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The death toll in the UK increased from 739 to 27,510, while the number of confirmed cases increased from 6,201 to 177,454. It occurs when Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed that the government has met its goal of 100,000 tests a day.
A total of 122,347 tests were conducted in the 24 hours through 9 am on Friday.
Hancock said: “I knew it was a bold target, but we needed a bold target, because the evidence is very important for Britain to get back on its feet.”
“I can announce that we have reached our goal. The number of tests yesterday, the last day of April, was 122,347.
“This unprecedented expansion in British testing capacity is an incredible achievement, but it is not my achievement, it is a national achievement.”
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The death toll from coronavirus in the UK has increased by 739 and there have been 6,201 new cases (Image: GETTY)
The death toll in the UK increased from 739 to 27,510, while the number of confirmed cases increased from 6,201 to 177,454. (Image: EXPRESS)
10.35pm update: Greggs cancels trial reopening
Greggs had sought to reopen 20 stores on a trial basis on Monday.
However, a spokesperson told the Mirror: “Due to significant interest in our 20-store trial, and the risk that an excessive number of customers plan to visit Greggs, we will now operate these trials behind closed doors to effectively test our New Measures. operational safety.
“It was never our intention to attract high levels of customers to these test workshops and therefore we have decided to temporarily update our test plans and operate only behind closed doors.”
“We will continue to review this as we conduct our initial testing and will invite walk-ins to our stores only when we can be sure to do so in the controlled manner we intended.”
10.05pm update: great-grandfather conquers the coronavirus
Rudolph Heider tested positive for coronavirus while in a nursing home in Chesterfield, Missouri.
Heider was released from isolation after two weeks without symptoms.
He turned 107 on Tuesday.
He thanked his grandson Matthew and his wife Jane for calling him to wish him a happy birthday: “I love you very much.
“Thank you all for all the help you have given me.”
Heider said he hoped his story would help inspire others.
Gursimran Hans took over the live reports from Katie Harris.
9.15 p.m. update: Ireland to start reducing blockade in two weeks
Ireland will begin its journey to a new normal after another two weeks of closure, Leo Varadkar announced.
Most of the restrictions will remain in effect until May 18, although two will be relaxed in the coming days.
Starting next Tuesday, a travel limit that has forced people to stay within 2 km of home when exercising will extend to 5 km and those over 70 will be recommended to isolate themselves. that they can leave the house to walk or drive.
The Taoiseach said in mid-May that a gradual reduction of the remaining restrictions would begin.
20.30 p.m. update: the death toll in France increases by 218 to 24,594
The number of people who died of coronavirus in France increased from 218 to 24,594 on Friday.
19:50 update: new evidence of immunity to coronavirus “promising” – UK chief evidence officer
The coordinator of the UK testing effort has said it is “encouraging” that the new evidence from South Korea suggests that those who have battled the coronavirus may develop immunity later.
There was fear after almost 300 cases in South Korea of people who had apparently contracted Covid-19 for the second time.
But the country’s Central Clinical Committee for the Control of Emerging Diseases announced that the cases were due to a test failure.
Professor John Newton said the findings were “promising”.
Ireland will begin its journey to a new normal after another two weeks of closure (Image: PA)
7.05 p.m. update: Italy’s coronavirus death count increases by 269
The death toll from coronavirus in Italy increased from 269 to 28,236.
The number of confirmed cases has increased from 1,965 to 207,428.
6.30 p.m. update: NHS chief warning about schools reopening too soon
NHS England National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis warned against reopening schools too soon.
Professor Powis said “science is still evolving” on how much children contribute to the spread of the virus, adding: “We need to be cautious when thinking about reopening schools.”
His comments came at the Downing Street daily press conference in response to a question from a member of the public.
When asked if parents would be fined for not sending their children to school when they reopen, Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised that the government would only allow students to return when it is safe to do so.
6:10 p.m. update: Shadow Health Secretary accuses ministers of being misleading about test target
In response to the government achieving its coronavirus testing target, Jonathan Ashworth tweeted: “We wanted to see more evidence. But a great figure is not a strategy. We need the fundamentals of infectious disease control: finding cases, locating contacts, and isolating ourselves. .
“And the ministers should have been honest. The promise was that the UK * would * conduct * tests not just publish them. ”
The number of deaths from coronavirus in Italy increased by 269 and the number of cases increased by 1,965 (Image: GETTY)
5.20pm update: government meets 100,000 test targets
The Government has completed its 100,000 coronavirus tests on the target day.
Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said 122,347 tests were performed in the 24 hours through 9 am Friday.
He described it as an “incredible achievement”, adding that the tests are “crucial to suppress the virus” and “would help us unlock the lock.”
Hancock added that throughout the testing process, 1,023,824 tests were conducted.
5.15pm update: UK death toll from coronavirus reaches 27,510
A total of 27,510 people died in hospitals, nursing homes and the wider community after testing positive for a coronavirus in the UK at 5pm on Thursday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, a 739 increase from 26,771 the day before. .
The number of confirmed cases has increased from 6,201 to 177,454.
16:10 update: Coronavirus mortality rate “more than doubled” in the most disadvantaged areas
The death rate from coronavirus is more than double in the most disadvantaged areas, according to a new analysis by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
For those Covid-19 related deaths that occurred between March 1 and April 17, the death rate in the most disadvantaged areas was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.
In contrast, the rate was 25.3 deaths per 100,000 in the least disadvantaged areas.
3.30 p.m. update: England reports more than 352 coronavirus deaths
NHS England has announced 352 new deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in hospitals, totaling 20,483.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said 122,347 tests were performed in the 24 hours through 9 am Friday. (Image: SKY)
2:50 PM update: Northern Ireland announces 18 new deaths
There have been 18 additional deaths in Northern Ireland from patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
The Health Department said this brings the death toll so far to 365.
2.30pm update: death toll in Wales nears 1,000 and cases close to 10,000
Public Health Wales has said 17 other people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the country, bringing the number of deaths to 925.
Another 160 people have tested positive for COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 9,972.
3.15pm update: Half of GP queries could now move online due to COVID-19
Professor Martin Marshall, president of the Royal College of GPs, told the Commons Health and Social Care Committee that there was an increase in online consultations due to the coronavirus.
He told parliamentarians: “There will be a dramatic change.
“Before the pandemic, then, about 70 percent of consultations in general practice were conducted face-to-face.
“Now, based on the data, it’s about 23 percent, I suspect it could be even less than that.”
“That has been enabled, of course, because it had to be, that was the reality of not being able to provide face-to-face care, except when it is exceptionally necessary.
“Most importantly, it has been enabled by having access to technology and the investment that has been invested in technology.
“I think the future will be somewhere between where we were and where we are. I don’t think 70 percent of consultations have to be done face-to-face before the crisis and I don’t think 20 percent to 23 percent is fine. neither “.
1.40 p.m. update: Facial coatings have a ‘weak but positive effect’ – Downing Street
The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The ministers are still considering how we move forward with the facial covers in terms of the precise advice we give to the public and once it is ready we will announce it.”
“The science-based advice we’ve received shows a weak but positive effect in reducing coronavirus transmission from asymptomatic members of the public where social distancing is not possible.”
“What ministers need to consider is how best to produce advice to the public on the next steps and that work is still ongoing.”
Downing Street said facial coatings have a “weak but positive effect” (Image: GETTY)
1.05pm update: Scotland exceeds test capacity target
Test capacity in Scotland is now 4,350, said Nicola Sturgeon.
The country’s government had set a target of 3,500 for capacity in NHS laboratories in late April.
The Prime Minister said that by the end of this week the tests would increase to 6,500 and more to 8,000 in mid-May.
12.50 p.m. update: Sturgeon announces 40 new coronavirus deaths in Scotland
There have been 40 other coronavirus deaths in Scotland, said Fist Minister Nicola Sturgeon, with a death toll of up to 1,475.
She said 11,654 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, a 301 increase from 11,353 the day before.
There are now 1,809 people in the hospital with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, 61 more than 1,748 the day before.
12:30 p.m. update: Macron warns that the uprising crash on May 11 will not mean returning to normal life
France will begin lifting the blockade restrictions in less than two weeks, but French President Emmanuel Macron warned that it will be just one of “several phases.”
He said in a speech to commemorate May 1: “May 11 will not be the step to normal life.
“There will be several phases and May 11 will be one of them.”
The government will meet or “get very close” to achieving its daily test target (Image: PA)
12.14 p.m. update: Matt Hancock praised by Jeremy Hunt for increased testing capacity
Matt Hancock has been praised by his predecessor as Secretary of Health, Jeremy Hunt, as the figures seem to show the government on track to reach its coronavirus test target of 100,000 a day.
On Thursday, the government said it had performed 80,000 tests the day before, nearly 30,000 more than Tuesday.
It is not yet known if the target of 100,000 was reached by the end of this month.
Speaking on the BBC Today program, Mr. Hunt said: “It is a great achievement to get us to do around 10,000 tests a day at 100,000 or so in four weeks.
“It is an absolutely huge transformation of our testing capabilities and Matt Hancock deserves huge credit.”
“One hundred thousand is somehow an arbitrary number, but setting a goal like that is how to do things in a big bureaucracy like the NHS, galvanizes the system and it seems that is what it has done.”
Update 12.09pm: the death toll in Spain is close to 25,000
The number of deaths in Spain from coronavirus has increased to 24,825 after another 281 people died from causes related to the disease during the night.
The daily death toll is slightly higher than Thursday’s figure of 268.
Spain’s health ministry said the number of new coronavirus cases rose to 215,216 on Friday from 213,435 the day before.
12.05am update: New Liverpool hospital to have coronavirus patient unit
The new 646-bed Royal Liverpool University Hospital will open a unit to help patients recovering from the coronavirus.
The hospital was due to open in 2017, but was delayed when engineering giant Carillion collapsed.
Hospital chiefs have now said a state-of-the-art “staggered” unit, consisting of one-bed rooms, will open on-site next week.
The facility will help patients with COVID-19 and other conditions regain their independence before being discharged.
Heathrow chief warns that social distancing at airports would be “physically impossible” (Image: GETTY)
11.17 a.m. update: Spain’s GDP will drop 9.2 percent this year – Minister of Economy
Spain’s GDP will fall 9.2 percent this year, Economy Minister Nadia Calvino warned, but it is expected to grow 6.8 percent in 2021.
She said the Bank of Spain was expecting a “V-shaped asymmetric recovery, with the deepest decline in the second quarter and then a strong and gradual recovery in the second half of the year.”
Before the imposition of a national blockade, Ms Calvinoi had predicted on February 11 that GDP would grow 1.6 percent in 2020.
10.29am update: Russia reports record daily increase in coronavirus cases
The country’s coronavirus response center said there were 7,933 new cases in the past 24 hours, and the total increased to 114,431.
There have been another 96 deaths from COVID-19, with that number increasing to 1,169.
The coronavirus outbreak in Russia initially got off to a slow start, but cases began to rise sharply last month and on Thursday passed the 100,000 mark.
10.24am update: Heathrow chief warns that social distancing at airports would be “physically impossible”
John Holland-Kaye told the PA news agency: “Social distancing does not work on any form of public transportation, let alone on aviation.
“The restriction is not about how many people can fit on a plane, but how many people can safely cross an airport.
“If you’ve ever been on vacation from Gatwick, you can’t imagine passing by and distancing yourself socially in the summer.
“It is physically impossible to distance oneself socially with any volume of passengers at an airport. The same applies to trains and subway stations.
“Therefore, we need a better solution, which means that within a few months, when the disease is under control and with a low risk of infection, we can make the risk of flying as low as possible.”
Donald Trump said he was confident that the killer virus could have originated from a Chinese virology laboratory in Wuhan. (Image: GETTY)
10.20am update: government warned “stay home” message may have been “a little too successful”
A leading statistician warned that the government’s message to “stay home run” may have been “a little too successful” after a prominent poll suggested that the British are concerned about easing the closure measures.
An Ipsos Mori showed that just over 60 percent of people would feel uncomfortable carrying out their usual activities, such as going to bars or restaurants, or using public transportation, if closure is facilitated.
Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter of the University of Cambridge told the BBC Radio 4 Today program: “It is much more difficult to scare people into staying home than to reassure them that they can go out again.
“Perhaps our entire campaign has been, if anything, a little too successful.”
9.36am update: Australian Prime Minister rejects Trump’s new coronavirus claims
Scott Morrison has said he has seen no evidence to suggest that the coronavirus originated from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Donald Trump said Thursday that he was confident the killer virus could have originated from a Chinese virology laboratory, but declined to describe the evidence he claimed to have seen.
When asked about the comments of the President of the United States, Morrison said at a press conference in Canberra: “What we have before us does not suggest that this is the probable source.
“We have nothing to indicate that this is the likely source, although nothing can be ruled out in these settings.”
“We know it started in China, we know it started in Wuhan, the most likely scenario that has been examined relates to wet wildlife markets, but that is an issue that should be thoroughly evaluated.”
Update at 9.29 a.m.: Germany reports 193 new deaths and 1,639 infections
The number of deaths from coronavirus in Germany has risen from 193 to 6,481, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.
There have been 1,639 new cases, and the total now increases to 160,758.
The number of deaths in Germany from coronavirus has increased in 193 to 6,481 (Image: GETTY)
Update at 8.58am: The benefits of wearing a face mask are ‘modest’ but can help people return to work, according to the minister
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC: “The advice in the past has been that facial masks only make a rather modest difference from a health perspective, they help us protect others.
“It could be particularly helpful if you’re asymptomatic, so you don’t know if you have symptoms but you could still be spreading the virus.”
“The benefits are modest, but they could be a way to give people confidence because, understandably, many people are very eager to get out, to return to the workplace safely.”
8.47am update: RBS takes £ 800m hit as profit halves during coronavirus quarter
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said profits halved during the first three months of this year during a difficult period for the banking industry with the coronavirus shutting down large parts of the economy.
Operating profit fell 49 percent from last year to reach £ 519 million.
This came after RBS suffered a net impairment loss of £ 802 million, of which £ 628 million was due to uncertain economic prospects.
8.35am update: UN Secretary General expresses disappointment at COVID-19 response
António Guterres said he was “shocked but not surprised” by the global response to the coronavirus.
He told the BBC: “Unfortunately, the world could not unite.”
“Each country followed its own policy.”
8.15am update: Ryanair could cut up to 3,000 jobs due to ‘unprecedented COVID-19 crisis’
The airline said in a statement: “As a direct result of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, the grounding of all flights from mid-March to at least July, and the distorted picture of state aid in Europe, Ryanair It now awaits recovery in demand, and passenger prices (up to 2019 levels) will take at least two years, until the summer of 2022 at the earliest.
“Ryanair Airlines will shortly notify its unions of its restructuring and job loss program, which will start in July 2020.
“These plans will be subject to consultation, but will affect all Ryanair airlines and may cause the loss of up to 3,000 jobs, mainly for pilots and cabin crew, unpaid leave and salary cuts of up to 20%, and the closure of several aircraft, bases across Europe until traffic recovers.
“The job and salary cuts will also extend to central office and back office teams. Group CEO Michael O’Leary, whose salary was reduced by 50% for April and May, has now agreed to extend this cut 50% for the rest of the financial year until March 2021. “
8.07am update: UK will meet or “get very close” to achieving daily testing target
The government will either meet its goal of performing 100,000 coronavirus tests a day or be “very close” to that, a minister said.
Boris Johnson said at Thursday’s briefing that 81,611 tests had been performed on Wednesday.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News this morning: “I think we will have done it or we will be very close.
“In that sense, the goal will have been successful because it will have galvanized people across the government, in the private sector and across the country to build the network we needed, which is the foundation of testing, monitoring and tracing. , which we need in the next phase of fighting the virus. “
Additional reporting by Paul Withers.
