news--2020-02-10--'It wasn't funny': Dele Alli apologises for mocking coronavirus outbreak in video

Tottenham star Dele Alli has apologised after he appeared to joke about an Asian man while mocking the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in a video on Snapchat .
The England and Tottenham midfielder uploaded , then quickly deleted , the video from his Snapchat account on Saturday , which showed him wearing a mask while referencing the deadly virus in an airport departure lounge ahead of a holiday .
A group of what are believed to be Chinese accents can be heard in the background before Alli turns the camera towards an unsuspecting man of Asian appearance .
The video then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wash , which was captioned : `` This virus gunna [ sic ] have to be quicker than that to catch me . ''
He issued an apology on Sunday using Chinese social media platform Weibo , saying he had let himself and his team down .
Alli said : `` Hi guys , it 's Dele ; I just wanted to apologise on my behalf for the video I posted on Snapchat yesterday .
`` It was n't funny and I realised that immediately and took it down .
I let myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't want you to have that impression of me because it was n't funny and I realised that straight away and took it down .
`` It is n't something that should be joked about .
I 'm sending all my love and all my thoughts and prayers to everyone in China . ''
Tottenham Hotspur told Sky News in a brief statement : `` Dele has recognised he made a grave error of judgement and has issued two separate apologies . ''
The club is currently on its winter break from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next game on 16 February with a trip to Aston Villa .
It comes as Asian people in the UK report that the coronavirus has seemingly led to a rise in racism such as people appearing to avoid them on public transport , with the Chinese ambassador warning against `` rumours and panic '' over the virus .

Tottenham star Dele Alli has apologised after he appeared to joke about an Asian man while mocking the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in a video on Snapchat.
The England and Tottenham midfielder uploaded, then quickly deleted, the video from his Snapchat account on Saturday, which showed him wearing a mask while referencing the deadly virus in an airport departure lounge ahead of a holiday.
A group of what are believed to be Chinese accents can be heard in the background before Alli turns the camera towards an unsuspecting man of Asian appearance.
The video then pans to a bottle of antiseptic hand wash, which was captioned: "This virus gunna [sic] have to be quicker than that to catch me."
He issued an apology on Sunday using Chinese social media platform Weibo, saying he had let himself and his team down.
Alli said: "Hi guys, it's Dele; I just wanted to apologise on my behalf for the video I posted on Snapchat yesterday.
Image: Coronavirus 'isn't something that should be joked about', Dele Alli said
"It wasn't funny and I realised that immediately and took it down. I let myself down and the club.
"I don't want you to have that impression of me because it wasn't funny and I realised that straight away and took it down.
"It isn't something that should be joked about. I'm sending all my love and all my thoughts and prayers to everyone in China."
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:52 Five Britons test positive for coronavirus in France
Tottenham Hotspur told Sky News in a brief statement: "Dele has recognised he made a grave error of judgement and has issued two separate apologies."
The club is currently on its winter break from the Premier League, and plays its next game on 16 February with a trip to Aston Villa.
It comes as Asian people in the UK report that the coronavirus has seemingly led to a rise in racism such as people appearing to avoid them on public transport, with the Chinese ambassador warning against "rumours and panic" over the virus.


news--2020-02-10--Coronavirus: What is a 'superspreader' and how did UK man pass on the virus?

A British man who contracted coronavirus in Singapore appears to be linked to at least 11 other cases , prompting fears he could be a so-called `` superspreader '' - but what does it mean ?
A person who has a disproportionately higher ability to infect others with a virus .
Many outbreaks in the past have been found to follow the 20:80 rule , with about 20 % of individuals contributing to 80 % of the disease 's spread .
Identifying them is vital to keep an outbreak under control .
It is unclear why a person can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some people may `` shed '' more of the virus into the environment ( eg when they cough or sneeze ) because of how their immune system works .
A person 's behaviour may also contribute to them becoming a superspreader .
For instance , someone who travels a lot and has contact with many people - such as an international business executive - could spread the virus to multiple people .
This appears to be the case with the British businessman - who travelled from Singapore to the French Alps and back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to multiple cases .
Another suspected superspreader in the current outbreak is a man believed to have infected 14 workers at a hospital in Wuhan , China .
Scientists in China have found the new coronavirus can have an incubation period of up to 24 days - although currently the World Heath Organisation estimates the incubation period to be up to 14 days .
The superspreader phenomenon was also identified in the SARS outbreak in 2002-2004 .
One famous case from history is `` Typhoid Mary '' - an Irish cook who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of the last century .
How did British man spread the virus ?
24 January - Flies to Contamines-Montjoie ski resort in the Haute-Savoie area of the French Alps .
28 January - Takes the 6.50pm easyJet fight from Geneva in Switzerland to London Gatwick .
The airline says all passengers seated near the man will be contacted , but that the risk is `` very low '' .
6 February - Man diagnosed with the virus at a Brighton hospital and later transferred to Guy 's and St Thomas ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK 's third case after two people diagnosed in York .
Before his diagnosis he visited The Grenadier pub in Hove - but health officials have said there is `` minimal ongoing risk of infection to either guests or staff . ''
8 February - Five Britons who were in a ski chalet with him test positive - including a nine-year-old .
A group of 11 from the UK were sharing the chalet .
They are quarantined at a French hospital but not in a serious condition .
9 February - Another British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ski resort - tests positive in Majorca .
His wife and two daughters test negative .
9/10 February - Five more people are diagnosed with the virus by UK officials .
They are also understood to have come into contact with the man in the French ski resort - although it 's not clear if they were staying in the chalet .
It brings the total confirmed cases in the UK to eight .
A Brighton medical surgery also closes after it is linked to one of the newly diagnosed cases .

A British man who contracted coronavirus in Singapore appears to be linked to at least 11 other cases, prompting fears he could be a so-called "superspreader" - but what does it mean?
What is a superspreader?
A person who has a disproportionately higher ability to infect others with a virus.
Many outbreaks in the past have been found to follow the 20:80 rule, with about 20% of individuals contributing to 80% of the disease's spread.
Identifying them is vital to keep an outbreak under control.
It is unclear why a person can be a superspreader.
It's been suggested some people may "shed" more of the virus into the environment (eg when they cough or sneeze) because of how their immune system works.
A person's behaviour may also contribute to them becoming a superspreader.
For instance, someone who travels a lot and has contact with many people - such as an international business executive - could spread the virus to multiple people.
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This appears to be the case with the British businessman - who travelled from Singapore to the French Alps and back to the UK, and is being linked to multiple cases.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:57 Coronavirus: Residents dragged from flat
Another suspected superspreader in the current outbreak is a man believed to have infected 14 workers at a hospital in Wuhan, China.
Scientists in China have found the new coronavirus can have an incubation period of up to 24 days - although currently the World Heath Organisation estimates the incubation period to be up to 14 days.
The superspreader phenomenon was also identified in the SARS outbreak in 2002-2004.
One famous case from history is "Typhoid Mary" - an Irish cook who infected 51 people in the US at the start of the last century.
How did British man spread the virus?
20-23 January - UK businessman attends conference at a five-star Singapore hotel organised by UK gas analytics company Servomex.
24 January - Flies to Contamines-Montjoie ski resort in the Haute-Savoie area of the French Alps.
28 January - Takes the 6.50pm easyJet fight from Geneva in Switzerland to London Gatwick.
The airline says all passengers seated near the man will be contacted, but that the risk is "very low".
6 February - Man diagnosed with the virus at a Brighton hospital and later transferred to Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London.
He becomes the UK's third case after two people diagnosed in York.
Before his diagnosis he visited The Grenadier pub in Hove - but health officials have said there is "minimal ongoing risk of infection to either guests or staff."
8 February - Five Britons who were in a ski chalet with him test positive - including a nine-year-old. A group of 11 from the UK were sharing the chalet.
They are quarantined at a French hospital but not in a serious condition.
9 February - Another British man - who was also in the ski resort - tests positive in Majorca. His wife and two daughters test negative.
9/10 February - Five more people are diagnosed with the virus by UK officials.
They are also understood to have come into contact with the man in the French ski resort - although it's not clear if they were staying in the chalet.
It brings the total confirmed cases in the UK to eight.
A Brighton medical surgery also closes after it is linked to one of the newly diagnosed cases.


news--2020-02-10--Coronavirus: Amazon becomes latest tech firm to pull out of trade show over outbreak fears

Amazon is the latest technology company to completely pull out of attending this month 's Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona because of the coronavirus outbreak .
MWC normally attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Barcelona with up to 6,000 of them arriving from China , where the outbreak began and has killed 908 people to date .
In a statement on Sunday , Amazon said : `` Due to the outbreak and continued concerns about the new coronavirus , Amazon will withdraw from exhibiting and participating in Mobile World Congress 2020 . ''
Amazon 's cloud computing arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled to to host a full-day conference track on the first day of the event on 24 February .
The announcement followed similar decisions from companies including the Swedish firm Ericsson , typically one of the biggest exhibitors at the event , American computer processor firm Nvidia and the Korean company LG .
GSMA , the global telecoms industry association behind MWC , confirmed in a statement that `` some large exhibitors have decided not to come to the show this year with others still contemplating next steps '' .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhibitors have put in place , notably ZTE and Huawei , '' GSMA added .
GSMA stated in addition to the Spanish authorities ' measures it was banning all travellers from the Hubei province from entering the event , while any visitors who have been in China will need to demonstrate proof that they have been outside of China for a fortnight prior to the event .
Attendees will also be temperature screened and will need to self-certify that they have not been in contact with anyone infected with coronavirus .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described as a `` serious and imminent threat '' to the public .
The announcement gives the government additional powers to fight the spread of the virus , which originated in a market in Wuhan , China and has been confirmed in eight people in the UK .
A Department of Health statement said : `` The Secretary of State has made regulations to ensure that the public are protected as far as possible from the transmission of the virus .
• The global number of deaths is 910 , with 908 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japanese person • British citizens flown on a second evacuation flight from Wuhan on Sunday are being quarantined at Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes • In the UK 795 people have been tested for coronavirus , with eight positive • A British man infected in Singapore could be a `` superspreader '' as he is linked to at least seven confirmed cases in England , France and Spain • A British family of four is being tested in Majorca after coming into contact with the man in France • A total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday - the largest in a single day since the outbreak was detected in mid-December , denting optimism the death control measures are fighting the outbreak • On Sunday , 3,062 new virus cases were reported in China - a 15 % increase from the day before , bringing the total to 40,171 , including 27 foreigners • More than 360 cases have been confirmed outside mainland China , with two deaths • The total number of deaths exceeds the 774 killed by the 2002/3 SARS outbreak • Confirmed cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by SARS

Amazon is the latest technology company to completely pull out of attending this month's Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona because of the coronavirus outbreak.
MWC normally attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Barcelona with up to 6,000 of them arriving from China, where the outbreak began and has killed 908 people to date.
In a statement on Sunday, Amazon said: "Due to the outbreak and continued concerns about the new coronavirus, Amazon will withdraw from exhibiting and participating in Mobile World Congress 2020."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:25 Briton blocked from boarding flight in Wuhan
Amazon's cloud computing arm Amazon Web Services (AWS) was scheduled to to host a full-day conference track on the first day of the event on 24 February.
The announcement followed similar decisions from companies including the Swedish firm Ericsson, typically one of the biggest exhibitors at the event, American computer processor firm Nvidia and the Korean company LG.
GSMA, the global telecoms industry association behind MWC, confirmed in a statement that "some large exhibitors have decided not to come to the show this year with others still contemplating next steps".
"We are grateful for the preventative measures our Chinese exhibitors have put in place, notably ZTE and Huawei," GSMA added.
GSMA stated in addition to the Spanish authorities' measures it was banning all travellers from the Hubei province from entering the event, while any visitors who have been in China will need to demonstrate proof that they have been outside of China for a fortnight prior to the event.
Attendees will also be temperature screened and will need to self-certify that they have not been in contact with anyone infected with coronavirus.
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In the UK the spread of coronavirus has been described as a "serious and imminent threat" to the public.
The announcement gives the government additional powers to fight the spread of the virus, which originated in a market in Wuhan, China and has been confirmed in eight people in the UK.
A Department of Health statement said: "The Secretary of State has made regulations to ensure that the public are protected as far as possible from the transmission of the virus.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:00 Children tested for coronavirus in French Alpine village
The latest coronavirus outbreak updates:
The global number of deaths is 910, with 908 in China, including an American and a Japanese person
British citizens flown on a second evacuation flight from Wuhan on Sunday are being quarantined at Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes
in Milton Keynes In the UK 795 people have been tested for coronavirus, with eight positive
A British man infected in Singapore could be a "superspreader" as he is linked to at least seven confirmed cases in England, France and Spain


news--2020-02-10--UK coronavirus cases double as four more test positive after contact with 'superspreader'

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has doubled after four people came into contact with a man thought to be a `` superspreader '' .
They were all infected after contact in France with the UK 's third confirmed coronavirus patient - a businessman who contracted the virus in Singapore and was diagnosed in Brighton .
The four new patients , which bring the total infected to eight , have been transferred to infectious disease units at Guy 's and St Thomas ' and The Royal Free hospitals in London .
French authorities said on Sunday five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been diagnosed with the disease .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker They had been staying in the same chalet in Les Contamines-Montjoie as the British businessman and are not in a serious condition in hospital in France , French authorities said .
Another British man who came into contact with the infected businessman in the same French resort was confirmed as having coronavirus in Majorca on Sunday , while his wife and two daughters tested negative .
The man who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought to be a `` superspreader '' - a person who has a disproportionately higher ability to infect others with a virus , sometimes through how their immune system works or through travelling a lot and having contact with many people .
Eleven cases , all Britons , have been linked to him - five in the UK , five in France and one in Majorca .
easyJet confirmed the businessman flew from Geneva to the UK on 28 January .
England 's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said : `` Experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard tracing patient contacts from the UK cases .
`` They successfully identified these individuals and ensured the appropriate support was provided . ''
• The global number of deaths is 910 , with 908 in China , including an American and a Japanese person • A total of 97 people died of coronavirus in China on Sunday - the largest in a single day since the outbreak was detected in mid-December , denting optimism the death control measures are fighting the outbreak • On Sunday , 3,062 new virus cases were reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the day before , bringing the total to 40,171 , including 27 foreigners • More than 360 cases have been confirmed outside mainland China , with two deaths • The total number of deaths exceeds the 774 killed by the 2002/3 SARS outbreak • Confirmed cases of the new virus vastly exceed the 8,098 infected by SARS The first people in the UK to test positive for the virus were a student at the University of York and their relative on 31 January , having recently returned from China .
On 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first British national and the supposed superspreader - tested positive for coronavirus in the UK .
He also visited The Grenadier pub in Hove , next to Brighton , which said it has been told by Public Health England there is `` minimal ongoing risk of infection to either guests or staff , so please be reassured that the pub remains open for business as usual '' .
And on 9 February , a fourth person was confirmed as having the virus , having acquired it in Les Contamines-Montjoie where they had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's third confirmed case .
Following the arrival of the UK 's second evacuation flight from Wuhan on Sunday , the government declared on Monday the spread of coronavirus is a `` serious and imminent threat '' to the British public - giving health professionals legal powers to keep those in supported isolation after one patient tried to escape from Arrowe Park Hospital .

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has doubled after four people came into contact with a man thought to be a "superspreader".
They were all infected after contact in France with the UK's third confirmed coronavirus patient - a businessman who contracted the virus in Singapore and was diagnosed in Brighton.
The four new patients, which bring the total infected to eight, have been transferred to infectious disease units at Guy's and St Thomas' and The Royal Free hospitals in London.
French authorities said on Sunday five Britons, including a nine-year-old child, had been diagnosed with the disease.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
They had been staying in the same chalet in Les Contamines-Montjoie as the British businessman and are not in a serious condition in hospital in France, French authorities said.
Another British man who came into contact with the infected businessman in the same French resort was confirmed as having coronavirus in Majorca on Sunday, while his wife and two daughters tested negative.
Image: Five British people were infected with coronavirus after sharing a chalet in Les Contamines-Montjoie, France, with another British person infected in Singapore
The man who they have come in contact with is thought to be a "superspreader" - a person who has a disproportionately higher ability to infect others with a virus, sometimes through how their immune system works or through travelling a lot and having contact with many people.
Image: The movements of the 'superspreader'
Eleven cases, all Britons, have been linked to him - five in the UK, five in France and one in Majorca.
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:57 Coronavirus: Residents dragged from flat
easyJet confirmed the businessman flew from Geneva to the UK on 28 January.
England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: "Experts at Public Health England continue to work hard tracing patient contacts from the UK cases.
"They successfully identified these individuals and ensured the appropriate support was provided."
The latest coronavirus outbreak updates:
The global number of deaths is 910, with 908 in China, including an American and a Japanese person
A total of 97 people died of coronavirus in China on Sunday - the largest in a single day since the outbreak was detected in mid-December, denting optimism the death control measures are fighting the outbreak
On Sunday, 3,062 new virus cases were reported in China - a 15% increase from the day before, bringing the total to 40,171, including 27 foreigners
More than 360 cases have been confirmed outside mainland China, with two deaths
The total number of deaths exceeds the 774 killed by the 2002/3 SARS outbreak
Confirmed cases of the new virus vastly exceed the 8,098 infected by SARS
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:34 'My jackets stopped me leaving Wuhan'
The first people in the UK to test positive for the virus were a student at the University of York and their relative on 31 January, having recently returned from China.
On 6 February, a third person - the first British national and the supposed superspreader - tested positive for coronavirus in the UK.
He also visited The Grenadier pub in Hove, next to Brighton, which said it has been told by Public Health England there is "minimal ongoing risk of infection to either guests or staff, so please be reassured that the pub remains open for business as usual".
And on 9 February, a fourth person was confirmed as having the virus, having acquired it in Les Contamines-Montjoie where they had been staying in a chalet with the UK's third confirmed case.
Following the arrival of the UK's second evacuation flight from Wuhan on Sunday, the government declared on Monday the spread of coronavirus is a "serious and imminent threat" to the British public - giving health professionals legal powers to keep those in supported isolation after one patient tried to escape from Arrowe Park Hospital.


news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: Putin's 'got this' - but for how much longer?

Fourteen military planes loaded with diagnostic and disinfectant kits and some of the Russian army 's top virologists and epidemiologists have arrived in Italy , ready to assist the Italian government in the fight against COVID-19 .
Emblazoned on the side of some of their equipment was a missive to the Italian people - `` From Russia with love '' , as military specialists are deployed to Bergamo , the epicentre of the coronavirus crisis .
There is no doubt that President Vladimir Putin will delight in the opportunity to show political generosity at this time of unprecedented global emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy in Europe and the United States flounder in the face of the awful spread of the disease .
As states battling the virus adopt an every man for himself approach , it is the Kremlin - heart of Fortress Russia - which is insisting that international cooperation is key with the caveat that back home the situation is under control .
There is no need for a lockdown in Moscow , it is not even under discussion says the Kremlin 's press secretary .
Over-65s are being told to self-isolate .
Schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gyms and swimming pools .
Gatherings of more than 50 people are banned and social distancing advocated , but no need - officials say - for a lockdown .
As of Tuesday morning , Russia had just 438 cases , but this was later updated to 495 , according to the Stopcoronavirus state website which is monitoring the situation in the country .
It said that 57 new cases had been recorded in 14 regions over the past 24 hours .
But in Moscow , the city 's mayor , Sergei Sobyanin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected .
The official death toll in Russia is zero .
Last Thursday , a 79-year-old woman with COVID-19 died , but authorities attribute her death to a blood clot and not to the virus .
The government insists the numbers are correct , but just in case anyone was thinking of disputing them , Russia 's Investigative Committee promises to prosecute anyone distorting the numbers with an `` intent to aggravate panic sentiment '' .
The nation 's chief epidemiologists declare proudly that Russia is particularly well equipped to deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a highly centralised epidemic control system .
Georgiy Sapronov , chief infectious disease specialist to the president , told Sky News they have had the `` know-how '' , to deal with something like this , since World War Two .
`` Our country is a big one - one sixth of the world - and in our land we 've experienced different epidemics , like cholera and clusters of plague in Soviet times - so we 've learned to control and fight them '' , he said .
Last Friday , doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mr Putin , demanding emergency measures to fight the virus , including mass proactive testing .
Alexey Maschan , a paediatric oncologist and one of the lead signatories , says the government needs to ramp up its response , but that he believes it is being transparent on numbers .
He said : `` We know that for every proven case of any respiratory infectious disease , there are many cases which are clinically inapparent .
`` So I can imagine if there are hundreds of proven cases there are already hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is the law of epidemics not the specific Russian situation .
Once the lie begins , the war is lost . ''
A close relationship with Beijing and an eye for what worked there , plus a lax approach to civil liberties means Russia may have gained a head start in keeping the virus at bay .
The new government closed the country 's long border with China at the end of January even though Hubei province is a good 1,864 miles ( 3,000km ) south of Russia 's Far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's mayor imposed a regime of `` increased readiness '' , requiring visitors returning from the worst affected countries to self-isolate for 14 days .
The new COVID-19 crisis team has just announced it will track sick patients and those they have been in contact with , through their mobile phones - a new tech addition to the dense CCTV facial recognition surveillance system which already supervises Muscovites ' quarantine .
But there is an ominous sense that the storm is coming .
The numbers of cases are low , but they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protestations that there is no need for panic , the Kremlin is preparing for the worst .
The Italian military delegation will have learnings to deliver to superiors back in Moscow as to how to mitigate the worst of a pandemic back home .
Even though the authorities insist there is no need for a lockdown , have no doubt they will enforce one as soon as they feel it is necessary , and it will be strict .
Vladimir Putin has a knack for seeing opportunities in crisis and this pandemic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil prices plummeted and markets tanked than for Russian MPs two weeks ago , to propose zeroing the presidential term clock , allowing the incumbent to start again come 2024 as though he had not just spent the last almost two and a half decades in power .
As Western democracies battle both the exponential spread of the virus and public rage at the decision-making of their politicians , Mr Putin is able to cast himself as an anchor of stability in a wildly uncertain world .
Putin 's Russia , a power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of crisis , sending out thousands of Russian testing kits to countries within its orbit , from Iran to Central Asia , to Venezuela - dispatching military healthcare advisers to help Italy 's exhausted hospital staff , keeping Russians ( apparently ) safe as the rest of the world weathers the COVID-19 tornado .
But like wars , the virus changes day to day in a terrifyingly short period of time .
It may scupper the president 's plans to hold a nationwide vote on 22 April to validate constitutional reforms which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping him in power .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker .
If it hits Russia with force , if the rouble continues to drop , there is precious little economic cushioning for the majority of Russians quite apart from the precarious nature of healthcare outside of Moscow and St Petersburg .
Speaking on state TV channel , Russia 24 on Tuesday , virologist Alexander Chepurnov .
said the country is around three weeks behind Italy in terms of the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if anything causes Russians to question whether they do actually want him forever , it is this looming health crisis , and the means and efficacy by which he responds .

Fourteen military planes loaded with diagnostic and disinfectant kits and some of the Russian army's top virologists and epidemiologists have arrived in Italy, ready to assist the Italian government in the fight against COVID-19.
Emblazoned on the side of some of their equipment was a missive to the Italian people - "From Russia with love", as military specialists are deployed to Bergamo, the epicentre of the coronavirus crisis.
Image: Military vehicles have 'From Russia with Love' emblazoned on the side
Image: Cargo planes with medical equipment are being sent to Bergamo
Image: The equipment is heading to the heart of the outbreak
There is no doubt that President Vladimir Putin will delight in the opportunity to show political generosity at this time of unprecedented global emergency, as the great bastions of liberal democracy in Europe and the United States flounder in the face of the awful spread of the disease.
As states battling the virus adopt an every man for himself approach, it is the Kremlin - heart of Fortress Russia - which is insisting that international cooperation is key with the caveat that back home the situation is under control.
Image: Vladimir Putin's government has dismissed the prospect of a lockdown
Image: Red Square looks relatively empty but people are still out enjoying the sunshine
There is no need for a lockdown in Moscow, it is not even under discussion says the Kremlin's press secretary. Over-65s are being told to self-isolate.
Schools are shut, as are cinemas, gyms and swimming pools.
Gatherings of more than 50 people are banned and social distancing advocated, but no need - officials say - for a lockdown.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 4:52 Italian mayor's warning to Britain over COVID-19
As of Tuesday morning, Russia had just 438 cases, but this was later updated to 495, according to the Stopcoronavirus state website which is monitoring the situation in the country.
It said that 57 new cases had been recorded in 14 regions over the past 24 hours.
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But in Moscow, the city's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, claims up to 500 people may be infected.
The official death toll in Russia is zero.
Last Thursday, a 79-year-old woman with COVID-19 died, but authorities attribute her death to a blood clot and not to the virus.
The government insists the numbers are correct, but just in case anyone was thinking of disputing them, Russia's Investigative Committee promises to prosecute anyone distorting the numbers with an "intent to aggravate panic sentiment".
The nation's chief epidemiologists declare proudly that Russia is particularly well equipped to deal with the virus thanks to Soviet efforts to build a highly centralised epidemic control system.
Georgiy Sapronov, chief infectious disease specialist to the president, told Sky News they have had the "know-how", to deal with something like this, since World War Two.
"Our country is a big one - one sixth of the world - and in our land we've experienced different epidemics, like cholera and clusters of plague in Soviet times - so we've learned to control and fight them", he said.
Last Friday, doctors and public figures signed an open letter to Mr Putin, demanding emergency measures to fight the virus, including mass proactive testing.
Image: Schools, cinemas, gyms and swimming pools are shut, but Russia is not on lockdown
Alexey Maschan, a paediatric oncologist and one of the lead signatories, says the government needs to ramp up its response, but that he believes it is being transparent on numbers.
He said: "We know that for every proven case of any respiratory infectious disease, there are many cases which are clinically inapparent.
"So I can imagine if there are hundreds of proven cases there are already hundreds if not thousands of clinically undetected cases.
"This is the law of epidemics not the specific Russian situation. Once the lie begins, the war is lost."
Image: The famous Bolshoi Theatre, like all cultural institutions in Russia, is closed until further notice
A close relationship with Beijing and an eye for what worked there, plus a lax approach to civil liberties means Russia may have gained a head start in keeping the virus at bay.
The new government closed the country's long border with China at the end of January even though Hubei province is a good 1,864 miles (3,000km) south of Russia's Far East.
Three weeks ago, Moscow's mayor imposed a regime of "increased readiness", requiring visitors returning from the worst affected countries to self-isolate for 14 days.
The new COVID-19 crisis team has just announced it will track sick patients and those they have been in contact with, through their mobile phones - a new tech addition to the dense CCTV facial recognition surveillance system which already supervises Muscovites' quarantine.
But there is an ominous sense that the storm is coming.
Image: Most businesses in the Russian capital are still open as usual
The numbers of cases are low, but they are growing each day.
Behind all the protestations that there is no need for panic, the Kremlin is preparing for the worst.
The Italian military delegation will have learnings to deliver to superiors back in Moscow as to how to mitigate the worst of a pandemic back home.
Even though the authorities insist there is no need for a lockdown, have no doubt they will enforce one as soon as they feel it is necessary, and it will be strict.
Vladimir Putin has a knack for seeing opportunities in crisis and this pandemic is no exception.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:08 Driving through London's empty streets
What better time as oil prices plummeted and markets tanked than for Russian MPs two weeks ago, to propose zeroing the presidential term clock, allowing the incumbent to start again come 2024 as though he had not just spent the last almost two and a half decades in power.
As Western democracies battle both the exponential spread of the virus and public rage at the decision-making of their politicians, Mr Putin is able to cast himself as an anchor of stability in a wildly uncertain world.
Putin's Russia, a power capable of lending a hand at this time of crisis, sending out thousands of Russian testing kits to countries within its orbit, from Iran to Central Asia, to Venezuela - dispatching military healthcare advisers to help Italy's exhausted hospital staff, keeping Russians (apparently) safe as the rest of the world weathers the COVID-19 tornado.
But like wars, the virus changes day to day in a terrifyingly short period of time.
It may scupper the president's plans to hold a nationwide vote on 22 April to validate constitutional reforms which are little more than a fig-leaf for keeping him in power.
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If it hits Russia with force, if the rouble continues to drop, there is precious little economic cushioning for the majority of Russians quite apart from the precarious nature of healthcare outside of Moscow and St Petersburg.
Speaking on state TV channel, Russia 24 on Tuesday, virologist Alexander Chepurnov. said the country is around three weeks behind Italy in terms of the spread of the virus.
Mr Putin knows that if anything causes Russians to question whether they do actually want him forever, it is this looming health crisis, and the means and efficacy by which he responds.


news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: France deaths hit 1,100 as another 743 die in Italy

France has become the fifth country to report more than 1,000 coronavirus-related deaths - as another 743 people died from the disease in Italy .
The death toll in France stands at 1,100 , compared with 860 deaths yesterday - an increase of 240 .
A French public health official also said there are 2,516 people needing life support .
Over the same 24-hour period , Italy registered its second-highest number of deaths in a day as it continues to be gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Officials said today that 743 people had died after testing positive , bringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded more coronavirus-related deaths than anywhere else in the world .
More than 69,000 people have tested positive in Italy , with 5,249 new cases reported on Tuesday .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker Many of the deaths are in the Lombardy region in the north , with the city of Bergamo the worst-hit .
But for two days running , the percentage increase in the number of cases has stood at around 8 % - the lowest rise in percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to light on 21 February .
Meanwhile , India has announced a `` total lockdown '' of its population of 1.3 billion people to save `` every Indian '' .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the measures would come in from midnight and initially last for three weeks .
In a televised address , he said : `` To save India and every Indian , there will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes . ''
He added that if the country failed to manage the next 21 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Indian health officials have so far reported 469 confirmed cases and 10 deaths .
It comes after a spokeswoman for the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) said the US could soon see a surge akin to those experienced across Europe .
More than 46,000 cases and 530 deaths have been reported in America , with more than 20,000 in New York state alone .
Health officials and leaders also warned the world is now hitting the stage that will determine how badly each nation will be affected by COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressing ahead with stay-at-home restrictions which affect 1.5 billion people worldwide .
WHO chiefs say there is still time to slow the spread of the virus .
The head of the organisation , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said we are `` not helpless bystanders '' and we can still `` change the trajectory of this pandemic '' .
In New York - one of the world 's biggest virus hotspots - authorities rushed to set up thousands of hospital beds they will need to protect the city 's 8.4 million people .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from shortages in basic supplies , while governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to convert a convention centre into a hospital .
`` This is going to get much worse before it gets better , '' he said .
Mr Cuomo also announced two experimental medical interventions in a bid to battle back against the illness before more sophisticated therapies are developed .
Health officials are planning to collect plasma from people who have recovered after contracting coronavirus and inject the antibody-rich fluid into patients still battling COVID-19 .
Another therapy involves antibody testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
Mr Cuomo said the test `` shows promise '' , but added that it was `` only a trial for people who are in a serious condition '' .
Meanwhile , the number of coronavirus deaths in Spain - the second worst-affected country in Europe - rose by 514 to 2,696 , with more than 6,000 new cases .
There have now been 39,673 confirmed cases there , up from 33,089 on Monday .
The virus has continued to surge in Spain , forcing a nationwide lockdown that has closed shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people from leaving their homes .
Funeral homes have been left well over capacity as hospitals struggle to cope .
An ice rink at the Palacio de Hielo shopping mall in Madrid is now being used as a makeshift morgue .
Germany , however , has indicated that its infection curve could have been flattened after it imposed its own social distancing measures .

France has become the fifth country to report more than 1,000 coronavirus-related deaths - as another 743 people died from the disease in Italy.
The death toll in France stands at 1,100, compared with 860 deaths yesterday - an increase of 240.
A French public health official also said there are 2,516 people needing life support.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:31 'There is sadness everywhere'
Over the same 24-hour period, Italy registered its second-highest number of deaths in a day as it continues to be gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials said today that 743 people had died after testing positive, bringing the total to 6,820.
Italy has recorded more coronavirus-related deaths than anywhere else in the world.
More than 69,000 people have tested positive in Italy, with 5,249 new cases reported on Tuesday.
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
Many of the deaths are in the Lombardy region in the north, with the city of Bergamo the worst-hit.
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But for two days running, the percentage increase in the number of cases has stood at around 8% - the lowest rise in percentage terms since the contagion in the country came to light on 21 February.
Meanwhile, India has announced a "total lockdown" of its population of 1.3 billion people to save "every Indian".
Image: Police officers try to stop a motorcyclist at a barrier in India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the measures would come in from midnight and initially last for three weeks.
In a televised address, he said: "To save India and every Indian, there will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes."
He added that if the country failed to manage the next 21 days, it would be set back 21 years.
Indian health officials have so far reported 469 confirmed cases and 10 deaths.
It comes after a spokeswoman for the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the US could soon see a surge akin to those experienced across Europe.
More than 46,000 cases and 530 deaths have been reported in America, with more than 20,000 in New York state alone.
Image: People stand six feet apart as they wait in a two-hour line to buy marijuana products in Denver, Colorado
Health officials and leaders also warned the world is now hitting the stage that will determine how badly each nation will be affected by COVID-19.
Countries in Europe and North America are pressing ahead with stay-at-home restrictions which affect 1.5 billion people worldwide.
WHO chiefs say there is still time to slow the spread of the virus.
The head of the organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said we are "not helpless bystanders" and we can still "change the trajectory of this pandemic".
In New York - one of the world's biggest virus hotspots - authorities rushed to set up thousands of hospital beds they will need to protect the city's 8.4 million people.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:59 Trump: 'Virus is invisible, horrible enemy'
The city's hospitals are around 10 days from shortages in basic supplies, while governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to convert a convention centre into a hospital.
"This is going to get much worse before it gets better," he said.
Mr Cuomo also announced two experimental medical interventions in a bid to battle back against the illness before more sophisticated therapies are developed.
Image: Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk in Venice, California
Health officials are planning to collect plasma from people who have recovered after contracting coronavirus and inject the antibody-rich fluid into patients still battling COVID-19.
Another therapy involves antibody testing in order to send survivors back to work.
Mr Cuomo said the test "shows promise", but added that it was "only a trial for people who are in a serious condition".
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus deaths in Spain - the second worst-affected country in Europe - rose by 514 to 2,696, with more than 6,000 new cases.
There have now been 39,673 confirmed cases there, up from 33,089 on Monday.
Image: Spain's military install a tent hospital in the underground parking lot of a hospital in Oviedo
The virus has continued to surge in Spain, forcing a nationwide lockdown that has closed shops and bars and prevented more than 46 million people from leaving their homes.
Funeral homes have been left well over capacity as hospitals struggle to cope.
An ice rink at the Palacio de Hielo shopping mall in Madrid is now being used as a makeshift morgue.
Image: Members of the Spanish military emergency unit leave a makeshift morgue in Madrid
Germany, however, has indicated that its infection curve could have been flattened after it imposed its own social distancing measures.


news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: How you can protect your mental health during lockdown

Millions of people in the UK and across the globe are having to self-isolate as authorities impose lockdowns to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
For most , the extended period of `` social distancing '' away from loved ones and friends can be hard on mental health .
Psychotherapist Lucy Beresford tells Sky News how people living alone , couples and families with children can cope with staying indoors for three weeks or more .
The first thing to recognise is that we 're all going to wobble at some point .
Let go of the perfectionism that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it perfectly all the time .
It 's about your approach and mindset over the next three weeks as the government enforces a lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus .
Ms Beresford adds : `` We need to see this as an opportunity to do some different , maybe even some quite special things .
`` It 's about having some practical tips and a structure or a routine . ''
So what can you do in practical terms ?
Do n't watch television all day , Ms Beresford warns .
Have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities such as `` writing down a gratitude list , clearing out that spare cupboard that you 've been putting off for years , learn a few new recipes '' .
She suggests practical , achievable tasks will give you a sense of satisfaction at the end of it .
If you 're a couple , you might want to set yourself a goal to learn a new activity .
`` A new gym routine , maybe a new language , '' she said .
Tangible activities that you can use once the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychotherapist says if you 've got kids , perhaps teaching them how to play chess or get them to teach you how to use the computer in a more sophisticated way .
`` Give them a little bit of responsibility .
Give them some tasks that make them feel like they 're , they 're growing as people , '' she added .
If you 're on your own , Lucy Beresford says draw up a list of all the people that you have n't spoken to in a while .
She explains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be our new friend , who knew ?
`` We can still communicate by video messaging and if we can see people , wave at them , do virtual hugs , it 's going to make us feel less alone . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker If you 're worried about finances , Ms Beresford says anxiety about money is entirely natural .
She said : `` Find people that you can talk to about it .
People who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have ideas .
`` Do n't feel bad about having to step away from your career .
Become a delivery driver or volunteer with Age UK , or apply for stacking shelves at supermarkets .
It 's not going to be forever . ''

Millions of people in the UK and across the globe are having to self-isolate as authorities impose lockdowns to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
For most, the extended period of "social distancing" away from loved ones and friends can be hard on mental health.
Psychotherapist Lucy Beresford tells Sky News how people living alone, couples and families with children can cope with staying indoors for three weeks or more.
The first thing to recognise is that we're all going to wobble at some point.
Let go of the perfectionism that you're going to be able to do it perfectly all the time.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:41 Coronavirus advice to be aired in TV adverts
It's about your approach and mindset over the next three weeks as the government enforces a lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Ms Beresford adds: "We need to see this as an opportunity to do some different, maybe even some quite special things.
"It's about having some practical tips and a structure or a routine."
So what can you do in practical terms?
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:27 Isolated Italians applaud doctors and nurses
Don't watch television all day, Ms Beresford warns. Have things to do throughout the day, activities such as "writing down a gratitude list, clearing out that spare cupboard that you've been putting off for years, learn a few new recipes".
She suggests practical, achievable tasks will give you a sense of satisfaction at the end of it.
If you're a couple, you might want to set yourself a goal to learn a new activity.
"A new gym routine, maybe a new language," she said.
Tangible activities that you can use once the COVID-19 situation subsides are key.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:59 Inside Rome on lockdown
The psychotherapist says if you've got kids, perhaps teaching them how to play chess or get them to teach you how to use the computer in a more sophisticated way.
"Give them a little bit of responsibility. Give them some tasks that make them feel like they're, they're growing as people," she added.
If you're on your own, Lucy Beresford says draw up a list of all the people that you haven't spoken to in a while.
She explains: "Our landline is going to be our new friend, who knew?
"We can still communicate by video messaging and if we can see people, wave at them, do virtual hugs, it's going to make us feel less alone."
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
If you're worried about finances, Ms Beresford says anxiety about money is entirely natural.
She said: "Find people that you can talk to about it. People who are in similar situation to you as they might have ideas.
"Don't feel bad about having to step away from your career. Become a delivery driver or volunteer with Age UK, or apply for stacking shelves at supermarkets. It's not going to be forever."


news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: Wuhan's recovery offers UK some reasons to be cheerful

Barriers on Wuhan 's streets have been gradually removed over the weekend After more than two months on lockdown , Wuhan , the city at the heart of the coronavirus outbreak , will open up .
Inside the city people are already allowed to move about , subject to restrictions .
And from 8 April , those with a clean bill of health will be allowed to leave entirely .
As the UK begins its own lockdown , Wuhan offers some reasons to be cheerful .
The number of new infections there has fallen dramatically , if not quite to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who test positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic ) .
In the city where it first rampaged , coronavirus has been tamed .
But that comes with some caveats .
The restrictions in Wuhan have been much more severe than in the UK .
People have been confined entirely to their homes , with authorities delivering supplies .
Thousands have died - some not just from COVID-19 , but from other conditions that went untreated .
Wuhan still needed tens of thousands of medical workers drafted in from the rest of China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals and isolation facilities .
And the lockdown came when Wuhan had suffered fewer deaths than the UK has now .
We were there on the ground on 23 January , when the city was cut off , and at the time it seemed an extraordinary measure .
Now it is one being taken all around the world .
But it worked , something that everyone should keep in mind in the difficult weeks ahead of the UK .
That does not mean that a lockdown guarantees success , and the UK is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
But there are other remedies too .
I am currently in Seoul , South Korea - a liberal democracy that has had remarkable success .
Here , people are still going to work , still going to restaurants , still going to bars .
They have more cases of COVID-19 but far fewer deaths than the UK .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker South Korea has tested and tracked people to a huge extent , and has not imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing .
Those measures worked because they were adopted at the very beginning of the outbreak .
South Korea is close to China : geography provided an impetus that was perhaps lacking in the West .
The same goes for Taiwan , another example of a well-prepared democracy acting quickly and avoiding lockdowns .
Every country is dealing with different circumstances and taking different measures .
The UK 's trajectory is already different from South Korea and Taiwan .
But combining lockdowns with testing and tracking perhaps offers the best chance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show it can be done .

As the UK goes into lockdown, the Chinese city where the pandemic started is to lift its restrictions.
Coronavirus: Wuhan's recovery offers UK some reasons to be cheerful
Barriers on Wuhan's streets have been gradually removed over the weekend
After more than two months on lockdown, Wuhan, the city at the heart of the coronavirus outbreak, will open up.
Inside the city people are already allowed to move about, subject to restrictions.
And from 8 April, those with a clean bill of health will be allowed to leave entirely.
Image: Employees at Dongfeng Honda's auto plant in Wuhan were back at work on Monday but still ate lunch apart
As the UK begins its own lockdown, Wuhan offers some reasons to be cheerful.
The number of new infections there has fallen dramatically, if not quite to zero (China does not count those who test positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic).
In the city where it first rampaged, coronavirus has been tamed.
But that comes with some caveats. The restrictions in Wuhan have been much more severe than in the UK.
People have been confined entirely to their homes, with authorities delivering supplies. Thousands have died - some not just from COVID-19, but from other conditions that went untreated.
Wuhan still needed tens of thousands of medical workers drafted in from the rest of China, and the rapid construction of huge new hospitals and isolation facilities.
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Image: Wuhan railway station is disinfected on Tuesday as authorities announced the city would re-open on 8 April
Image: A Wuhan doctor hugs a medic from Jiangsu as he leaves after helping in the city's hospitals
And the lockdown came when Wuhan had suffered fewer deaths than the UK has now.
We were there on the ground on 23 January, when the city was cut off, and at the time it seemed an extraordinary measure. Now it is one being taken all around the world.
But it worked, something that everyone should keep in mind in the difficult weeks ahead of the UK.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:56 Social distancing puts UK to the test
That does not mean that a lockdown guarantees success, and the UK is unlikely to be as vigorous as authoritarian China.
But there are other remedies too. I am currently in Seoul, South Korea - a liberal democracy that has had remarkable success.
Here, people are still going to work, still going to restaurants, still going to bars. They have more cases of COVID-19 but far fewer deaths than the UK.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
South Korea has tested and tracked people to a huge extent, and has not imposed any lockdown, although people have been social distancing.
Those measures worked because they were adopted at the very beginning of the outbreak.
South Korea is close to China: geography provided an impetus that was perhaps lacking in the West.
The same goes for Taiwan, another example of a well-prepared democracy acting quickly and avoiding lockdowns.
Every country is dealing with different circumstances and taking different measures.
Image: Wuhan's exhibition centre was turned into a hospital as the city was overrun with coronavirus cases
The UK's trajectory is already different from South Korea and Taiwan.
But combining lockdowns with testing and tracking perhaps offers the best chance of managing coronavirus. And all these countries show it can be done.


news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: Barack Obama returns to Twitter to champion social distancing

Barack Obama has returned to Twitter full-time to promote stories about healthcare and wellbeing during the coronavirus crisis .
The former US president took a backseat from the social media site in 2017 after leaving the White House .
He periodically publishes tweets which either are dedications to important figures , news stories he has read , the work of his charity the Obama Foundation and commentary on historic moments .
But in recent days Mr Obama has ramped up his tweets - focusing largely on health and COVID-19 , the disease caused by coronavirus .
Mr Obama has encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthworkers , and volunteer .
On Thursday , he tweeted : `` Some great stories of big-hearted people coming up with new ways to come together - even while remaining apart - to help the vulnerable who face some very tough times ahead . ''
A day earlier , he said : `` As communities have begun to recognise the importance of social distancing measures to 'flatten the curve ' on COVID-19 transmission , here 's a sober but useful primer on what we should expect in the coming months .
`` In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by phone on elderly or vulnerable friends and neighbours who may need our help . ''
On Monday , he wrote : `` Here 's a useful summary of the current best thinking among public health experts on how we need to approach the fight against COVID-19 in the coming weeks . ''
Mr Obama 's focus on healthcare is not unusual as one of his main campaign pledges during the 2008 election was to improve accessibility to healthcare for all US citizens .
In 2010 , he implemented the Affordable Care Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aim of the statute is to slow the rising cost of health care by taking steps to make health insurance more available and more affordable to those who need it the most .
It also requires everyone to carry health insurance or pay a tax penalty .
As part of his presidential campaign , Donald Trump said he would aim to have the Affordable Care Act repealed and replaced with another scheme , dubbed the Health Care Freedom Act .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US Senate in July 2017 - six months after Trump took office - saw the repeal being narrowly quashed by 51 votes to 49 .
The deciding vote was cast by Republican John McCain , Mr Obama 's opposition in the 2008 election and a long-term critic of Obamacare .
At the time , Senator McCain said : `` From the beginning , I have believed that Obamacare should be repealed and replaced with a solution that increases competition , lowers costs , and improves care for the American people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate voted on would not accomplish those goals . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker

Barack Obama has returned to Twitter full-time to promote stories about healthcare and wellbeing during the coronavirus crisis.
The former US president took a backseat from the social media site in 2017 after leaving the White House.
He periodically publishes tweets which either are dedications to important figures, news stories he has read, the work of his charity the Obama Foundation and commentary on historic moments.
But in recent days Mr Obama has ramped up his tweets - focusing largely on health and COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.
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Mr Obama has encouraged his followers to social distance, praise healthworkers, and volunteer.
On Thursday, he tweeted: "Some great stories of big-hearted people coming up with new ways to come together - even while remaining apart - to help the vulnerable who face some very tough times ahead."
A day earlier, he said: "As communities have begun to recognise the importance of social distancing measures to 'flatten the curve' on COVID-19 transmission, here's a sober but useful primer on what we should expect in the coming months.
"In the meantime, remember to check up by phone on elderly or vulnerable friends and neighbours who may need our help."
On Monday, he wrote: "Here's a useful summary of the current best thinking among public health experts on how we need to approach the fight against COVID-19 in the coming weeks."
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Image: Obamacare was one of the former president's key successes during his White House tenure
Mr Obama's focus on healthcare is not unusual as one of his main campaign pledges during the 2008 election was to improve accessibility to healthcare for all US citizens.
In 2010, he implemented the Affordable Care Act 2010, known as Obamacare.
The aim of the statute is to slow the rising cost of health care by taking steps to make health insurance more available and more affordable to those who need it the most.
It also requires everyone to carry health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
As part of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump said he would aim to have the Affordable Care Act repealed and replaced with another scheme, dubbed the Health Care Freedom Act.
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
However a vote in the US Senate in July 2017 - six months after Trump took office - saw the repeal being narrowly quashed by 51 votes to 49.
The deciding vote was cast by Republican John McCain, Mr Obama's opposition in the 2008 election and a long-term critic of Obamacare.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:57 'This week, it's going to get bad' - US health chief
At the time, Senator McCain said: "From the beginning, I have believed that Obamacare should be repealed and replaced with a solution that increases competition, lowers costs, and improves care for the American people.
"The so-called 'skinny repeal' amendment the Senate voted on would not accomplish those goals."
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: Biggest daily rise in UK deaths - up 89 to 424

The UK has seen its biggest daily spike in deaths from coronavirus with 89 , taking the nationwide total to 424 .
The Department for Health and Social Care announced the latest figures on the first day of a nationwide lockdown to counter COVID-19 , with the vast majority of new deaths coming in England .
Eighty-three of the coronavirus fatalities confirmed on Tuesday were in England , with two in Scotland , one in Wales , and three in Northern Ireland .
The total of 89 is up from 55 deaths announced across the whole of the UK on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in England were aged between 33 and 103 years old and were in vulnerable groups or had underlying conditions , NHS England said .
Twenty-one of the deaths appeared to have come at London North University Healthcare NHS Trust , which just last week declared a critical incident at its Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow after an upswing in coronavirus patients saw it run out of intensive care beds .
Sky News ' health correspondent Ashish Joshi said that the trust 's deaths were split between Northwick Park Hospital and Ealing Hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers in a statement later .
`` It is significant - there are more deaths at these trusts than anywhere else in the country , '' Joshi added .
`` They do have a specialist centre for infectious diseases ; whether that has anything to do with the number of COVID-19 cases they are seeing , which could account for the number of deaths , we will have to wait to see if there is an explanation from the trust on that . ''
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 6,650 on Monday .
A total of 90,436 people in the UK have now been tested for COVID-19 .
Boris Johnson has urged millions of Britons to stay at home to help stop the spread of the virus , although key workers were still met with packed trains on Tuesday morning .
Aerial images from London also showed people failing to comply with social distancing rules , prompting government minister Michael Gove to warn : `` Unless you stay at home then the people you love most may die . ''
Shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and electronics are shut , as are a range of public spaces and other venues including hair salons , libraries , outdoor gyms and places of worship .
Prisons in England and Wales have also been put on immediate lockdown , with all visits cancelled .
Construction sites , however , are being allowed to remain open - as they are in other European nations - although housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has decided to close its sites , show homes and sale sites .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said allowing construction sites to remain open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line with other countries including Italy , which remains the world 's worst hit nation .
Mr Sunak also told the House of Commons that he was `` determined '' to find a way to support self-employed workers during the pandemic after calls for his economic rescue package announced last week to go even further .
Responding to a question from Tory MP Mark Pritchard , Mr Sunak said there were `` genuine practical and principle reasons '' why it was difficult to design measures for the self-employed that matched those for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We absolutely understand the situation that many self-employed people face at the moment as a result of what 's happening and are determined to find a way to support them . ''
Mr Johnson said in an unprecedented televised address to the nation on Monday night that people must not go out in groups of more than two people , unless they are members of the same household .
People are being urged to stay at least two metres from one another and only go out for essential supplies or exercise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
: : Listen to the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Failure to follow the new coronavirus rules - which will last at least three weeks - could see police officers dispersing gatherings and imposing fines , which government officials said would start at £30 up to unlimited .
Downing Street said the use of fines would be targeted at dispersing gatherings .
The PM 's spokesman added that failure to pay any penalty notice could be subject to criminal proceedings and a summary conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dozens of people brushing shoulders on the London Underground , which has been running a reduced service since mayor Sadiq Khan imposed restrictions to tackle COVID-19 last week .
Nurse Paul Trevatt was among those to alert Mr Khan and government ministers to the scenes on the Tube , tweeting pictures of a busy platform at Finsbury Park station .
He said : `` As a nurse trying to get to work I am so angry at the selfishness of other people . ''
NHS worker Nicola Smith , tweeted : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm risking my health just on the journey in ?
! ''
She called on Mr Khan to `` put the tube service back to normal so we can all spread out '' , or said the prime minister should `` start policing who 's getting on '' .
Transport union TSSA has also called for police to be deployed at major train stations in London to ensure only passengers who are `` providing vital services '' are travelling .
Mr Khan has discussed the issue with Transport Secretary Grant Schapps , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those who must travel with enough space to be safe .
I offered support of my Dept to help sort .
`` People must do their bit - only use Tube when essential .
Stay home , protect the NHS , save lives . ''
• London 's ExCel Centre is to be converted into a makeshift hospital with 500 beds in the next few days • The health secretary has announced plans for a 250,000-strong volunteer force to help the NHS • The army has begun delivering personal protection equipment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting using video conferencing for the first time ever • Sports Direct has confirmed it will not open its stores to the public following a u-turn • Chemicals giant INEOS is to build a hand sanitiser factory near Middlesbrough within 10 days • The Britain 's Got Talent finals will be postponed until later in the year , ITV has confirmed • London 's Royal Parks will remain open but visitors have been urged to respect social distancing rules Despite a number people appearing to flout the lockdown measures so far , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions - according to a new poll .
In a snap YouGov survey , 93 % said they were in support of the effective lockdown of the UK .
Two-thirds ( 66 % ) of those asked said it would be easy to follow the new rules for the next three weeks , with only 29 % saying they think it will be hard .
However , respondents were split on whether police had sufficient powers to get people to follow the rules - 39 % think they do and 39 % think @ @ @ @

The UK has seen its biggest daily spike in deaths from coronavirus with 89, taking the nationwide total to 424.
The Department for Health and Social Care announced the latest figures on the first day of a nationwide lockdown to counter COVID-19, with the vast majority of new deaths coming in England.
Eighty-three of the coronavirus fatalities confirmed on Tuesday were in England, with two in Scotland, one in Wales, and three in Northern Ireland.
The total of 89 is up from 55 deaths announced across the whole of the UK on Monday.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:02 Lockdown: The dos and don'ts
The latest patients to die in England were aged between 33 and 103 years old and were in vulnerable groups or had underlying conditions, NHS England said.
Twenty-one of the deaths appeared to have come at London North University Healthcare NHS Trust, which just last week declared a critical incident at its Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow after an upswing in coronavirus patients saw it run out of intensive care beds.
Sky News' health correspondent Ashish Joshi said that the trust's deaths were split between Northwick Park Hospital and Ealing Hospital, with the trust expected to clarify its numbers in a statement later.
"It is significant - there are more deaths at these trusts than anywhere else in the country," Joshi added.
"They do have a specialist centre for infectious diseases; whether that has anything to do with the number of COVID-19 cases they are seeing, which could account for the number of deaths, we will have to wait to see if there is an explanation from the trust on that."
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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the UK now stands at 8,077, up 1,427 from 6,650 on Monday.
A total of 90,436 people in the UK have now been tested for COVID-19.
Boris Johnson has urged millions of Britons to stay at home to help stop the spread of the virus, although key workers were still met with packed trains on Tuesday morning.
Aerial images from London also showed people failing to comply with social distancing rules, prompting government minister Michael Gove to warn: "Unless you stay at home then the people you love most may die."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:49 'Stay at home or your loved ones may die'
Shops selling "non-essential" goods like clothing and electronics are shut, as are a range of public spaces and other venues including hair salons, libraries, outdoor gyms and places of worship.
Prisons in England and Wales have also been put on immediate lockdown, with all visits cancelled.
Construction sites, however, are being allowed to remain open - as they are in other European nations - although housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has decided to close its sites, show homes and sale sites.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said allowing construction sites to remain open if they want to kept the UK in line with other countries including Italy, which remains the world's worst hit nation.
Image: Police officers patrol in an empty Trafalgar Square
Image: Police community support officers in Brighton on day one of the UK lockdown
Mr Sunak also told the House of Commons that he was "determined" to find a way to support self-employed workers during the pandemic after calls for his economic rescue package announced last week to go even further.
Responding to a question from Tory MP Mark Pritchard, Mr Sunak said there were "genuine practical and principle reasons" why it was difficult to design measures for the self-employed that matched those for the employed.
But he added: "We absolutely understand the situation that many self-employed people face at the moment as a result of what's happening and are determined to find a way to support them."
Image: A packed Tube train at Bethnal Green station
Mr Johnson said in an unprecedented televised address to the nation on Monday night that people must not go out in groups of more than two people, unless they are members of the same household.
People are being urged to stay at least two metres from one another and only go out for essential supplies or exercise, which they should only do once per day.
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Failure to follow the new coronavirus rules - which will last at least three weeks - could see police officers dispersing gatherings and imposing fines, which government officials said would start at £30 up to unlimited.
Downing Street said the use of fines would be targeted at dispersing gatherings.
The PM's spokesman added that failure to pay any penalty notice could be subject to criminal proceedings and a summary conviction.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:25 Aerials show lack of social distancing in London
Pictures were also posted on Twitter of dozens of people brushing shoulders on the London Underground, which has been running a reduced service since mayor Sadiq Khan imposed restrictions to tackle COVID-19 last week.
Nurse Paul Trevatt was among those to alert Mr Khan and government ministers to the scenes on the Tube, tweeting pictures of a busy platform at Finsbury Park station.
He said: "As a nurse trying to get to work I am so angry at the selfishness of other people."
NHS worker Nicola Smith, tweeted: "I love my job but now I'm risking my health just on the journey in?!"
She called on Mr Khan to "put the tube service back to normal so we can all spread out", or said the prime minister should "start policing who's getting on".
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Transport union TSSA has also called for police to be deployed at major train stations in London to ensure only passengers who are "providing vital services" are travelling.
Mr Khan has discussed the issue with Transport Secretary Grant Schapps, who tweeted: "We need enough trains for those who must travel with enough space to be safe. I offered support of my Dept to help sort.
"People must do their bit - only use Tube when essential. Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives."
Image: Britons may get out of the house to exercise once a day, but maintain social distancing
In other UK developments:
London's ExCel Centre is to be converted into a makeshift hospital with 500 beds in the next few days
The health secretary has announced plans for a 250,000-strong volunteer force to help the NHS
The army has begun delivering personal protection equipment to hospitals
Cabinet ministers have held a meeting using video conferencing for the first time ever
Sports Direct has confirmed it will not open its stores to the public following a u-turn
Chemicals giant INEOS is to build a hand sanitiser factory near Middlesbrough within 10 days
The Britain's Got Talent finals will be postponed until later in the year, ITV has confirmed
London's Royal Parks will remain open but visitors have been urged to respect social distancing rules
Image: People in Brighton on their daily walk were taking social distancing seriously
Despite a number people appearing to flout the lockdown measures so far, an overwhelming majority of Britons support the new restrictions - according to a new poll.
In a snap YouGov survey, 93% said they were in support of the effective lockdown of the UK.
Two-thirds (66%) of those asked said it would be easy to follow the new rules for the next three weeks, with only 29% saying they think it will be hard.
However, respondents were split on whether police had sufficient powers to get people to follow the rules - 39% think they do and 39% think they do not.


news--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: 'How selfish can you be?' Victim's daughter makes lockdown plea

The daughter of a coronavirus victim in Northern Ireland has pleaded with others to stick to the UK 's lockdown measures , warning : `` If you value life , you will stay in and do as you 've been asked . ''
Brenda Doherty posted a moving tribute on Facebook to honour 82-year-old Ruth Burke , who on Monday became the fourth person to die in Northern Ireland after contracting COVID-19 .
The pensioner was admitted to hospital two weeks ago and later tested positive for the coronavirus , which has now claimed the lives of 424 people across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother `` would not believe how people are behaving '' as the government bids to enforce a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the disease .
Police have been breaking up social gatherings and NHS workers have complained about facing packed London Underground trains on their way to hospitals .
Fighting back tears , Ms Doherty said : `` To those of you who are out there being so selfish and gathering in crowds - wise up .
How selfish can you be ? ''
And hitting out at people who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : `` This is a time when people really need to think about others .
`` I have a half a bottle of hand wash left because the shelves are empty .
: : Listen to the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker '' My mum would not believe how people are behaving .
She would have thought better of society . ''
Chaotic scenes at supermarkets have been one of the headline features of the UK 's coronavirus crisis , with healthcare workers among those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last week , the top doctor at NHS England said panic buyers should `` be ashamed '' .
Ms Doherty said her family would have to wait to properly celebrate her mother 's life , with nobody having been allowed to see her when she passed away .
Funerals are one of the exceptions included in the lockdown announced by Boris Johnson on Monday night , but they have been restricted to immediate family members only .
Co-op Funeralcare director David Collingwood has said families still need to adhere to social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least two metres apart .
Ms Doherty also paid tribute to the work of NHS staff who looked after her mother before she died .
`` Mum was not just a statistic , '' she said .
`` She was a woman who had unbelievable strength and suffered many challenges in her life .
`` Unfortunately this was one that she was n't going to overcome . ''
She added : `` My mum was a woman who lived life to the full .
She had lots of hard times in her life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you value life , you will stay in and do as you 've been asked . ''

The daughter of a coronavirus victim in Northern Ireland has pleaded with others to stick to the UK's lockdown measures, warning: "If you value life, you will stay in and do as you've been asked."
Brenda Doherty posted a moving tribute on Facebook to honour 82-year-old Ruth Burke, who on Monday became the fourth person to die in Northern Ireland after contracting COVID-19.
The pensioner was admitted to hospital two weeks ago and later tested positive for the coronavirus, which has now claimed the lives of 424 people across the UK.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 6:14 Watch the PM's address to the nation
Ms Doherty said her mother "would not believe how people are behaving" as the government bids to enforce a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the disease.
Police have been breaking up social gatherings and NHS workers have complained about facing packed London Underground trains on their way to hospitals.
Image: A group of young men are dispersed from a children's play area in Mote Park, Maidstone
Image: Police community support officers during lockdown in Brighton
Fighting back tears, Ms Doherty said: "To those of you who are out there being so selfish and gathering in crowds - wise up. How selfish can you be?"
And hitting out at people who have been panic buying at supermarkets, she added: "This is a time when people really need to think about others.
"I have a half a bottle of hand wash left because the shelves are empty.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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"My mum would not believe how people are behaving. She would have thought better of society."
Chaotic scenes at supermarkets have been one of the headline features of the UK's coronavirus crisis, with healthcare workers among those unable to buy food as a result.
Last week, the top doctor at NHS England said panic buyers should "be ashamed".
Image: Police dispersing a large group in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester city centre. Pic: Cavendish Press
Image: A packed Tube train at Bethnal Green station
Ms Doherty said her family would have to wait to properly celebrate her mother's life, with nobody having been allowed to see her when she passed away.
Funerals are one of the exceptions included in the lockdown announced by Boris Johnson on Monday night, but they have been restricted to immediate family members only.
Co-op Funeralcare director David Collingwood has said families still need to adhere to social distancing at a funeral, including remaining at least two metres apart.
Ms Doherty also paid tribute to the work of NHS staff who looked after her mother before she died.
"Mum was not just a statistic," she said.
"She was a woman who had unbelievable strength and suffered many challenges in her life.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:53 'Stay at home or your loved ones may die'
"Unfortunately this was one that she wasn't going to overcome."
She added: "My mum was a woman who lived life to the full. She had lots of hard times in her life, but she valued life.
"If you value life, you will stay in and do as you've been asked."