, found the coronavirus in the packaging of frozen shrimps imported from Ecuador, and China then suspended imports from three Ecuadorean shrimp producers.

Read more: NZ investigating freight as possible source of  outbreak

Workers set up a temporary fence outside a residential community after a Covid-19 case was confirmed in a nearby seafood company on July 23, in Dalian - China News Service

03:33 AM

Summary of news from around the world

  • South Korea reported 54 new cases as health authorities scramble to stem transmissions amid increased social and leisure activities.
  • China's new domestic cases fell into the single digits on Wednesday, while Hong Kong saw just 33 new cases. 
  • Mexico reported a near-record 926 newly confirmed deaths on Tuesday, bringing the country's accumulated total to 53,929.  
  • Panama will from Monday allow work to resume on some infrastructure projects and permit more businesses to re-open from lockdown, the government said on Tuesday. 
  • The Pan American Health Organisation has expressed reservations over reports that institutions in the region were negotiating to manufacture and distribute a new  vaccine announced by Russia that has yet to go through standard, extensive safety and efficacy trials. 
  • The remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan on Tuesday announced its first lockdown after having been largely shielded from the disease for months. 
  • France has reimposed mask-wearing in certain crowded areas and tourist hotspots of the capital Paris. 
  • In Spain, authorities have ordered nationwide mask-wearing in public places and some regions have returned to lockdown.
Members of the artistic and cultural community take part in a protest asking to be included in the government's social support programs, outside the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City - AFP

02:49 AM

Australian state reports record number of deaths

The Australian state of Victoria on Wednesday reported a record 21 virus deaths and 410 new cases from an outbreak in the city of Melbourne that has prompted a strict lockdown.

State Premier Daniel Andrews said 16 of the deaths were linked to aged-care facilities. 

Meanwhile, three Melbourne vloggers were fined after posting social media videos showing them breaching nighttime curfews for a McDonald's run, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The five-minute video, since deleted, showed the students walking through alleys, dodging police officers and dancing inside the restaurant, ABC said.

And the state of New South Wales on Wednesday reported 18 new cases, including two connected with a private school cluster in Sydney.

Read more: 'Indefinite' Northern Territory border closure to Australian hot spots

Empty Bourke Street in Melbourne as stage four coronavirus restrictions are in force including a 8pm to 5am curfew - JAMES ROSS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 

01:48 AM

New Zealand locks down nursing homes

New Zealand locked down nursing homes nationwide on Wednesday after a 102-day streak without the coronavirus ended.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities were scrambling to trace anyone who had been in contact with four Auckland residents who tested positive on Tuesday, ending the dream run in which the virus had been contained at New Zealand's borders.

A three-day stay-at-home order for Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city with a population of 1.5 million, was announced on Tuesday night and went into force at lunchtime on Wednesday.

Ms Ardern said health officials were also locking down aged care homes across the country because they could act as transmission hotspots.

Ms Ardern also suggested that the outbreak could force her to postpone next month's general election.

Read more: NZ investigating freight as possible source of outbreak

Jacinda Ardern said she might postpone the election - AP

12:21 AM

Does Russia's vaccine work?

Since the virus first emerged in January around 170 vaccine candidates are now in development, with 15 already in human trials. 

Russia claims to have produced the world's first coronavirus vaccine - but scientists are wary that it has not been adequately tested.

Read the latest on the search for a vaccine - and whether Russia's vaccine will work - here.


12:10 AM

Today's top stories