'I owe them my life' – Boris Johnson pays tribute to NHS staff – as it happened

Molly Blackall (now), Mattha Busby Sarah Marsh and

from Economics | The Guardian on 2020-04-12 00:07 (#520HM)

US death toll becomes the highest in the world; Italy and India extend lockdown

1.07am BST

I'm wrapping up the blog now. Thanks for following.

My colleague Helen Davidson has already begun a new one and you can follow all the developments with her right here.

12.43am BST

Saudi Arabia has extended its curfew "until further notice", the state new agency said early on Sunday morning.

King Salman has previously ordered a curfew that took effect on 23 March, from 7pm to 6 am for 21 days, to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

12.28am BST

Thanks Molly. I'm Martin Farrer and I'll be blogging for a short time before we close this blog and start a new one.

More than 1,000 Australians are starting to arrive back home today after being left stranded in various parts of South America.

12.14am BST

I'm going to be handing over to my colleagues in Australia, but here's a summary of key events before I go.

Thank you all for joining me over the past few hours. I hope that you are well and able to stay safe, wherever you are in the world.

11.56pm BST

Every night in New York, residents clap for essential workers at 7pm.

Journalist Sophie Friedman shared this wonderful video of her neighbour in East Village, who stands on the roof every evening to play the bagpipes as part of the daily display of gratitude.

11.48pm BST

The chair of the Parliamentary group on immigration detention in the UK has called for all detainees to be temporarily released after a rise in Covid-19 cases in removal centres.

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on immigration detention, asked the Home Secretary to immediately release all detainees due to the ongoing pandemic.

11.26pm BST

The U.S. Air Force Air Thunderbirds conducted a flyover in celebration of frontline workers, flying past all the major hospitals throughout the Las Vegas valley.

Brig. Gen. Robert Novotny said: "We were looking at how we could continue to fly and also give back to the community with a salute to the real heroes out there on the front lines who are keeping us safe from the virus."

11.18pm BST

JPMorgan Chase & Co, one of the US' largest mortgage lenders, is raising borrowing standards this week for most new home loans, as it tries to mitigate lending risk caused by coronavirus.

From Tuesday, customers applying for a new mortgage will need a credit score of at least 700, and will be required to make a down payment equal to 20% of the home's value.

11.16pm BST

Thank you again to everyone sending tips and pointers. If you spot something which might be of interest, you can drop me a message on Twitter @mollyblackall.

11.13pm BST

A very powerful photograph of a quarantine patrol in El Salvador.

10.50pm BST

Department store chain Macy's has hired investment bank Lazard Ltd to explore new options for improving its finances, as sales plunge due to coronavirus.

Macy's has asked its advisers to help manage its liabilities and explore options that could include new financing, sources told Reuters news agency, adding that no debt restructuring is imminent.

10.23pm BST

British prime minister Boris Johnson has thanked NHS staff at St Thomas' Hospital in central London for saving his life while he underwent treatment in intensive care for coronavirus, PA news agency are reporting.

Issuing a short statement as he continues his recovery, Johnson said: "I can't thank them enough. I owe them my life."

10.03pm BST

Brazil's deficit is fast approaching 500 billion reais ($96 billion), 7% of gross domestic product, compared to 61 billion reais, or 0.9% of GDP last year.

This figure does not include the state aid proposal of up to 222 billion reais to tackle coronavirus, the economy ministry said on Saturday.

9.57pm BST

A British critical care nurse has warned that frontline health staff are "dehydrated" because they are skipping drinks in order not to waste personal protective equipment (PPE).

The nurse, who asked to remain anonymous, said staff felt they were being "lied to" about masks, and the situation was being handled "horrendously".

9.43pm BST

Pope Francis urged people to "not yield to fear" and focused on a "message of hope" as he led an Easter eve mass in an empty St Peter's Basilica tonight, reported Reuters, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The vigil, which normally takes place in a church packed with about 10,000 people, was attended by only about two dozen, including a few altar servers and a smaller-than-usual choir.

9.34pm BST

Senior health officials in the UK are facing demands to reveal how much has been spent on millions of inaccurate coronavirus antibody tests, after it emerged that payments had been guaranteed even if the kits failed to work. Read the full story here:

9.19pm BST

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election rival Benny Gantz has asked for additional time to try to form a government with the long-time leader, to end more than a year of political deadlock.

A 28-day mandate to put together a governing coalition, following an inconclusive March 2 election, expires on April 14.

9.03pm BST

Opposition parties across the UK, alongside senior Conservatives, have united to demand that parliament be recalled.

In a letter to the Leader of the Commons, newly elected Labour leader Keir Starmer demanded urgent talks with the Speaker, saying there was no substitute for parliamentary scrutiny" particularly "at this time of national crisis".

8.49pm BST

Illinois has reported 81 new coronavirus deaths, bringing the state's total to 677.

8.43pm BST

Lily Kuo speaks to residents in Wuhan, where coronavirus originated, as they celebrate the end of lockdown after being confined to their homes for three months.

"The high-profile re-opening of Wuhan is meant to send a signal that China is getting back to business and work can be resumed. But despite the government efforts, people will be still very cautious," said Ho-Fung Hung, a lecturer in political economy at Johns Hopkins University.

"People can't easily forget the government's early missteps in causing the crisis, particularly for those who lost their loved ones or have their health severely impaired."

8.34pm BST

Seven African countries have demanded that China address their concerns that Africans living in Guangzhou city are being mistreated and harassed.

The countries claim that the African residents have been targeted out of fear that coronavirus could spread through imported cases.

8.27pm BST

550 crew members from the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for Covid-19, the US Navy have said in a statement.

The ship gained international attention after its captain, Brett Crozier, was condemned and sacked by Donald Trump after he wrote a letter warning of the health risks posed to his crew as coronavirus spread on board.

8.04pm BST

In case you missed it, this is a great interactive piece looking at the fall in air pollution in big cities around the world.

7.41pm BST

A British nurse has died whilst self isolating at home, the NHS has confirmed.

Julie Omar was a highly experienced trauma and orthopaedics nurse who had most recently been working as a sister on Ward 14 at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital, the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said.

7.35pm BST

This photograph shows a deserted Rome. The area around the Coliseum, normally a tourist hotspot bursting with people, is almost empty.

7.24pm BST

The husband of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has shared a photograph of her attempting to cut her own hair. A very human insight into life in the highest echelons of Scottish politics!

Desperate for a shot of the scissors, but seemingly I'm not to be trusted pic.twitter.com/o6X1JAr8RK

7.21pm BST

Polish politician JarosAaw KaczyAski was apparently allowed to visit the grave of his mother despite the cemetery being closed to the public, Polish news organisation Fakt24 are reporting.

Despite the government banning the visiting of graves, and signs on the cemetery announcing its closure, photographs appear to show that KaczyAski travelled in a limousine with his entourage to visit the grave in PowA...zki Cemetery in Warsaw yesterday.

6.53pm BST

Queen Elizabeth has told Britons that "coronavirus will not overcome" the nation, in her Easter audio address.

The 93-year-old monarch, who is the symbolic head of the Church of England, also stated that "Easter isn't cancelled" in her first ever address to mark the Christian holy day.

6.44pm BST

Thanks to all those getting in touch. Just a reminder that if you want to share something that might be of interest, you can drop me a tweet @mollyblackall.

6.35pm BST

I'm keen to share some powerful photojournalism from around the world with you.

6.28pm BST

The latest figures for France have just been released by the health ministry. They are as follows:

6.23pm BST

New Jersey governor Murphy has signed an executive order directing public and private transport to cut their capacity to 50%, to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

I'll update you as I find out more about what this means.

6.15pm BST

A World Health Organization official has urged Belarus to impose new measures to contain coronavirus, as the country enters "a new phase" of the virus.

President Alexander Lukashenko has been downplaying the need for restrictive measures, like social distancing, to stem the spread of the virus.

6.08pm BST

There are now 58,151 cases in New Jersey, governor Murphy has said, an increase of 3,599 from the day before.

The death toll has increased by 251 from a day earlier, taking the total number of deaths to 2,183.

6.00pm BST

The death toll in Turkey has reached 1,101.

The number of casualties of coronavirus rose by 95 on Saturday, with 5,138 new cases confirmed, the Health Minister has said.

5.59pm BST

The Kremlin said that the "huge influx" of coronavirus patients was beginning to put a strain on Moscow's hospitals.

Moscow and other regions have been in lockdown for almost two weeks, but the hospitals in the capital are still being stretched.

5.43pm BST

Here's a summary of the key points from today's press conference with New York governor Andrew Cuomo:

5.21pm BST

The number in the deaths in the US has overtaken Italy, according to figures from Reuters, surpassing 19,600 on Saturday.

Italy has the second highest number of deaths, and Spain third. It's important to note the US has five times the population of Italy and nearly seven times the population of Spain.

5.19pm BST

Here is the latest update on coronavirus in Italy, from my colleague Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo, who has been at the government's press briefing.

Italy registered 619 more deaths from Covid-19 on Saturday - 49 more than Friday. In total, 18,849 people have now died with the coronavirus here.

5.16pm BST

Here's a summary of today's UK daily briefing on coronavirus, from the home secretary, Priti Patel, as it comes to a close. I'll update with any final points if necessary:

4.39pm BST

Hospitalisations and intensive care admissions in New York are continuing to decline, governor Andrew Cuomo has just said.

There were 783 deaths recorded from coronavirus in New York on Friday, bringing the total in the state to 8,627.

4.35pm BST

The number of cases of coronavirus in Canada has risen to 22,559, up from 21,243 on 10 April, according to public health agency data.

So far, there have been 600 deaths, an increase of 69 from Friday's figure.

4.30pm BST

The British home secretary is currently giving the daily coronavirus briefing for the UK.

You can watch that live here:

4.27pm BST

Hi everyone, I'm Molly Blackall, taking over the blog for the next few hours.

If you spot anything I miss, or want to get in touch, you can drop me a message on Twitter @mollyblackall.

4.21pm BST

The Netherlands has called for proposals to develop smartphone apps or software that could be used to help combat the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, the health ministry announced it was looking for proposals on how to conduct "contract tracing" of people who may have been exposed to the virus, while maintaining individual privacy.

4.20pm BST

Finnish health authorities have reported that another 136 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the past day after approximately 3,100 were tested.

More than 44,300 overall have been tested for the virus in the Nordic country, with 1,816 confirmed cases.

The median age of the deceased is 81 years. There are two dead between the ages of 40 and 59, there are 11 between the ages of 60 and 79, and there are 22 over the age of 80. Of the dead, 69 per cent are men and 31 per cent are women.

4.04pm BST

I am now handing the blog over to Mattha Busby. Thanks everyone for your comments, and thoughts today.

3.50pm BST

The number of coronavirus cases detected in the US rose past half a million over the Easter weekend with 18,700 deaths, as president Donald Trump said the decision on when it was safe to reopen the country would be the biggest he had ever had to make.

Public health experts said the death toll could spike to 200,000 over the summer if unprecedented stay-at-home orders, which have closed businesses and kept most Americans indoors, are lifted after 30 days.

Trump, seeking re-election in November, has said he wants life to return to normal as soon as possible and that the sweeping restrictions on movement aimed at curbing the spread of the Covid-19 disease caused by the novel coronavirus carry their own economic and public health cost.

"I'm going to have to make a decision, and I ... hope to God that it's the right decision," he told reporters on Friday. "It's the biggest decision I've ever had to make."

3.33pm BST

I am now moving to my last 30-minutes on the blog before I enjoy some state-mandated exercise outside. A big thanks to everyone who has sent me emails today. Your insight is always really useful and makes this job a lot easier. If you want to share any news tips with me, then please do via any of the channels below.

Twitter: @sloumarsh
Instagram: sarah_marsh_journalist
Email: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com

3.30pm BST

The Spanish government has defended its decision to allow some non-essential workers to return to their jobs in factories and construction sites this coming week despite warnings that any relaxation of confinement measures could lead to a rise in contagion.

The World Health Organization has said there could be a "deadly resurgence" of the coronavirus if countermeasures are lifted too soon, while one of the Spanish government's own experts has said he thought it would have been "sensible" to keep non-essential workers at home for longer.

Speaking on Saturday afternoon, the country's health minister, Salvador Illa, said Spain remained in strict lockdown and that people were only allowed out to go to work or to buy food or medicines. "We still have very, very drastic restrictions in place," he added.

Illa said that the ban on non-essential workers leaving their homes to work had only ever been a temporary measure intended to reduce the pressure on Spain's overstretched intensive care units.

The minister insisted that all decisions were "taken on the basis of consensus" and said the government followed the recommendations of experts.

Illa also said the current lockdown could go on for a few more weeks at least. "As the prime minister has already said, it's very probable that these measures will be in force beyond 26 April," he said. "Spain is not de-escalating; we remain in lockdown."

He said the government was following the disease's movement on a daily basis and adapting its response accordingly. "We are maintaining the current measures - and haven't ruled anything out," he said.

"The information we have at the moment confirms a slowing down of the disease and the growth in new cases is much lower than it was last week, or two weeks ago, or a month ago.

"But today we still have 4,830 new cases and that means we need to stay in lockdown. We know this is a big sacrifice for everyone, but it's one that has to be made. If the epidemic carries on going in the same direction, we may be able to alter the response, but it will always be done prudently, cautiously, and on the basis of the scientific evidence we have."

The Spanish government has advised people to maintain careful social distancing as some of those who cannot work from home begin to resume their jobs. It has also said face-masks will be handed out at metro and rail stations.

3.29pm BST

In Egypt, police used tear gas to disperse a group of villagers who tried to stop the burial of a physician who died from the Covid-19. The villagers feared the burial would spread contagion.

Residents of the village of Shubra el-Bahou in the Nile Delta blocked the road to the cemetery to prevent the physician's burial, according to Egyptian officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters.

The physician died at a quarantined hospital in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia and her body was being transferred to her husband's village for burial. The officials said police fired tear gas after the villagers halted the ambulance carrying the body. There were no reports of any serious injuries.

Ahmed el-Sayed, a village resident, said the police intervened after security and health officials failed to persuade the villagers to open the road. Egypt has reported 135 fatalities among about 1,800 confirmed cases.

3.28pm BST

Iran has started reopening government offices after a brief nationwide lockdown to help contain the worst coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 4,300 people in the country.

Authorities had ordered most government agencies and all non-essential businesses to remain closed for a week after the Nowruz holiday ended on 4 April.

Government offices outside Iran's capital, Tehran, reopened Saturday with a third of all employees working from home, state media reported. Women who have young children were given priority in deciding who works remotely.

Businesses in Tehran will be allowed to reopen next Saturday, provided they register with authorities and follow guidelines on social distancing set out by the health ministry.

The health ministry meanwhile reported another 125 deaths, bringing the overall toll to 4,357. Iran has reported more than 70,000 confirmed cases, and authorities said more than 40,000 have recovered.

For weeks, Iran declined to impose the kind of large-scale lockdowns adopted by other Middle Eastern countries, even as the number of confirmed cases and fatalities steadily climbed.

3.14pm BST

European countries are trying to keep people from traveling as the weather heats up for Easter.

In Asia, South Korea announced plans to strap tracking wristbands on people who defy quarantine orders. The Japanese government appealed to the public nationwide to avoid bars, clubs and restaurants, broadening a measure announced earlier for seven urban areas, including Tokyo.

In Europe, Italian authorities stepped up checks, particularly around the northern Lombardy region, which has borne the brunt of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Roadblocks were set up on main thoroughfares in and out of Milan and along highway exits to discourage people from going on holiday trips.

"Don't do silly things," said Domenico Arcuri, Italy's special commissioner for the virus emergency. "Don't go out, continue to behave responsibly as you have done until today, use your head and your sense of responsibility."

He added: "The virus has not been defeated, but we are on the right path. We see the indicators but not the end of the tunnel. In fact, the end of the tunnel is still far away."

In Spain, which recorded its smallest day-to-day increase in deaths in nearly three weeks, of 510, police set up thousands of roadblocks around the country.

In Britain, police were urged to keep a close watch on gatherings in parks and at the seaside on what was set to be the hottest day of the year. Police seized a motorcycle from a rider making a non-essential journey in central England.

3.09pm BST

The New York City mayor, Bill de Blasio, said on Saturday public schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year as the city battles the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

"Having to tell you that we cannot bring our schools back for the remainder of this school year is painful, but I can also tell you it is the right thing to do," he told a news conference.

De Blasio had ordered public schools shut beginning March 16 to curb the spread of the disease, with an initial goal of reopening by 20 April. But the mayor said it soon became clear that date goal was unrealistic as the city emerged as a major US coronavirus hotspot.

3.06pm BST

Singapore's health ministry has confirmed 191 new coronavirus cases, taking the total infections to 2,299.

Elsewhere, the New York City mayor, Bill De Blasio, said public schools would remain closed for the remainder of the year.

2.53pm BST

The Chinese customs agency has announced it will be doing quality control on certain medical items for export, including ventilators, hospital gowns and N95 respirators.

The new policy follows complaints from some countries over the quality of the medical equipment that China has been sending out. It was announced by China's General Administration of Customs on Friday.

2.49pm BST

Traffic fatalities were down nearly 40% in France from last year thanks to nationwide coronavirus lockdown measures that have kept millions of cars, pedestrians and cyclists off the roads.

France's 67 million citizens have been ordered to stay indoors since 17 March, with most people only permitted to leave the house for essentials outings.

2.42pm BST

Interesting article today on the Guardian about how from Berlin to Bogoti, there are new footpaths and bike lanes as world cities turn their streets over to walkers and cyclists.

2.35pm BST

The death toll from coronavirus in the UK rose by 917 to 9,875 people as of 4pm GMT on 10 April, health officials said on Saturday.

2.28pm BST

" There are now more than 500,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University. It also becomes the first country in the world to register more than 2,000 deaths from the virus in a single day, bringing its total death toll to more than 18,000.

" Unclaimed victims are being buried in unmarked mass graves on Hart Island in New York, officials confirm. Authorities have used the site for more than 150 years to bury unclaimed bodies, unidentified people and residents whose families could not afford a private burial.

2.16pm BST

In England a further 823 people have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 8,937.

The patients were aged between 11 and 102 years old and 33 of the 823 patients (aged between 29 and 94 years old) had no known underlying health condition.

2.09pm BST

I am back from my lunch break. Please do keep getting in touch with news tips, information and insight from where you are. I cannot promise to reply to you all but it's always useful to see what issues you feel need raising.

Twitter: @sloumarsh
Instagram: sarah_marsh_journalist
Email: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com

2.02pm BST

Authorities across Europe are attempting to prevent people from travelling during the sunny Easter weather.

Italian authorities have stepped up checks, particularly around the northern Lombardy region, which has borne the brunt of the outbreak, Reuters reported.

Don't do silly things. Don't go out, continue to behave responsibly as you have done until today, use your head and your sense of responsibility.

The virus has not been defeated, but we are on the right path, we see the indicators but not the end of the tunnel. In fact, the end of the tunnel is still far away.

1.51pm BST

China is cracking down on publication of academic research about the origins of the novel coronavirus, in what is likely to be part of a wider attempt to control the narrative surrounding the pandemic, documents published online by Chinese universities appear to show.

Two websites for leading Chinese universities appear to have recently published and then removed pages that reference a new policy requiring academic papers dealing with Covid-19 to undergo extra vetting before they are submitted for publication.

In terms of priority, controlling the narrative is more important than the public health or the economic fallout. It doesn't mean the economy and public health aren't important. But the narrative is paramount.

1.39pm BST

New York City 911 emergency operators are picking up new calls every 15 seconds as the service is placed under unprecedented strain.

The system in the US city is so overwhelmed, the Associated Press reported, and the city has started sending text and tweet alerts urging people to only call 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

1.29pm BST

Thanks Sarah.

Boris Johnson's fiance, environmental campaigner and former Tory press officer Carrie Symonds, sent him letters and baby scans to lift his spirits during his time in intensive care, a Downing Street source has confirmed.

1.17pm BST

I am passing the live blog over to my colleague Mattha Busby now who will be running it for a short while so I can take a lunch break. Thanks everyone.

1.10pm BST

The British prime minister, Boris Johnson, is making "very good progress" in his recovery from Covid-19, his office said on Saturday.

Johnson was moved out of intensive care after three nights on Thursday, and Downing Street said on Friday he had managed to start walking, although his recovery was at an early stage.
"The prime minister continues to make very good progress," a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

1.06pm BST

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 1,316 on Saturday to 24,413, health authorities said, with 132 new deaths. The country's cumulative death toll is 2,643, the Netherlands' National Institute for Health (RIVM) said in its daily update.

12.58pm BST

The US recorded more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths, the first country to see such a high number in a single day. Figures from Johns Hopkins University show 2,108 people died in the past 24 hours, with more than half a million confirmed infections.

12.56pm BST

Thanks everyone, it's been a busy few hours of news updates and I will be posting a summary shortly.

I really appreciate all your messages, especially the ones thanking The Guardian for providing you with information. Please do share any news tips. They are always welcome, and apologies if I cannot reply to you all.

Twitter: @sloumarsh
Instagram: sarah_marsh_journalist
Email: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com

12.54pm BST

On Cyprus coronavirus may have offered a ray of light in reunification efforts for the war-divided country.

Officials say the president on the island's internationally recognised Greek south, Nicos Anastasiades, agreed to send vital medicines and other materials to the breakaway Turkish-run north after holding talks with the state's leader, Mustafa AkAncA.

12.42pm BST

A dispatch below from Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo

As prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced the third extension of Italy's lockdown until 3 May, the Italian interior ministry issued a warning, on Saturday, about the risk that extremist groups may take advantage of the coronavirus emergency to carry out acts of revolt in the country.

12.32pm BST

The Swiss death toll from the coronavirus has reached 831, the country's public health ministry has said, rising from 805 people on Friday. The number of positive tests also increased to 24,900 from 24,308 on Friday, it said.

12.12pm BST

An inmate was found dead on Saturday after a riot and a blaze swept through a Russian prison under a coronavirus lockdown in eastern Siberia, authorities said.

Trouble erupted at penal colony No 15 in Angarsk on Thursday with authorities blaming prisoners, while human rights activists said inmates self-harmed en masse to protest systematic mistreatment.

11.44am BST

Armenia has extended the state of emergency by another 30 days. It declared the measures last month to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has so far infected nearly 1,000 people.

Armenia has closed educational institutions, halted all public transportation and barred foreigners from entering.

The former Soviet country, which has population of 3 million, has also said it will postpone a referendum on changes to the constitutional court until after the emergency.

The decision to extend the state of emergency, announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, is expected to be formally approved by parliament next week.

11.31am BST

The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has decided to extend a nationwide lockdown to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, the Delhi state's chief minister said on Saturday, without saying how long the extension would be.

Modi earlier in the day held a video conference call with several state ministers. Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, said Modi had "taken a correct decision to extend the lockdown", without sharing further details.

"If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is imp (important) to extend it," Kejriwal said on Twitter.

India's 21-day lockdown ends on Tuesday but several states had urged Modi to extend it further, even as concerns have risen that the shutdown has put millions of poor people out of work and forced an exodus of migrant workers from cities to villages.

11.30am BST

Thanks everyone who has been sending over emails with news tips and thoughts. It's very much appreciated. I've also had a few cat pictures sent my way (also much appreciated). Please do continue to get in touch as I bring you the latest developments of the day.

Twitter: @sloumarsh
Instagram: sarah_marsh_journalist
Email: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com

11.28am BST

The coronavirus pandemic has crippled major retailers and small shops worldwide, but it may also be making a dent in illicit business.

In Chicago, one of the most violent places in the US, drug arrests in the weeks since the city shut down are down by 42% compared with the same period last year.

11.25am BST

More than half of a group of severely ill coronavirus patients improved after receiving one of the experimental antiviral drug that Donald Trump offered to ship over for Boris Johnson.

However, the experimental tests on Remdesivir, published by the New England Journal of Medicine on Friday, were carried out on a sample of just 53 patients, with no control group.

11.24am BST

The number of cases of Covid-19 has passed 70,000 in Iran with 1,837 new infections confirmed in the last 24 hours.

A health ministry spokesman said the total number of infections now stands at 70,029. One hundred and twenty five new deaths have also been reported in the Middle East's worst affected country, pushing the total to 4,357.

Kiyanoosh Jahanpour said 3,987 patients were in critical condition; 251,703 suspected patients have so far been tested in Iran since the outbreak began.

11.16am BST

France has decided to allow people outside to adopt a pet from animal shelters, despite strict home confinement measures.

The interior ministry announced on Saturday that "tolerance will be granted" for the mercy missions from Thursday after a call from the Animal Protection Society (SPA).

11.13am BST

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was looking into reports of some Covid-19 patients testing positive again after initially testing negative for the disease while being considered for discharge.

South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought to be clear of the coronavirus had tested positive again. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a briefing that the virus may have been "reactivated" rather than the patients being re-infected.

The Geneva-based WHO, asked about the report from Seoul, told Reuters in a brief statement: "We are aware of these reports of individuals who have tested negative for Covid-19 using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing and then after some days testing positive again.

"We are closely liaising with our clinical experts and working hard to get more information on those individual cases. It is important to make sure that when samples are collected for testing on suspected patients, procedures are followed properly."

11.12am BST

In the UK, the health secretary Matt Hancock has said that 19 NHS workers have died during the coronavirus outbreak.

NEW: Health Sec Matt Hancock says that 19 NHS workers have died in the #COVID19 outbreak so far #r4today

This is beyond heartbreaking. Each of these frontline workers' sacrifice to our NHS family must never be forgotten.

Now this dark truth has been dragged out, we also need to know the number of other frontline workers, including in our care homes, who have died in the call of duty.

11.07am BST

The latest figures from Spain's health ministry show that 510 people died between Friday and Saturday, the lowest single-day death toll since 23 March.

To date, the country has recorded a total of 161,852 cases of the coronavirus and 16,353 deaths. The growth rate in new cases stands at around 3% - down from a daily average of 12% at the end of March and 20% in mid-March.

The statistics suggest the lockdown measures are continuing to pay off and that the country is in the so-called "stabilisation phase".

Spain's lockdown, which has been in place since a state of emergency was declared on 14 March, was once again extended this week and will remain in effect until at least 26 April.

The prime minister, Pedro Sinchez, says another extension seems inevitable. "I'm sure that in two weeks' time I'll have to extend the state of emergency again," he told parliament on Thursday.

Despite the continuing general lockdown, from Monday or Tuesday next week, some non-essential workers will be allowed to begin returning to jobs in factories and construction sites and face masks will be handed out at metro and train stations.

The ban on non-essential workers travelling to do their jobs was a two-week measure intended to ease pressure on the country's overstretched intensive care units, and it elapsed on 9 April.

Spain's health minister, Salvador Illa, has stressed that the nationwide lockdown remains in place and reminded people that the country would be "in a phase of very tough measures" until further notice.

"Businesses that have been authorised to restart their activities may do so [from next week]," he said on Friday.

"It means that Spaniards will be allowed on to the streets to go to work and to get basic items such as food and medicine, but for no other reasons."

According to media reports, at least one member of the government's expert panel on the coronavirus has questioned the decision, saying he believes it would have been "sensible" to keep the ban on all non-essential work in force for longer.

11.02am BST

Spain's daily coronavirus death toll fell for the third day in a row on Saturday after 510 fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said in a statement, marking the smallest overnight increase since 23 March.

Total fatalities from the virus rose to 16,353, from 15,843 on Friday, the ministry said, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 161,852 from 157,022.

10.53am BST

Mali's president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, has announced a coronavirus aid package for poor people and hard-hit firms, as cases continue to rise in the war-torn west African state.

The president warned on Friday that the country's already war-battered economy was facing a shock, and declared a package worth some 500bn CFA francs ($832m).

10.51am BST

Africans in southern China's largest city say they have become targets of suspicion and subjected to forced evictions, arbitrary quarantines and mass coronavirus testing as the country steps up its fight against imported infections.

China says it has largely curbed its Covid-19 outbreak but a recent cluster of cases linked to the Nigerian community in Guangzhou sparked the alleged discrimination by locals and virus prevention officials.

10.30am BST

In the UK, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has posted revised - and significantly lower - forecasts for the number of deaths in the UK related to Covid-19.

These new forecasts are the result of more data, with the numbers moving from 66,000 cumulative deaths to 37,000. The revised estimates fall within the range of the previous forecasts.

IHME said it saw fluctuations in its earlier estimates of US deaths, which have been revised to reflect increasing sources of data and the effects of physical distancing measures.

10.20am BST

The Philippines reported 26 new coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, taking the total to 247.

It also confirmed 233 new infections bringing its total to 4,428. Seventeen more patients have recovered, the health ministry said in a bulletin, bringing the number of recoveries to 157.

Elsewhere, Malaysian health authorities reported 184 additional confirmed cases on Saturday, raising the cumulative tally to 4,530, the highest number for any country in southeast Asia.

10.19am BST

An interesting article today, asking are state responses to the virus shifting the balance of power between China and the west?

10.18am BST

World-renowned British primatologist Jane Goodall says the coronavirus pandemic was caused by humanity's disregard for nature and disrespect for animals.

Goodall, who is best known for trailblazing research in Africa that revealed the true nature of chimpanzees, pleaded for the world to learn from past mistakes to prevent future disasters.

It is our disregard for nature and our disrespect of the animals we should share the planet with that has caused this pandemic, that was predicted long ago.

Because as we destroy, let's say the forest, the different species of animals in the forest are forced into a proximity and therefore diseases are being passed from one animal to another, and that second animal is then most likely to infect humans as it is forced into closer contact with humans.

10.14am BST

Turkey hospital sees hope as 93-year-old patient discharged

Cheered by her doctors, Alye Gunduz was discharged from an Istanbul hospital after recovering from the coronavirus following 10 days of treatment.

10.08am BST

South Korea announced plans on Saturday to strap tracking wristbands on people who defy quarantine orders, while Christians across the globe were urged to stay home over the Easter weekend as the coronavirus death toll passed 100,000.

South Korean officials said stricter controls were required because some of the 57,000 people who are under orders to stay home have slipped out by leaving behind smartphones with tracking apps. Plans for broader use of wristbands were scaled back after objections by human rights and legal activists.

Meanwhile, US health authorities reported more outbreaks in New York City and the surrounding region, an area with some 20 million people that accounts for more than half of the 500,000 American cases. Other hot spots are in Detroit, Louisiana and the capital, Washington.

Worldwide, confirmed infections rose to 1.7 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

In China, where the pandemic began in December, the government reported three deaths and 46 additional cases in the 24 hours to midnight on Friday. The number of new daily cases has declined dramatically, allowing the ruling Communist Party to reopen factories and stores.

China has reported 3,339 deaths and 81,953 confirmed infections, though critics say the real totals might be higher.

9.59am BST

A German science writer has expressed disbelief that despite great wealth and technological capabilities, the US has "sleepwalked" into the coronavirus disaster.

Kai Kupferschmidt said: "No matter how long I live, I don't think I will ever get over how the US, with all its wealth and technological capability and academic prowess, sleepwalked into the disaster that is unfolding."

His comment came as the United States passed 100,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, and was facing a critical lack of ventilators, face masks and testing. Now it is more than 500,000.

9.56am BST

The global coronavirus death toll topped 100,000 as Easter weekend celebrations around the world kicked off in near-empty churches, with billions of people stuck indoors in an effort to halt the pandemic.

Extraordinary measures from New York to Naples to New Delhi have seen businesses and schools closed, and the IMF has warned that the world now faces the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

9.55am BST

Thanks to everyone emailing in today, great to hear what is happening where you are and get any news tips. Also - for those asking about my cat. Here is a photo of the overlord himself, who watches me as I blog. A little joy during a strange time.

As ever please continue to get in touch ...

A day of switching off with this little man. I am finding animals a huge comfort at the moment. Also I noticed there's been a spike in people trying to foster dogs, lots of shelter websites inundated with requests. Maybe something for me to write about #homeoffice #catsofinstagram #catlife #sunnycat

9.52am BST

Indonesia confirmed 330 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, taking its tally to 3,842, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said. It also confirmed 21 virus-related deaths, taking the total to 327, Yurianto told a televised news conference.

9.48am BST

In the UK, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was "insulting" to suggest health careworkers were "wasting" personal protective equipment.
His comments come after the health secretary, Matt Hancock, reminded NHS workers not to "overuse" PPE and to follow the guidelines for its correct use.
Starmer tweeted: "It is quite frankly insulting to imply frontline staff are wasting PPE.

"There are horrific stories of NHS staff and care workers not having the equipment they need to keep them safe.

"The government must act to ensure supplies are delivered."

9.47am BST

Taiwan has accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of playing word games in a dispute over details it sought in an email querying if the new coronavirus could be transmitted between people.

Taiwan is not a WHO member, because of objections from China, which claims the island as its own and deems it to have no right to membership of international bodies.

Such an approach, Taiwan says, deprived it of timely information to fight the virus, and it accused the WHO of having ignored its communications early in the pandemic, which has infected 1.6 million people and killed 100,000 worldwide.

Last month, Taiwan said it had received no reply from the WHO to a 31 December query for information on the outbreak in China's central city of Wuhan, including whether it could be transmitted between people.

The WHO has said the email it received made no mention of human-to-human transmission. In Taipei on Saturday, the health minister, Chen Shih-chung, quoted the text of the email written in English that the government sent to the WHO.

9.43am BST

Most of Thailand's provinces have banned sales of alcohol, heeding a central government call to discourage festive celebrations for the Thai New Year as the country seeks to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Thailand is among Southeast Asian countries that are cancelling or scaling back traditionally boisterous Buddhist New Year celebrations amid the global pandemic.

The Thai New Year or water splashing Songkran celebrations are usually held April 13-15, but this year the government has postponed the holidays that would normally be taken then.

A 10-day ban on the sale of wine, beer and spirits in the capital Bangkok went into effect on Friday. Some 47 of Thailand's 77 provinces have implemented bans to April 15 or until the end of the month, the interior ministry said in a statement.

9.36am BST

The US has become the first country in the world to record more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths in a single day.

Figures from Johns Hopkins University show 2,108 people died in the past 24 hours with more than half a million confirmed infections.

9.33am BST

President Hassan Rouhani urged Iranians to respect health protocols as "low-risk" economic activities resumed in most of the country on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported.

So-called low-risk businesses will resume across the country from Saturday with the exception of the capital Tehran, where they will restart from April 18. Iran is the Middle Eastern country worst-affected by the new coronavirus.

"Easing restrictions does not mean ignoring health protocols ... social distancing and other health protocols should be respected seriously by people," Rouhani was quoted as saying.

9.18am BST

Britain has not yet reached the Covid-19 peak which would allow for an easing of tight restrictions of movement, health minister Matt Hancock said on Saturday.

The death toll in British hospitals has reached almost 9,000, with 980 more deaths reported on Friday, a figure which exceeded the deadliest day so far in Italy, the country worst hit by the virus.

Among those who have been infected is prime minister Boris Johnson, who is recovering in hospital after spending three nights in intensive care. His office said he was improving and was back on his feet although his recovery was still at an early stage.

Britain imposed a lockdown three weeks ago in a bid to curb the spread of the virus and the government has come under increasing pressure to detail how long the strict measures on movements would last, with people forced to stay at home and many businesses unable to operate.

Ministers have said Britain needed to pass the peak of the outbreak before changes could be made, and Hancock said although the number of hospital admissions had started to flatten out, there was not enough evidence yet to have confidence they were past the worst.

"Our judgement is we're not there yet. We haven't seen a flattening enough to be able to say that we've reached the peak," he told BBC radio.

Some scientists have suggested the peak might still be some weeks off but Hancock said "nobody knows" when it would be.

"There's all sorts of suggestions. Their job is to make their best estimate and advise us and we have a whole load of different pieces of advice from different scientists," he said.

The death rate is also expected to increase over the next few days, health officials have cautioned, but they say they are hopeful that the lockdown will mean that the overall number of deaths will be below 20,000.

Initially Johnson took a more modest response to the outbreak than other European leaders but changed tack when projections suggested a quarter of a million people could die in the United Kingdom.

The government has come under fire for its initial response and a lack of preparedness, and there was criticism on Saturday from doctors and nurses who said they were having to treat patients without proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves.

Among those to have died after testing positive for COVID-19 are 19 health care workers including 11 doctors.

9.15am BST

Hello all. I am updating the Guardian live feed this morning, from my home office (with my cat sitting beside me). Please do get in touch if you want to share any information with me via any of the channels below. The information and news tips I get sent are always incredibly useful and it is great to hear from people about what they feel needs reporting.

Twitter: @sloumarsh
Instagram: sarah_marsh_journalist
Email: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com

9.12am BST

Iran's president Rouhani has urged people to respect health protocols as coronavirus restrictions ease.

More to follow on this...

9.01am BST

The Afghan interior ministry has pledged tighter control on movement as the number of Covid-19 infections reached 555, triggered by a surge in cases in Kandahar and Kabul.

Three deaths and 34 new infections have been reported in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 18.

A health ministry spokesman said 4,090 suspected patients have so far been tested in Afghanistan since the outbreak began.

The ministry warned that number of new infections continue to rise across the war-torn country and asked citizens to come to hospitals if they have any symptoms.

Eight of new positive cases confirmed were in the country's capital, Kabul, bringing the total number of infections to 119. Kabul is second worst affected city after Herat, which has 273 cases and four deaths.

After a surge in number of cases in Kabul, the city went into full lockdown on Wednesday, and police will impose more restrictions on residents to curb unnecessary movements, officials said.

Health workers and food suppliers, media workers, security officials and telecom services employees are exempt.

The interior minister warned that if people in Kabul continue defying the order, police will use force against them. "If we see any sort of violation, we will act seriously".

Afghanistan has so far recorded 37 recoveries from the virus.

8.50am BST

In the UK, the heath secretary, Matt Hancock, said it was still too early to determine whether the peak of coronavirus infections in the UK had been reached.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The good news is we have seen the number of hospital admissions starting - starting, I stress - to flatten out.

"You can see (from the government's charts) that instead of going up exponentially, as they would have done if we had not taken the measures, that they are starting to come down and flatten.

"We haven't seen that enough to have confidence to make changes. The answer to your question, about have we reached the peak, is nobody knows."

Asked about the chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, saying the UK was two weeks away from the peak, Hancock added: "Our judgment is that we are not there yet and that we haven't seen a flattening enough to be able to say that we have reached the peak."

8.37am BST

Publicly-funded US broadcaster Voice of America has rubbished criticism from the White House that it is promoting Chinese "foreign propaganda" on the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement on Friday, Donald Trump's administration claimed VOA pushed Beijing's message by tweeting a video of celebrations at the end of Wuhan's quarantine measures, and noting the US had surpassed China's death toll.

8.26am BST

Congo has been battling an Ebola outbreak that has killed thousands of people for more than 18 months, and now it must also face the coronavirus pandemic.

Ebola has left those living in the country's east weary and fearful, and, just as they were preparing to declare an end to the outbreak, a new case popped up. Now, they will now have to manage both threats at once.

The new virus has overwhelmed some of the worlds best hospital systems in Europe and ripped through communities in New York. In Congo, it could spread unchecked in a country that has endured decades of conflict. It's also unclear how forthcoming international support will be at a time when the whole world is battling coronavirus.

It all feels like one big storm, said Martine Milonde, a Congolese community mobiliser who works with the aid group World Vision in Beni, which has been the center of the Ebola outbreak. Truly, this is a crisis within a crisis within a crisis. The community suffers from insecurity, and suffered under Ebola, and now may have to face Covid-19.

8.20am BST

Hello. I am taking over the Guardian's global live feed, bringing you all the latest information on coronavirus. Please feel free to share any information with me via any of the means below.

Twitter: @sloumarsh
Instagram: sarah_marsh_journalist
Email: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com

Also, feel it's worth sharing the Guardian's UK front page today, which looks at the lives lost so far.

The Guardian's front page today. A much needed moment of reflection on the lives lost. #coronavirusnews #coronavirus

8.18am BST

Here is our at-a-glance guide to the most recent developments.

I'm now handing over to my colleague in London, Sarah Marsh.

8.06am BST

The Philippines has temporarily banned health workers from leaving for overseas jobs in an attempt to strengthen its own health systems.
On Friday the death toll from the coronavirus in the country reached 221, while confirmed cases totalled 4,195.
The ruling preventing doctors, nurses and others from taking work abroad has prompted an online petition from nurses and as well as criticism from medical groups.
"If the government wants to keep our health workers within our country, then we must offer competitive salaries and benefits so they will choose to stay, instead of being forced to," Leah Paquiz of the nursing advocacy group Ang Nars told the Rappler website.

7.26am BST

Here is a summary of the latest developments:

7.06am BST

Thailand recorded 45 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, bringing the total in the country to 2,518. The death toll also rose from 33 to 35.

Earlier this week, officials defended the country's approach to testing and surveillance, saying that health teams were focused on targeted testing, rather than rolling out mass tests. Some have questioned if the country's low case numbers are due to a lack of testing. Between January and April, 71,860 samples have been tested.

6.50am BST

South Korea has announced plans to strap tracking wristbands on people who ignore quarantine orders, with officials warning that stricter controls were required to enforce self-isolation rules.

Some of the 57,000 people who are under orders to stay home have apparently slipped out by leaving behind their smartphones, which are currently used to monitor movement.

A South Korean health official, Yoon Tae-ho, acknowledged privacy concerns but said the wristbands were necessary because the number of people under self-quarantine has soared over recent weeks. Since April 1, the country has required new arrivals from abroad to isolate for 14-day.

Lee Beom-seok, an official from the ministry of the interior and safety, said the government could not force people to wear the wristbands, but that citizens would be asked to sign consent forms. Those who agree to do so could be considered for lighter punishment. People can face up to a year in prison or fined as much as $8,200 for breaking quarantine orders in the country.

South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 886 of the countrys 10,480 coronavirus infections have been traced to international arrivals.

6.12am BST

Here's a bit of positive news from Turkey, where doctors are celebrating the recovery of a 93-year-old woman, Alye Gunduz, who was discharged from an Istanbul hospital following 10 days of treatment.

"It is promising because patients at this age and with chronic diseases are most of the time unable to recover because they are at highest risk from Covid-19," chief physician Zekayi Kutlubay told AFP.

5.31am BST

We are all finding new ways to adapt to life under lockdown. In Myanmar's commercial capital, Yangon - where residents ha

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