news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: The data suggests the UK is on course for many thousands of deaths

Coronavirus : The data suggests the UK is on course for many thousands of deaths Coronavirus : The data suggests the UK is on course for many thousands of deaths What is the UK death rate likely to be from coronavirus ?
Let me preface this with a little disclaimer : I 'm not a doctor or for that matter an epidemiologist , but I do know a little bit about presenting and explaining data .
And the reality is that , as well as being a major public health issue , COVID-19 is one of those issues that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease could spread and why apparently small numbers can suddenly become terrifyingly big ones means getting your head round a few data concepts .
Unfortunately , to judge from the way many outlets report the number of cases and deaths in various countries , it seems a lot of people simply have n't grasped this .
To judge from the way I 've seen it reported , you might have assumed that Italy is facing an almost uniquely bad COVID-19 outbreak .
You might have assumed that Germany had handled the outbreak brilliantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak on the scale of Italy 's .
You might have assumed that , however bad things are here in the UK , they surely could not get worse .
But spend some time examining the data and the story is very different .
Britain is very much heading in Italy 's direction .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker .
If things continue as they are now it looks quite plausible that there could be 10,000 dead of COVID-19 in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could even be faced with a more intense COVID-19 outbreak and higher numbers of dead than Italy .
This might seem implausible given more than 10,000 people have already died in Italy and given the number in the UK is a fraction of that .
But look at the numbers and there 's a very different message .
The key principle to remember is that highly infectious diseases like COVID-19 spread in an exponential fashion .
What does that mean ?
It means if one person infects three people and those three people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 13th day that first person has indirectly caused more than a million people to be infected .
That might sound improbable , but that 's the nature of compound growth rates , and infectious diseases tend , in the early period of an outbreak , to follow those kinds of laws .
So getting a handle on how fast the disease is spreading involves spending some time thinking about those growth rates .
The problem is that there are all sorts of issues with the data .
If every country knew immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 that would make tracking its spread far easier , but the UK is doing very little testing compared with other countries , so we have no clear idea how many people in this country have the disease .
For that reason , probably the best proxy ( and it 's not ideal , as I 'll come to ) for measuring the spread of the disease is the number of people dying of COVID-19 .
For the first few weeks of the disease , those numbers did n't seem to increase quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week and a half to go up from one to 10 .
Even after a fortnight , still only 104 people had died , which is terrible for those people and their families , but for a country where many thousands die each year from various strains of flu , that might not look like a brewing emergency .
The problem is the levels - the number of people dying - is the wrong thing to focus on when cases are growing at a compound rate .
What you need to focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK growth rate has been high from the very beginning .
Within a week or so of the first death , the number of deaths was doubling every two days .
For the past week or so it 's been doubling every three days .
To put that into context , if the growth rate continued like that , in a week 's time there would be 10,000 people dead and the UK would be on a far worse trajectory than Italy .
That is the dismal logic of exponential growth .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the time you 've got your head round it , the numbers are multiplying at a terrible rate .
And this is all before one considers the very real threat of the health system being overwhelmed .
But by the same token , a small change in the growth rate can make an enormous difference .
Consider the chart above : if the numbers of people doubled every week rather than every three days , suddenly the outbreak is far , far smaller and the number of people dying is likewise much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than anything is detecting those rapid growth rates as early as possible .
Then you can deal with your problem before it becomes an overwhelming problem .
Focus not on the absolute numbers , but on the growth rate .
And data visualisers have a nifty trick for this : logarithmic scales .
Ignore the complicated term : this is just a way of converting a line which looks like it 's rising terrifyingly into the sky to one where you 're representing the growth rate .
The chart in logarithmic form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the steepness of the line is a reflection not of the absolute levels of people dying but the rate at which those levels are increasing .
So actually Britain 's death numbers increased most sharply at the beginning but they are a bit flatter now .
And you can see that if the numbers double each week , the curve flattens massively .
This is why people keep talking about `` flattening the curve '' .
It 's about getting those growth rates down .
The good news is that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that these growth rates are quite hard to reduce .
Consider the situation around Europe .
A normal chart will show you cumulative deaths in various EU countries and you might have been left with the impression that , indeed , the problem in Spain and , especially , Italy , are far greater than for anywhere else .
At first glance , it 's not altogether clear that the UK is heading in that direction .
Germany looks to be completely fine , as does the Netherlands .
And while the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well below Spanish and Italian levels .
But now let 's take the same data , those same lines , and change the vertical axis so we 're depicting growth rates rather than levels .
Now , all of a sudden you can see that the majority of European countries , and the US , are heading in precisely the same direction .
Spain 's problem looks even worse than Italy 's - which it is .
The Spanish growth rate has outpaced the Italian at every stage of the disease .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the numbers of people dying in Lombardy are so awful , many people have failed to realise that we are all heading in the same direction .
But looking at the chart , which simply plots each country 's COVID-19 cumulative death numbers from the moment each of them passed 100 deaths ( that 's when that initial super-fast growth rate had diminished ) it 's clear , depressingly clear , where most of us are heading .
I have been charting the numbers each day for the past few weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that perhaps the UK 's growth rate might start to drop , meaning we start tracking , for instance , South Korea , where the disease does indeed seem to have been suppressed , so far at least .
But each day the death number has been depressingly predictable .
Britain is simply following Italy 's path , but we are about 15 days behind them .
The good news is that there are some signs that lockdown measures make a difference .
Perhaps you can see on this final chart that both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flattened out in the past week or so .
The bad news is that it has taken about a fortnight for those growth rates to level out .
Britain has been locked down for a week so if Spain 's experience is anything to go by it might take another week or so for the UK line to flatten out .
This might seem depressing but this is the message the data is telling us .
That is why the government is doing unprecedented things to flatten those curves above : the sooner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest a terrifying compound increase which in practice means many more people dying .
The other bit of good news is that there is nothing totally inevitable about these lines .
Some countries have managed to keep their growth rates low - consider South Korea and Japan .
But other countries have not .
The US is currently a week behind Spain .
Germany is a week behind the US .
Sweden is about five days behind Germany .
A final note about the data .
Yes : the numbers here are by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of provisos .
The definition of a COVID-19 death differs between countries - there is no standardised measure of deaths .
Some countries are including all deaths with COVID-19 , others , the UK included , is only initially reporting those in hospitals .
The numbers are n't adjusted for population , which often matters with macro data , but in this case does n't seem to change the paths we 're seeing .
Eventually they will become population dependent but that does n't seem to be happening yet .
Finally , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China 's data .
These are all important questions worth pondering .
But they make little difference to the big picture we 're seeing in this chart : that the UK and other European countries are facing growth rates in this epidemic that suggest within a week or two the number of people who have died will be in five figures rather than four .
I hope to God I 'm wrong about that .
But that 's what the data is suggesting .

Sky's economics editor looks at the numbers to see what we can expect over the coming weeks - and he finds little comfort.
Coronavirus: The data suggests the UK is on course for many thousands of deaths
What is the UK death rate likely to be from coronavirus?
Let me preface this with a little disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or for that matter an epidemiologist, but I do know a little bit about presenting and explaining data.
And the reality is that, as well as being a major public health issue, COVID-19 is one of those issues that is also about data.
Understanding how this disease could spread and why apparently small numbers can suddenly become terrifyingly big ones means getting your head round a few data concepts.
Unfortunately, to judge from the way many outlets report the number of cases and deaths in various countries, it seems a lot of people simply haven't grasped this.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:03 Explainer: How to self-isolate
To judge from the way I've seen it reported, you might have assumed that Italy is facing an almost uniquely bad COVID-19 outbreak.
You might have assumed that Germany had handled the outbreak brilliantly and thus had no prospect of an outbreak on the scale of Italy's. You might have assumed that, however bad things are here in the UK, they surely could not get worse.
But spend some time examining the data and the story is very different. Britain is very much heading in Italy's direction.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker.
If things continue as they are now it looks quite plausible that there could be 10,000 dead of COVID-19 in this country by next week, that Britain could even be faced with a more intense COVID-19 outbreak and higher numbers of dead than Italy.
Advertisement
This might seem implausible given more than 10,000 people have already died in Italy and given the number in the UK is a fraction of that. But look at the numbers and there's a very different message.
The key principle to remember is that highly infectious diseases like COVID-19 spread in an exponential fashion. What does that mean?
It means if one person infects three people and those three people infect three people each day so by the 13th day that first person has indirectly caused more than a million people to be infected. That might sound improbable, but that's the nature of compound growth rates, and infectious diseases tend, in the early period of an outbreak, to follow those kinds of laws.
So getting a handle on how fast the disease is spreading involves spending some time thinking about those growth rates.
The problem is that there are all sorts of issues with the data. If every country knew immediately how many people had come down with COVID-19 that would make tracking its spread far easier, but the UK is doing very little testing compared with other countries, so we have no clear idea how many people in this country have the disease.
For that reason, probably the best proxy (and it's not ideal, as I'll come to) for measuring the spread of the disease is the number of people dying of COVID-19.
For the first few weeks of the disease, those numbers didn't seem to increase quickly at all. They took about a week and a half to go up from one to 10.
Even after a fortnight, still only 104 people had died, which is terrible for those people and their families, but for a country where many thousands die each year from various strains of flu, that might not look like a brewing emergency.
The problem is the levels - the number of people dying - is the wrong thing to focus on when cases are growing at a compound rate. What you need to focus on is the growth rate.
And the UK growth rate has been high from the very beginning.
Within a week or so of the first death, the number of deaths was doubling every two days. For the past week or so it's been doubling every three days. To put that into context, if the growth rate continued like that, in a week's time there would be 10,000 people dead and the UK would be on a far worse trajectory than Italy.
That is the dismal logic of exponential growth. It looks small to start with but, by the time you've got your head round it, the numbers are multiplying at a terrible rate.
And this is all before one considers the very real threat of the health system being overwhelmed.
But by the same token, a small change in the growth rate can make an enormous difference. Consider the chart above: if the numbers of people doubled every week rather than every three days, suddenly the outbreak is far, far smaller and the number of people dying is likewise much, much lower.
So what matters more than anything is detecting those rapid growth rates as early as possible. Then you can deal with your problem before it becomes an overwhelming problem.
Focus not on the absolute numbers, but on the growth rate.
And data visualisers have a nifty trick for this: logarithmic scales. Ignore the complicated term: this is just a way of converting a line which looks like it's rising terrifyingly into the sky to one where you're representing the growth rate.
The chart in logarithmic form has the same data. Same annotations. But the steepness of the line is a reflection not of the absolute levels of people dying but the rate at which those levels are increasing.
So actually Britain's death numbers increased most sharply at the beginning but they are a bit flatter now. And you can see that if the numbers double each week, the curve flattens massively.
This is why people keep talking about "flattening the curve". It's about getting those growth rates down.
The good news is that this is possible. The bad news is that these growth rates are quite hard to reduce.
Consider the situation around Europe. A normal chart will show you cumulative deaths in various EU countries and you might have been left with the impression that, indeed, the problem in Spain and, especially, Italy, are far greater than for anywhere else.
At first glance, it's not altogether clear that the UK is heading in that direction. Germany looks to be completely fine, as does the Netherlands.
And while the US death numbers are climbing, they are well below Spanish and Italian levels. But now let's take the same data, those same lines, and change the vertical axis so we're depicting growth rates rather than levels.
Now, all of a sudden you can see that the majority of European countries, and the US, are heading in precisely the same direction.
Spain's problem looks even worse than Italy's - which it is. The Spanish growth rate has outpaced the Italian at every stage of the disease.
But because the disease struck Italy first and because the numbers of people dying in Lombardy are so awful, many people have failed to realise that we are all heading in the same direction.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:02 Lockdown: The dos and don'ts
But looking at the chart, which simply plots each country's COVID-19 cumulative death numbers from the moment each of them passed 100 deaths (that's when that initial super-fast growth rate had diminished) it's clear, depressingly clear, where most of us are heading.
I have been charting the numbers each day for the past few weeks, hoping desperately that something might change: that perhaps the UK's growth rate might start to drop, meaning we start tracking, for instance, South Korea, where the disease does indeed seem to have been suppressed, so far at least.
But each day the death number has been depressingly predictable. Britain is simply following Italy's path, but we are about 15 days behind them.
The good news is that there are some signs that lockdown measures make a difference. Perhaps you can see on this final chart that both Italy and Spain's growth rates have flattened out in the past week or so.
The bad news is that it has taken about a fortnight for those growth rates to level out. Britain has been locked down for a week so if Spain's experience is anything to go by it might take another week or so for the UK line to flatten out.
This might seem depressing but this is the message the data is telling us. That is why the government is doing unprecedented things to flatten those curves above: the sooner they act, the sooner they can arrest a terrifying compound increase which in practice means many more people dying.
The other bit of good news is that there is nothing totally inevitable about these lines. Some countries have managed to keep their growth rates low - consider South Korea and Japan. But other countries have not.
The US is currently a week behind Spain. Germany is a week behind the US. Sweden is about five days behind Germany.
A final note about the data. Yes: the numbers here are by no means definitive and there are lots of provisos.
The definition of a COVID-19 death differs between countries - there is no standardised measure of deaths. Some countries are including all deaths with COVID-19, others, the UK included, is only initially reporting those in hospitals.
The numbers aren't adjusted for population, which often matters with macro data, but in this case doesn't seem to change the paths we're seeing. Eventually they will become population dependent but that doesn't seem to be happening yet.
Finally, there are question marks over the reliability of China's data.
These are all important questions worth pondering. But they make little difference to the big picture we're seeing in this chart: that the UK and other European countries are facing growth rates in this epidemic that suggest within a week or two the number of people who have died will be in five figures rather than four.
I hope to God I'm wrong about that. But that's what the data is suggesting.


news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Whitehall takes charge of tests after row between England and Wales

Ministers have been forced into a crisis rethink of the way coronavirus tests are bought after it emerged the NHS in England and Wales were competing over testing .
In Wales , the devolved government 's health minister Vaughan Gething declared he was `` very disappointed '' with a manufacturer , understood to be Roche , which had been due to supply up to 5,000 COVID-19 tests a day in Wales .
Whitehall sources said that the company appeared to want to prioritise the bigger of two orders - one requested by the NHS in England - leading the firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fury of the Cardiff administration .
This led to a crisis meeting between the health ministers of the four nations , including Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Friday .
Now all four nations have agreed to co-operate on buying coronavirus tests , with the system co-ordinated centrally .
But this has led to fears that some of the smaller nations like Wales and Northern Ireland risk losing out if England gets priority .
Devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed to the scheme alongside Wales in the hope it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more sense for the UK as a whole to procure some equipment .
However there is still nervousness .
Adam Price , leader of Welsh nationalist Plyd Cymru , told Sky News : `` In this case it absolutely seems that we have been - whether gazumped - [ it is ] certainly the case that the deal has n't gone through in Wales .
`` And we 're led to believe that is because a larger deal in England has taken precedence .
`` How can we have any confidence in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent means of securing our needs in Wales if we 're just told to trust the UK government to provide us without any ability to intervene ourselves ?
`` That certainly does n't give me the confidence that Wales ' needs will be best served . ''
Earlier at a news conference Mr Gething told Sky News : `` The four cabinet health ministers had a meeting at the end of last week to talk about expectations on supply chains to work - for example on Personal Protective Equipment , consumables - to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules and equity for the four nations of the UK . ''
He explained it was `` to make sure that supply is being dealt with on a UK-wide basis and the four cabinet ministers for health were clear about our expectations '' , adding : `` That 's exactly what should happen . ''
The Department for Health and Roche did not comment .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker .

Ministers have been forced into a crisis rethink of the way coronavirus tests are bought after it emerged the NHS in England and Wales were competing over testing.
In Wales, the devolved government's health minister Vaughan Gething declared he was "very disappointed" with a manufacturer, understood to be Roche, which had been due to supply up to 5,000 COVID-19 tests a day in Wales.
Whitehall sources said that the company appeared to want to prioritise the bigger of two orders - one requested by the NHS in England - leading the firm to cancel the order with Wales to the fury of the Cardiff administration.
This led to a crisis meeting between the health ministers of the four nations, including Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Friday.
Now all four nations have agreed to co-operate on buying coronavirus tests, with the system co-ordinated centrally.
Image: A meeting with Matt Hancock decided to centralise test orders
But this has led to fears that some of the smaller nations like Wales and Northern Ireland risk losing out if England gets priority.
Devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed to the scheme alongside Wales in the hope it is more efficient, acknowledging it can make more sense for the UK as a whole to procure some equipment.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:03 Explainer: How to self-isolate
However there is still nervousness.
Adam Price, leader of Welsh nationalist Plyd Cymru, told Sky News: "In this case it absolutely seems that we have been - whether gazumped - [it is] certainly the case that the deal hasn't gone through in Wales.
Advertisement
"And we're led to believe that is because a larger deal in England has taken precedence.
Image: Adam Price said it looked like Wales had been 'gazumped'
"How can we have any confidence in a system whereby we don't have any independent means of securing our needs in Wales if we're just told to trust the UK government to provide us without any ability to intervene ourselves?
"That certainly doesn't give me the confidence that Wales' needs will be best served."
Earlier at a news conference Mr Gething told Sky News: "The four cabinet health ministers had a meeting at the end of last week to talk about expectations on supply chains to work - for example on Personal Protective Equipment, consumables - to make sure we had agreement on UK-wide rules and equity for the four nations of the UK."
He explained it was "to make sure that supply is being dealt with on a UK-wide basis and the four cabinet ministers for health were clear about our expectations", adding: "That's exactly what should happen."
The Department for Health and Roche did not comment.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker.


news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: 393 die in UK after testing positive for COVID-19, taking total to 1,808

Another 393 people have died after contracting coronavirus - taking the UK total to 1,808 .
The latest increase is a sharp increase from yesterday 's rise of 180 .
The government has said there are now 25,150 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK .
In England , a further 367 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died , bringing the total number to 1,651 .
The patients were aged between 19 and 98 years old and all but 28 of them had underlying health conditions .
The 19-year-old victim did not have underlying health conditions , NHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people had tested positive for the virus as of 9am on Tuesday , up 430 on the previous day .
Nicola Sturgeon said the sharp rise was partly because 108 of these positive tests came from a lab which was unable to submit data over the weekend .
There have been 112 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales , bringing the total number to 1,563 .
Dr Giri Shankar , incident director for the novel coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) outbreak response at Public Health Wales , said the true number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It should be noted that while today 's number of cases is lower than numbers previously reported , this should not automatically be considered a trend as case numbers can be subject to daily fluctuation , '' he said .
Testing in Northern Ireland has resulted in 53 new positive cases , with the total number of confirmed cases in the region now at 586 .
In a separate announcement announced late on Tuesday evening , an apparently healthy 13-year-old boy from south London became the youngest UK victim of coronavirus .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll of coronavirus-related deaths across the country is higher than reports from hospitals suggest .
Data from the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) for England and Wales shows there were 24 % more deaths relating to the virus up to and including 20 March , compared to hospital-only data for the same period .
Earlier , Boris Johnson chaired a meeting of his cabinet by videolink as he continues to self-isolate in 11 Downing Street after testing positive for coronavirus .
He used the meeting to tell his ministers : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before it gets better - but it will get better . ''
Mr Johnson also stressed the rising number of coronavirus deaths in recent days showed the importance of Britons sticking to social distancing rules , Number 10 added .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker There are more than 800,000 global infections and more than 38,000 deaths worldwide .
The World Health Organisation warned that while attention has shifted to epicentres in western Europe and North America , COVID-19 epidemics are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Pacific .

Another 393 people have died after contracting coronavirus - taking the UK total to 1,808.
The latest increase is a sharp increase from yesterday's rise of 180.
UK deaths
:: England - 367 deaths, bringing total to 1,651
:: Scotland - 13 deaths, bringing total to 60
:: Wales - seven deaths, bringing total to 69
:: Northern Ireland - six deaths, bringing total to 28
The government has said there are now 25,150 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
In England, a further 367 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number to 1,651.
Advertisement
The patients were aged between 19 and 98 years old and all but 28 of them had underlying health conditions.
The 19-year-old victim did not have underlying health conditions, NHS England said.
In Scotland, 1,993 people had tested positive for the virus as of 9am on Tuesday, up 430 on the previous day.
Nicola Sturgeon said the sharp rise was partly because 108 of these positive tests came from a lab which was unable to submit data over the weekend.
There have been 112 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number to 1,563.
Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said the true number of cases is likely to be higher.
"It should be noted that while today's number of cases is lower than numbers previously reported, this should not automatically be considered a trend as case numbers can be subject to daily fluctuation," he said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:47 367 more die after positive coronavirus tests
Testing in Northern Ireland has resulted in 53 new positive cases, with the total number of confirmed cases in the region now at 586.
In a separate announcement announced late on Tuesday evening, an apparently healthy 13-year-old boy from south London became the youngest UK victim of coronavirus.
It comes as new figures suggest the true toll of coronavirus-related deaths across the country is higher than reports from hospitals suggest.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales shows there were 24% more deaths relating to the virus up to and including 20 March, compared to hospital-only data for the same period.
Earlier, Boris Johnson chaired a meeting of his cabinet by videolink as he continues to self-isolate in 11 Downing Street after testing positive for coronavirus.
Image: Boris Johnson chaired a cabinet meeting entirely by videoconferencing
He used the meeting to tell his ministers: "The situation is going to get worse before it gets better - but it will get better."
Mr Johnson also stressed the rising number of coronavirus deaths in recent days showed the importance of Britons sticking to social distancing rules, Number 10 added.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
There are more than 800,000 global infections and more than 38,000 deaths worldwide.
The World Health Organisation warned that while attention has shifted to epicentres in western Europe and North America, COVID-19 epidemics are "far from over" in Asia and the Pacific.


news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Trials under way for new antibody tests before becoming widely available

One of the first new-style antibody tests for the coronavirus has begun validation trials to prove its reliable enough for widespread use .
Scientists at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are using it to screen samples taken from doctors and nurses on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Existing tests detect the virus itself and only work when people are ill .
But the new test identifies antibodies made in response to the infection , even if people have had mild or no symptoms .
Dr Emily Adams , who is leading the trials , said it showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow healthcare workers who are currently self-isolating to return to their jobs .
But first there needs to be proof the test works as intended .
`` We need to be sure these tests pick up everyone who has been infected , but also specific .
We do n't want the test to be positive when they have n't been exposed to the virus , '' she said .
`` If we are telling people that they have been infected and recovered , but in fact they are still vulnerable and do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be disastrous - especially if they are frontline healthcare workers . ''
The 10-minute test - made by Mologic - requires just a small finger-prick of blood .
It could be used at home , or at the patient 's bedside , with a line appearing in a window on a plastic tray , in a similar way to a pregnancy test .
The government has said it is ordering 3.5 million antibody tests from several developers .
Although healthcare workers will be the top priority , wider testing would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are given the all-clear and return to work .
It would in time allow the lockdown to be relaxed while still protecting the vulnerable .
Mologic aims to make 8 million kits a year , at a cost of less than £1 each , and hopes they will be ready to be rolled out by mid-June .
Joe Fitchett , the company 's medical director , said : `` We need to make sure that if this is developed then it is made available to our most vulnerable and most precious in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we do n't leave these on the shelf .
`` We need to make sure that once these technologies exist we have the manufacturing ability to produce as many as we can in the shortest space of time , but also that we have access to these technologies here in the UK and globally , especially in the lowest resource settings . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The government has come under fire for not doing enough tests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK lags behind countries like Italy and Germany , but the government says there will be capacity for 25,000 viral tests a day by mid-April .
The antibody test is in addition to that .
Boris Johnson 's chief medical officer has warned against rushing it out before it has been shown to be reliable .
Professor Chris Whitty , who is self-isolating after showing symptoms , has said a poor test was even worse than no test at all .

One of the first new-style antibody tests for the coronavirus has begun validation trials to prove its reliable enough for widespread use.
Scientists at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are using it to screen samples taken from doctors and nurses on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Existing tests detect the virus itself and only work when people are ill.
Image: The government says it is ordering 3.5 million antibody tests from several developers
But the new test identifies antibodies made in response to the infection, even if people have had mild or no symptoms.
Dr Emily Adams, who is leading the trials, said it showed whether someone was in recovery and could allow healthcare workers who are currently self-isolating to return to their jobs.
But first there needs to be proof the test works as intended.
"We need to be sure these tests pick up everyone who has been infected, but also specific. We don't want the test to be positive when they haven't been exposed to the virus," she said.
"If we are telling people that they have been infected and recovered, but in fact they are still vulnerable and do not have immunity to the disease, that is going to be disastrous - especially if they are frontline healthcare workers."
The 10-minute test - made by Mologic - requires just a small finger-prick of blood.
Advertisement
Image: The test requires just a small finger-prick of blood
It could be used at home, or at the patient's bedside, with a line appearing in a window on a plastic tray, in a similar way to a pregnancy test.
The government has said it is ordering 3.5 million antibody tests from several developers.
Although healthcare workers will be the top priority, wider testing would allow the economy to start functioning as people are given the all-clear and return to work.
It would in time allow the lockdown to be relaxed while still protecting the vulnerable.
Mologic aims to make 8 million kits a year, at a cost of less than £1 each, and hopes they will be ready to be rolled out by mid-June.
Joe Fitchett, the company's medical director, said: "We need to make sure that if this is developed then it is made available to our most vulnerable and most precious in society - that healthcare workers get access and we don't leave these on the shelf.
"We need to make sure that once these technologies exist we have the manufacturing ability to produce as many as we can in the shortest space of time, but also that we have access to these technologies here in the UK and globally, especially in the lowest resource settings."
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
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
The government has come under fire for not doing enough tests for the virus that causes COVID-19.
The UK lags behind countries like Italy and Germany, but the government says there will be capacity for 25,000 viral tests a day by mid-April.
The antibody test is in addition to that.
Boris Johnson's chief medical officer has warned against rushing it out before it has been shown to be reliable.
Professor Chris Whitty, who is self-isolating after showing symptoms, has said a poor test was even worse than no test at all.


news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Govt set to release 'contact tracking' app which detects nearby virus carriers

The government is preparing to release an app which alerts people if they come too close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 , Sky News can reveal .
The contact tracking app , which will operate on an opt-in basis , will be released either just before or just after the lockdown is lifted , according to several people with close knowledge of the project .
NHS bosses hope the app will attract more than 50 % of the population , as large numbers of people using it together will be necessary for it to work effectively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was first revealed by Health Service Journal , has been known some time , but key technical details have only recently been agreed by NHSX , the NHS England innovation unit leading the project .
The app will detect other phones in close vicinity using short-range Bluetooth signals , then store a record of those contacts on the device , the sources say .
If someone tests positive for COVID-19 , they will be able to upload those contacts , who can then be alerted - after a suitable delay , to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app .
This method means data is not sent regularly to a central authority , potentially easing concerns around privacy , which NHSX fears may slow adoption of the app .
NHSX plans to appoint an Ethics Board to oversee the project , with board members to be identified over the coming weeks .
However , privacy campaigners and data protection advocates questioned whether any board of this kind would be independent , and raised concerns about the app 's safeguards .
Last week , a group of `` responsible technologists '' published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHSX and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care warning that `` location and contact tracking technology could be used as a means of social control '' .
Sky News understands this letter was published in response to the early phase of the development of the app , which was originally intended to be used during the `` containment '' phase of the government 's response to the pandemic .
One source who witnessed work on the app during this period described it as a `` hot mess '' run by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' with `` no clear voices in the room speaking to the privacy implications of the technology they were using . ''
Another said : `` The initial brief was to take what was going on around the world and say , 'What is the British version of that ? '
But it did n't really feel like that was happening . ''
NHSX insiders argue that this was an inevitable consequence of a team working at breakneck speed , during a period when the strategy in Downing Street was changing rapidly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , NHSX held an online meeting yesterday with a group of NGOs , including some of the signatories of the open letter .
`` We could be using tech to augment and improve human processes , rather than , or as well as , creating a shiny new app , '' one attendee told Sky News .
`` That was n't something discussed on the call . ''
Yet although attendees praised the unit 's openness to scrutiny , some were concerned that major questions - such as how to deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were still not yet answered , which could hamper the effectiveness of the project .
In recent weeks , development of the app has been taken over by Pivotal , a subsidiary of American software giant VMware , which has focused on building an app that works using Bluetooth .
This is the second big American firm to be handed a significant NHS contract , after Sky News reported last week that NHSX had hired controversial Silicon Valley giant Palantir to build a `` data store '' in order to track the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and social care system .
Using smartphones for contact tracing has become commonplace across the world , to differing degrees of invasiveness .
The UK version follows the example set by TraceTogether , a Bluetooth-powered app used in Singapore , which has been downloaded more than 800,000 times , and helped the city-state substantially suppress its coronavirus outbreak .
The Irish government is reportedly building an app with a similar model .
By contrast , South Korea has broadcast details of infected people 's age , gender and most recent location to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Asked about this by Parliament 's Health and Social Care Committee , Professor Chris Whitty , chief medical officer for England , said such a system could be used to attack people , for instance on social media .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker '' As a doctor , I am very against giving any patient-identifiable information , and for that reason we should also be careful , so I am not in favour of going down to street level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus ' , '' Professor Whitty told the committee .
`` That is the wrong approach for this country . ''
Sky News revealed earlier this month that mobile network O2 was working with the government to track movement of people using anonymised smartphone location data .
Sky News understands a number of contact tracking apps are being worked on across government , but the app being built by NHSX does not use this kind of data .

The government is preparing to release an app which alerts people if they come too close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, Sky News can reveal.
The contact tracking app, which will operate on an opt-in basis, will be released either just before or just after the lockdown is lifted, according to several people with close knowledge of the project.
NHS bosses hope the app will attract more than 50% of the population, as large numbers of people using it together will be necessary for it to work effectively.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:28 Isle of Wight police bring gifts to NHS staff
The existence of the app, which was first revealed by Health Service Journal, has been known some time, but key technical details have only recently been agreed by NHSX, the NHS England innovation unit leading the project.
The app will detect other phones in close vicinity using short-range Bluetooth signals, then store a record of those contacts on the device, the sources say.
If someone tests positive for COVID-19, they will be able to upload those contacts, who can then be alerted - after a suitable delay, to avoid accidentally identifying an individual - via the app.
This method means data is not sent regularly to a central authority, potentially easing concerns around privacy, which NHSX fears may slow adoption of the app.
NHSX plans to appoint an Ethics Board to oversee the project, with board members to be identified over the coming weeks.
However, privacy campaigners and data protection advocates questioned whether any board of this kind would be independent, and raised concerns about the app's safeguards.
Advertisement
Last week, a group of "responsible technologists" published an open letter to the CEO of NHSX and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care warning that "location and contact tracking technology could be used as a means of social control".
Sky News understands this letter was published in response to the early phase of the development of the app, which was originally intended to be used during the "containment" phase of the government's response to the pandemic.
One source who witnessed work on the app during this period described it as a "hot mess" run by "a hodge-podge of suppliers and contractors" with "no clear voices in the room speaking to the privacy implications of the technology they were using."
Another said: "The initial brief was to take what was going on around the world and say, 'What is the British version of that?' But it didn't really feel like that was happening."
NHSX insiders argue that this was an inevitable consequence of a team working at breakneck speed, during a period when the strategy in Downing Street was changing rapidly.
In order to reassure the privacy community, NHSX held an online meeting yesterday with a group of NGOs, including some of the signatories of the open letter.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:21 Tech firms help to make ventilators
"We could be using tech to augment and improve human processes, rather than, or as well as, creating a shiny new app," one attendee told Sky News.
"That wasn't something discussed on the call."
Yet although attendees praised the unit's openness to scrutiny, some were concerned that major questions - such as how to deal with the large numbers of over-55s without smartphones - were still not yet answered, which could hamper the effectiveness of the project.
Image: One major question was how to deal with the large numbers of over-55s without smartphones
In recent weeks, development of the app has been taken over by Pivotal, a subsidiary of American software giant VMware, which has focused on building an app that works using Bluetooth.
This is the second big American firm to be handed a significant NHS contract, after Sky News reported last week that NHSX had hired controversial Silicon Valley giant Palantir to build a "data store" in order to track the movement of critical staff and materials around the health and social care system.
Using smartphones for contact tracing has become commonplace across the world, to differing degrees of invasiveness.
The UK version follows the example set by TraceTogether, a Bluetooth-powered app used in Singapore, which has been downloaded more than 800,000 times, and helped the city-state substantially suppress its coronavirus outbreak.
The Irish government is reportedly building an app with a similar model.
By contrast, South Korea has broadcast details of infected people's age, gender and most recent location to anyone within 100 metres via text message.
Asked about this by Parliament's Health and Social Care Committee, Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said such a system could be used to attack people, for instance on social media.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
"As a doctor, I am very against giving any patient-identifiable information, and for that reason we should also be careful, so I am not in favour of going down to street level or, 'You are within 100 metres of coronavirus'," Professor Whitty told the committee.
"That is the wrong approach for this country."
Sky News revealed earlier this month that mobile network O2 was working with the government to track movement of people using anonymised smartphone location data.
Sky News understands a number of contact tracking apps are being worked on across government, but the app being built by NHSX does not use this kind of data.


news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: 'Matter of days' before Milton Keynes ice rink converted into emergency mortuary

An ice rink in Milton Keynes will be turned into an emergency mortuary `` in a matter of days '' , in order to cope with a rise in coronavirus-related deaths , the local authority has said .
Planet Ice in South Row will become a temporary facility in the event funeral directors are unable to hold bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic , according to Milton Keynes Council .
In a statement released on Tuesday , a spokesperson said : `` We 're working with the owners of Planet Ice to ready the rink as a precaution should it be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ice rinks elsewhere in the UK have previously been used as temporary mortuary facilities , as their existing infrastructure can typically be adapted faster and more effectively than other buildings . ''
The 2,800 capacity ice rink will be kept open to ensure the venue remains at the temperature needed for the temporary morgue .
Milton Keynes Council leader Peter Marland has said work to convert it would take `` a matter of days '' , and predicts it could hold bodies `` in the hundreds '' .
`` We have been planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picked up quite early that it could be an issue for us '' , he added .
`` We only have one crematorium and the next nearest one is in Wing .
`` If the worst is to happen , we wanted to make sure that that person and their family had as much dignity as possible . ''
Work has also already begun at another temporary mortuary at Birmingham Airport which could hold up to 12,000 bodies in a worst-case scenario .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Tuesday evening , it was confirmed an apparently healthy 13-year-old boy from south London became the youngest UK victim of coronavirus .
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab died at Kings College Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning .
COVID-19 is so infectious that his family could not be close to him as he died .
A further 393 people were confirmed on Tuesday to have died after contracting the virus - taking the UK total to 1,808 .
The latest increase is a sharp increase from yesterday 's rise of 180 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25,150 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK .

An ice rink in Milton Keynes will be turned into an emergency mortuary "in a matter of days", in order to cope with a rise in coronavirus-related deaths, the local authority has said.
Planet Ice in South Row will become a temporary facility in the event funeral directors are unable to hold bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Milton Keynes Council.
In a statement released on Tuesday, a spokesperson said: "We're working with the owners of Planet Ice to ready the rink as a precaution should it be needed to support local operations.
Image: Planet Ice will become a temporary facility during the pandemic
"Ice rinks elsewhere in the UK have previously been used as temporary mortuary facilities, as their existing infrastructure can typically be adapted faster and more effectively than other buildings."
The 2,800 capacity ice rink will be kept open to ensure the venue remains at the temperature needed for the temporary morgue.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:03 Explainer: How to self-isolate
Milton Keynes Council leader Peter Marland has said work to convert it would take "a matter of days", and predicts it could hold bodies "in the hundreds".
"We have been planning for a while around capacity as we picked up quite early that it could be an issue for us", he added.
"We only have one crematorium and the next nearest one is in Wing.
"If the worst is to happen, we wanted to make sure that that person and their family had as much dignity as possible."
Advertisement
Work has also already begun at another temporary mortuary at Birmingham Airport which could hold up to 12,000 bodies in a worst-case scenario.
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
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
On Tuesday evening, it was confirmed an apparently healthy 13-year-old boy from south London became the youngest UK victim of coronavirus.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab died at Kings College Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning.
Image: Stock picture of King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London.
COVID-19 is so infectious that his family could not be close to him as he died.
A further 393 people were confirmed on Tuesday to have died after contracting the virus - taking the UK total to 1,808.
The latest increase is a sharp increase from yesterday's rise of 180.
The government has said there are now 25,150 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.


news--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Ghostbusters and Peter Rabbit sequels among latest films delayed due to pandemic

Several major film releases have been postponed until 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis .
Spider-Man spin-off Morbius , the latest instalment in the Ghostbusters franchise and Peter Rabbit 2 will launch in the US next year rather than in the summer , Sony announced on Tuesday , as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the entertainment industry .
Big films already delayed due to coronavirus include the new James Bond outing No Time To Die , which had been due to launch in the UK this week , and Disney blockbusters Mulan and Black Widow .
Sony confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ films in total , but did not give details on new launch dates for the UK or other countries .
Ghostbusters : Afterlife , starring Paul Rudd and Bokeem Woodbine - with appearances from the originals Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd - will now arrive in US cinemas on 5 March 2021 , having originally been scheduled for July this year .
Morbius , starring Jared Leto as the titular vampire , has been moved from July to 19 March next year .
Kevin Hart 's Fatherhood has been moved from January 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Second World War film starring Tom Hanks , has been moved from June to an unspecified date .
The delay for Peter Rabbit 2 : The Runaway is the second announced for the film , after originally being moved from March to August earlier this year .
It is now set to be released on 15 January 2021 .
Video game adaption Uncharted will miss its March 2021 date and instead arrive in October 2021 .
Plus , an untitled film from Sony and Marvel has been moved from 8 October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Hollywood has been hit hard by the global pandemic , with some experts claiming the final cost to the entertainment industry could reach tens of billions of dollars .
Other major releases to be delayed include A Quiet Place II and Fast & Furious 9 .
Hanks is one of the highest profile stars known to have tested positive for COVID-19 , after falling ill while filming in Australia .
Idris Elba also said he had tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Several major film releases have been postponed until 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Spider-Man spin-off Morbius, the latest instalment in the Ghostbusters franchise and Peter Rabbit 2 will launch in the US next year rather than in the summer, Sony announced on Tuesday, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the entertainment industry.
Image: No Time To Die has already been postponed due to the coronavirus spread
Big films already delayed due to coronavirus include the new James Bond outing No Time To Die, which had been due to launch in the UK this week, and Disney blockbusters Mulan and Black Widow.
Sony confirmed it is postponing US releases for seven films in total, but did not give details on new launch dates for the UK or other countries.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife, starring Paul Rudd and Bokeem Woodbine - with appearances from the originals Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd - will now arrive in US cinemas on 5 March 2021, having originally been scheduled for July this year.
Morbius, starring Jared Leto as the titular vampire, has been moved from July to 19 March next year. Kevin Hart's Fatherhood has been moved from January 2021 to October next year, while Greyhound, a Second World War film starring Tom Hanks, has been moved from June to an unspecified date.
The delay for Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is the second announced for the film, after originally being moved from March to August earlier this year. It is now set to be released on 15 January 2021.
Video game adaption Uncharted will miss its March 2021 date and instead arrive in October 2021. Plus, an untitled film from Sony and Marvel has been moved from 8 October 2021 to an unspecified date.
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
:: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Advertisement
Hollywood has been hit hard by the global pandemic, with some experts claiming the final cost to the entertainment industry could reach tens of billions of dollars.
Other major releases to be delayed include A Quiet Place II and Fast & Furious 9.
Hanks is one of the highest profile stars known to have tested positive for COVID-19, after falling ill while filming in Australia.
Idris Elba also said he had tested positive for the virus earlier this month.


news--2020-03-31--Trump gets Seoul population wrong by 28 million after boasting he knows South Korea 'better than any

Trump gets Seoul population wrong by 28 million after boasting he knows South Korea 'better than anybody'

Donald Trump misstated the population of South Korea 's capital city by around 28 million people , moments after telling a news conference he knew the country `` better than anybody '' .
The US president was responding indignantly to a question about coronavirus testing capacity from PBS NewsHour reporter Yamiche Alcindor , when he questioned her about her knowledge of Seoul .
`` I know South Korea better than anybody , '' he said .
`` It 's a very tight - do you know how many people are in Seoul ?
Do you know how big the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That 's bigger than anything we have . ''
Official estimates of the city 's population put it at just over 10 million .
It is unclear how Mr Trump arrived at the figure of 38 million .
The metropolitan area encompassing the city is the fifth largest in the world , with 25 million inhabitants , while the country has a total population of around 51 million .
Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker Some speculated that the president may have confused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sea level , which is 38 metres .
A previous report suggested he described Belgium as `` a beautiful city '' , while another claimed he mixed up the Baltic states with the Balkans in a meeting with bemused leaders of the former .
The presidents of Latvia , Estonia and Lithuania were said to have been bewildered when he blamed them for starting wars that triggered the breakup of Yugoslavia .

Donald Trump misstated the population of South Korea's capital city by around 28 million people, moments after telling a news conference he knew the country "better than anybody".
The US president was responding indignantly to a question about coronavirus testing capacity from PBS NewsHour reporter Yamiche Alcindor, when he questioned her about her knowledge of Seoul.
"I know South Korea better than anybody," he said.
"It's a very tight - do you know how many people are in Seoul? Do you know how big the city of Seoul is? 38 million people. That's bigger than anything we have."
Official estimates of the city's population put it at just over 10 million.
It is unclear how Mr Trump arrived at the figure of 38 million. The metropolitan area encompassing the city is the fifth largest in the world, with 25 million inhabitants, while the country has a total population of around 51 million.
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
Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
Some speculated that the president may have confused the number with Seoul's elevation above sea level, which is 38 metres.
Mr Trump's previous geographical shortcomings have been widely documented.
Advertisement
A previous report suggested he described Belgium as "a beautiful city", while another claimed he mixed up the Baltic states with the Balkans in a meeting with bemused leaders of the former.
The presidents of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were said to have been bewildered when he blamed them for starting wars that triggered the breakup of Yugoslavia.


news--2020-03-17--Coronavirus: 45-year-old father becomes youngest UK victim

A `` wonderfully kind '' father-of-two who was fighting motor neurone disease ( MND ) has become the youngest person to die after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK .
Craig Ruston , from Kettering , died on Monday morning , six days after he became ill with a chest infection that was confirmed as COVID-19 .
The 45-year-old was among 14 further people to have died in England by Tuesday , bringing the UK 's total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 71 .
He had been writing a popular blog about his battle with MND , a degenerative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with in 2018 .
The footwear designer 's wife Sally informed his followers and friends on Tuesday of his death , saying : `` My amazing Craig passed away yesterday morning at 6.20am .
We are truly heartbroken . ''
She said his `` fight with MND was not ready to be over '' , despite doctors giving him two years to live after his 2018 diagnosis .
`` Craig was not ready to go , '' she said .
`` Still doing everything in his power to raise awareness and fight the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he wanted to donate his brain to the Oxford Brain Bank to be used for MND research when he died , but because he died from coronavirus this can not happen .
`` He 'd give anything in the name of research , '' she said .
`` Sadly this can no longer happen .
How dare this virus take this from Craig . ''
His wife said he was `` a wonderfully kind and caring person ... he welcomed everyone '' .
She said : `` There were no airs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
He absorbed the world .
`` He was one of the most intelligent people I know that would absorb information and could somehow explain just about anything .
`` Science was his thing , amongst others . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker .
• The Chinese city of Wuhan - the original epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak - has reported just one new case of the virus for the second day in a row , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday • Canada and the US are considering a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries , according to a Canadian government official • Tunisia has announced a nationwide curfew , with citizens in lockdown from 6pm to 6am • At least 17 elderly people from a Madrid nursing home have died in the last five days , the Spanish city 's regional authorities have said • The youngest UK victim has been named as 45-year-old Craig Ruston , a father-of-two with motor neurone disease ( MND ) • UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer £330bn in government-backed loans to businesses struggling in the face of the coronavirus pandemic • Nevada 's governor has ordered the closure of the casinos in Las Vegas for a month , along with other non-essential businesses in the state

A "wonderfully kind" father-of-two who was fighting motor neurone disease (MND) has become the youngest person to die after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK.
Craig Ruston, from Kettering, died on Monday morning, six days after he became ill with a chest infection that was confirmed as COVID-19.
The 45-year-old was among 14 further people to have died in England by Tuesday, bringing the UK's total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 71.
He had been writing a popular blog about his battle with MND, a degenerative and terminal neurological condition he was diagnosed with in 2018.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:37 Coronavirus: UK's new economic measures explained
The footwear designer's wife Sally informed his followers and friends on Tuesday of his death, saying: "My amazing Craig passed away yesterday morning at 6.20am. We are truly heartbroken."
She said his "fight with MND was not ready to be over", despite doctors giving him two years to live after his 2018 diagnosis.
"Craig was not ready to go," she said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:19 Carers 'terrified' as COVID-19 hits services
"Still doing everything in his power to raise awareness and fight the fight for MND."
She added that he wanted to donate his brain to the Oxford Brain Bank to be used for MND research when he died, but because he died from coronavirus this cannot happen.
Advertisement
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:44 PM: We must stop NHS from getting overwhelmed
"He'd give anything in the name of research," she said.
"Sadly this can no longer happen. How dare this virus take this from Craig."
His wife said he was "a wonderfully kind and caring person...he welcomed everyone".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:47 Sunak lays out huge economic measures
She said: "There were no airs and graces with Craig. He loved the world. He absorbed the world.
"He was one of the most intelligent people I know that would absorb information and could somehow explain just about anything.
"Science was his thing, amongst others."
:: Listen to the Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker.
In other developments:


news--2020-03-17--Coronavirus: Big rise in UK COVID-19 cases - up by 676 to 2,626

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK has risen by 676 in the last 24 hours , the biggest daily leap , taking the total to 2,626 .
The latest number of UK deaths linked to COVID-19 now stands at 104 .
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said : `` It is with sadness this afternoon that I have to confirm the death of one more patient . ''
As of 9am on Wednesday , 56,221 people had been tested for coronavirus in the UK , of which 53,595 were negative .
There are now 227 confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland has risen by six to 68 .
In Wales , a further 13 people have been diagnosed with the virus , bringing the total number of confirmed cases there to 149. : : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker In other developments in the spread of coronavirus in the UK : • All schools in Scotland and Wales are set to close on Friday in response to the pandemic • A `` radical '' money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bank of England , its new governor tells Sky News • This year 's Glastonbury festival and tEurovision Song Contest have been cancelled • Sainsbury 's , Asda and Morrisons have enforced new rules to stop panic buys • An inmate at HMP Manchester has tested positive for COVID-19 - the first confirmed UK prisoner case • The Foreign Office urges British holidaymakers to leave Spain as soon as possible as all hotels will close there from Tuesday • Filming on EastEnders and other BBC dramas Casualty , Doctors and Holby City has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide , according to Johns Hopkins University , which is monitoring the outbreak .
The government 's chief scientific adviser , Sir Patrick Vallance , has suggested there could be as many as 55,000 coronavirus cases already in the UK and 20,000 deaths or below would be a `` good outcome '' .
The youngest person to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has been named as 45-year-old Craig Rushton , from Kettering , who had been fighting motor neurone disease .
Prime Minister Boris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures in response to coronavirus earlier this week , including advising everyone in the country to avoid pubs , clubs , restaurants and theatres and to only make essential journeys .
What is the latest coronavirus advice ?
• If you live alone and have a high temperature or a new and continuous cough , you should self-isolate for seven days • If you live in a household with others and have a high temperature or a new and continuous cough , both yourself and all others in your household should stay isolated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including if you are not displaying symptoms yourself and live in a household where no one is displaying symptoms , should stop all unnecessary contact with others and all unnecessary travel • You should work from home where possible and avoid venues such as pubs , clubs , theatres and restaurants • Pay particular attention to the advice if you are over 70 , pregnant , have underlying health problems or live in London • Do n't call the NHS 111 helpline if you have mild or moderate illness and instead seek advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness becomes more severe

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK has risen by 676 in the last 24 hours, the biggest daily leap, taking the total to 2,626.
The latest number of UK deaths linked to COVID-19 now stands at 104.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "It is with sadness this afternoon that I have to confirm the death of one more patient."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:35 Why did the government change its stance?
As of 9am on Wednesday, 56,221 people had been tested for coronavirus in the UK, of which 53,595 were negative.
There are now 227 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 across Scotland, while the number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland has risen by six to 68.
In Wales, a further 13 people have been diagnosed with the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases there to 149.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
In other developments in the spread of coronavirus in the UK:
All schools in Scotland and Wales are set to close on Friday in response to the pandemic
on Friday in response to the pandemic A "radical" money printing plan is being considered by the Bank of England, its new governor tells Sky News
This year's Glastonbury festival and tEurovision Song Contest have been cancelled
and tEurovision Song Contest have been cancelled Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons have enforced new rules to stop panic buys
to stop panic buys An inmate at HMP Manchester has tested positive for COVID-19 - the first confirmed UK prisoner case
The Foreign Office urges British holidaymakers to leave Spain as soon as possible as all hotels will close there from Tuesday
Filming on EastEnders and other BBC dramas Casualty, Doctors and Holby City has been suspended until further notice
More than 200,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is monitoring the outbreak.
Advertisement
The government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, has suggested there could be as many as 55,000 coronavirus cases already in the UK and 20,000 deaths or below would be a "good outcome".
The youngest person to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has been named as 45-year-old Craig Rushton, from Kettering, who had been fighting motor neurone disease.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a significant escalation of UK measures in response to coronavirus earlier this week, including advising everyone in the country to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres and to only make essential journeys.
What is the latest coronavirus advice?


news--2020-03-18--Coronavirus: Who has died in the UK after contracting COVID-19?

As the death toll from coronavirus cases continues to grow , we take a look at where and at what rate the virus is spreading - and the stories behind some of those who have lost their lives .
So far , 144 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus , with 3,269 confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded across the country .
Most of those who have died in the UK have been in their 70s and 80s - but the youngest is just 45 .
Most had underlying health problems .
Among the youngest to test positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston in Norfolk - the second reported UK case among infants .
Click to read more about those who have died after contracting coronavirus At least 29 people died in England on Thursday following the biggest daily leap in confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday when the UK saw 676 infections diagnosed in 24 hours .
The number of cases and deaths announced daily have risen significantly over the past few days .
The chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance has suggested that for each death there could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the number of cases in the UK could be as high as 140,000 as most of them go unreported .
England has seen the most of the deaths with at least 128 deaths spread across the region .

As the death toll from coronavirus cases continues to grow, we take a look at where and at what rate the virus is spreading - and the stories behind some of those who have lost their lives.
So far, 144 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus, with 3,269 confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded across the country.
Most of those who have died in the UK have been in their 70s and 80s - but the youngest is just 45. Most had underlying health problems.
Among the youngest to test positive for coronavirus was a baby at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston in Norfolk - the second reported UK case among infants.
Click to read more about those who have died after contracting coronavirus
At least 29 people died in England on Thursday following the biggest daily leap in confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday when the UK saw 676 infections diagnosed in 24 hours.
The number of cases and deaths announced daily have risen significantly over the past few days.
The chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance has suggested that for each death there could be 1,000 cases.
That could mean that the number of cases in the UK could be as high as 140,000 as most of them go unreported.
Advertisement
England has seen the most of the deaths with at least 128 deaths spread across the region.


news--2020-03-17--Coronavirus: Americans to be sent money and field hospitals built

Americans are set to be sent cheques within the next two weeks to support them during the coronavirus outbreak , while field hospitals are to be set up to deal with patients .
US President Donald Trump said sending direct cash payments to Americans as part of a promised $ 850bn ( £705.4bn ) economic stimulus package would be faster than a payroll tax holiday he had earlier suggested .
Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin told a press briefing on Tuesday : `` We 're looking at sending cheques to Americans immediately .
`` And I mean , now , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exact figure was not mentioned but some US politicians , including Republican senator Mitt Romney , have discussed cash payments of $ 1,000 ( £830 ) , which Mr Mnuchin said was `` one of the ideas we like '' - but not for millionaires .
The stock market rose during the briefing after a substantial drop on Monday when Mr Trump announced a 15-day attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 by avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people , working from home if possible , postponing unnecessary travel and not eating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus will be defeated , Mr Trump said : `` One day we 're going to stand up here and say : 'We won ' . ''
Across the US , 5,702 people had been infected by Tuesday , while 94 people have died - 48 in Washington state .
The White House is asking US Congress to approve the massive emergency rescue package to help businesses and taxpayers cope during the pandemic .
It includes tax cuts for workers , $ 50bn ( £40bn ) for the airline industry and relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that field hospitals could be set up very quickly to deal with coronavirus patients and said the Army Corps of Engineers is ready to retrofit buildings to be used as hospitals .
The president added that there will be a `` dramatic expansion '' of telehealth for Medicare patients - about 52m people aged 65 and older and eight million younger people with disabilities who get federal health insurance .
He said laws have been lifted under the national emergency he announced at the weekend to allow any doctor to provide appointments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the policy .
The Trump administration has been heavily criticised for the country 's lack of coronavirus testing capabilities , but the president said he was lifting a ban on states approving new tests so governors could authorise tests developed in their borders without federal approval .
For Americans who have the virus , he said they are looking to pass a law to enable sick leave for workers and give small businesses support .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bosses of the country 's largest fast food outlets , such as McDonald 's , Wendy 's and Burger King , to get them to agree to keep their drive-thru and delivery services going during the 15-day lockdown , in which people are not allowed to go to restaurants .
Mr Mnuchin said : `` We want states to keep drive-thrus open .
These companies feed a big part of America and I suspect they 're going to feed a bigger part now .
`` Many of these companies have apps , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give it to you with social distancing . ''
He added that they wanted to keep markets open so Americans know they can have access to their money , but warned market hours may be shortened .
The treasury secretary encouraged Americans to file their taxes by 15 April as many will get refunds .
But , he also announced they could defer personal tax payments of up to $ 1m to the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) and $ 10m for corporations for 90 days interest and penalty free .

Americans are set to be sent cheques within the next two weeks to support them during the coronavirus outbreak, while field hospitals are to be set up to deal with patients.
US President Donald Trump said sending direct cash payments to Americans as part of a promised $850bn (£705.4bn) economic stimulus package would be faster than a payroll tax holiday he had earlier suggested.
Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin told a press briefing on Tuesday: "We're looking at sending cheques to Americans immediately.
"And I mean, now, in the next two weeks."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 US President Donald Trump has said the US will "go big" on financial aid over the virus
An exact figure was not mentioned but some US politicians, including Republican senator Mitt Romney, have discussed cash payments of $1,000 (£830), which Mr Mnuchin said was "one of the ideas we like" - but not for millionaires.
The stock market rose during the briefing after a substantial drop on Monday when Mr Trump announced a 15-day attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 by avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people, working from home if possible, postponing unnecessary travel and not eating in bars and restaurants.
Vowing that the virus will be defeated, Mr Trump said: "One day we're going to stand up here and say: 'We won'."
Across the US, 5,702 people had been infected by Tuesday, while 94 people have died - 48 in Washington state.
The White House is asking US Congress to approve the massive emergency rescue package to help businesses and taxpayers cope during the pandemic.
Advertisement
It includes tax cuts for workers, $50bn (£40bn) for the airline industry and relief for small businesses.
Mr Mnuchin also announced that field hospitals could be set up very quickly to deal with coronavirus patients and said the Army Corps of Engineers is ready to retrofit buildings to be used as hospitals.
The president added that there will be a "dramatic expansion" of telehealth for Medicare patients - about 52m people aged 65 and older and eight million younger people with disabilities who get federal health insurance.
He said laws have been lifted under the national emergency he announced at the weekend to allow any doctor to provide appointments via phone or video for those covered by the policy.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:40 The nine-month-old with coronavirus
The Trump administration has been heavily criticised for the country's lack of coronavirus testing capabilities, but the president said he was lifting a ban on states approving new tests so governors could authorise tests developed in their borders without federal approval.
For Americans who have the virus, he said they are looking to pass a law to enable sick leave for workers and give small businesses support.
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
Mr Trump said he had spoken to bosses of the country's largest fast food outlets, such as McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King, to get them to agree to keep their drive-thru and delivery services going during the 15-day lockdown, in which people are not allowed to go to restaurants.
Mr Mnuchin said: "We want states to keep drive-thrus open. These companies feed a big part of America and I suspect they're going to feed a bigger part now.
"Many of these companies have apps, you order ahead of time, they can give it to you with social distancing."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:16 How to contain a global pandemic
He added that they wanted to keep markets open so Americans know they can have access to their money, but warned market hours may be shortened.
The treasury secretary encouraged Americans to file their taxes by 15 April as many will get refunds.
But, he also announced they could defer personal tax payments of up to $1m to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and $10m for corporations for 90 days interest and penalty free.


news--2020-03-18--Coronavirus: Filming of EastEnders suspended until further notice

The BBC has suspended filming on EastEnders , Casualty and Holby City until further notice because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The number of new EastEnders episodes being shown each week is being reduced to two - with rival soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale also cutting the number of shows they broadcast each week .
Filming on all BBC Studios ' continuing dramas has been halted following the latest government advice on tackling COVID-19 , the corporation said .
In a statement , the BBC said : `` In light of the spread of COVID-19 , after much consideration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EastEnders will be postponed until further notice .
`` The decision was made after the latest government update .
`` We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and Public Health England .
`` We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two , so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy EastEnders in their homes for as long as possible . ''
EastEnders episodes will now air on Mondays at 8pm and Tuesdays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also affects BBC dramas Doctors , River City and Pobol y Cwm .
EastEnders is filmed months in advance , which means TV bosses still have episodes to air .
Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty , two of the UK 's biggest TV dramas , have also put filming of their new series on hold .
ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale will continue filming in Manchester and Leeds .
However , their schedules have been changed with Emmerdale now airing Monday to Friday at 7pm and Coronation Street Monday , Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` With this change of transmission pattern it will ensure we have great new soap episodes coming to air every weekday night until at least the early summer . ''
: : Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Ant and Dec 's Saturday Night Takeaway and Question Time have announced they are to air without studio audiences due to the coronavirus outbreak .
The makers of the Voice UK said the semi-final and final of the talent show would now take place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson has told Britons to avoid pubs , clubs , restaurants and theatres and to only make essential journeys in the `` national fightback '' against coronavirus .
Anyone with a high temperature or a persistent cough who lives alone has been told to self-isolate for seven days .
Entire families - or households of more than one person - are also being told to stay isolated together for 14 days if one of them displays either of those symptoms .
Seventy-one people have died in the UK after testing positive for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .

The BBC has suspended filming on EastEnders, Casualty and Holby City until further notice because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The number of new EastEnders episodes being shown each week is being reduced to two - with rival soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale also cutting the number of shows they broadcast each week.
Filming on all BBC Studios' continuing dramas has been halted following the latest government advice on tackling COVID-19, the corporation said.
Image: EastEnders episodes will now air on Mondays and Tuesdays
In a statement, the BBC said: "In light of the spread of COVID-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on EastEnders will be postponed until further notice.
"The decision was made after the latest government update.
"We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and Public Health England.
"We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two, so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy EastEnders in their homes for as long as possible."
EastEnders episodes will now air on Mondays at 8pm and Tuesdays at 7.30pm.
The suspension of filming also affects BBC dramas Doctors, River City and Pobol y Cwm.
Advertisement
EastEnders is filmed months in advance, which means TV bosses still have episodes to air.
Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty, two of the UK's biggest TV dramas, have also put filming of their new series on hold.
ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale will continue filming in Manchester and Leeds.
However, their schedules have been changed with Emmerdale now airing Monday to Friday at 7pm and Coronation Street Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm.
A statement said: "With this change of transmission pattern it will ensure we have great new soap episodes coming to air every weekday night until at least the early summer."
:: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and Question Time have announced they are to air without studio audiences due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The makers of the Voice UK said the semi-final and final of the talent show would now take place later this year.
Image: Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway will no longer have a studio audience. Pic: Kieron McCarron/ITV/Shutterstock
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Britons to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres and to only make essential journeys in the "national fightback" against coronavirus.
Anyone with a high temperature or a persistent cough who lives alone has been told to self-isolate for seven days.
Entire families - or households of more than one person - are also being told to stay isolated together for 14 days if one of them displays either of those symptoms.
Seventy-one people have died in the UK after testing positive for COVID-19, with 1,950 cases confirmed in the country.