Coronavirus News Live: Latest Updates As WHO Says Covid Vaccine Could Arrive By End Of 2020

Thousands yet to be tracked after UK computer bug

Thousands of people who came into close contact with coronavirus patients have yet to be contacted, after a computer error led to the disappearance of a large number of cases. writes Andrew Woodcock.

A massive effort was launched to track potentially infected people after Public Health England revealed that 15,841 cases had not been recorded between September 25 and October 2.

Belgium will impose more restrictions

Belgium will tighten restrictions on the coronavirus at the end of the week, limiting groups to a maximum of four people in a bid to stem a sharp rise in infections.

Alexander De Croo, the new prime minister who took office five days ago, told a press conference that he knew the Belgians were tired of the restrictions, but had to stick to the rules to avoid another total lockdown.

As of Friday, Belgians should only have three people outside their home with whom they do not practice social distancing.

No more than four people should be invited into a home, sit at a single bar table, or gather outside. All bars must close at 11pm.

Covid-19 has claimed 10,078 lives in the country of 11 million people, producing one of the highest per capita death rates in the world.

UK infection rate doubles in a week

The rate of Covid-19 infections in the UK has almost doubled in a week.

The seven-day rate across the UK currently stands at 125.7 cases per 100,000 people, up from 63.8 per 100,000 a week ago, an analysis by the PA news agency shows.

Explained: Who will get the Covid-19 vaccine?

Since the start of the pandemic, the Covid-19 vaccine has been placed on a pedestal to mark the end of the coronavirus and the best hope of returning us to our pre-virus lives, without the need for continued social distancing and local lockdown measures. . .

The curfew ‘may have contributed to the’ drug deaths’ of students

The closing of nightclubs and a curfew in bars at 10 p.m. may have played a role in the alleged drug-related deaths of students, one expert suggested.

Professor Fiona Measham, co-founder of The Loop, a harm reduction charity, said she had warned “all summer long to anyone who would listen” about the risks of students returning to college amid coronavirus restrictions. .

Music industry could experience ‘extraordinary talent drain’ amid coronavirus crisis

The music industry will experience an “extraordinary brain drain” unless the government offers more support to its workers, said the general secretary of the Musicians Union.

Horace Trubridge told the Economic Affairs Committee that 40 percent of the 30,000 members of his union have not qualified for the government’s plans to help workers and the self-employed.

He said: “Those are the people who are being left out of the equation and will leave the industry, and I am afraid that we will fall back in the world rankings, unless something is urgently done.

The situation is “really alarming,” he said, adding that 30 percent of musicians’ union workers said in a survey that they are considering leaving the industry.

“This is an extraordinary talent drain if it happens,” he said.

Nottingham home mixing ban ‘likely’ after spike in cases

Nottingham’s infection rate is “increasing more than in many other parts of the country,” and a local shutdown may be necessary, a health chief said.

Rory sullivan has the full story:

UK reports 14,500 new cases

The UK has reported 14,542 new cases of Covid-19, up from 12,594 yesterday.

There were 76 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Nottingham health officials expect local lockdown after spike in cases

Health officials expect Nottingham to be blocked locally after a spike in coronavirus cases, with 1,273 new cases registered in the seven days to October 2.

Alison Challenger, the city’s public health director, said the current restrictions “were no longer enough to stop the spread of the virus.”

The rising rate coincided with a recent outbreak at the University of Nottingham, as figures on its website showed that 425 students tested positive for Covid-19 during the week ending last Friday.

Nottingham City Council said it expected the government to introduce stricter rules later this week, “similar to those introduced in other cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.”

The city council has asked the inhabitants of the city to “take urgent measures” and “not to mix indoors with people from other homes.”

Ms Challenger said: “We are seeing a dramatic increase in Covid-19 cases in Nottingham. Our infection rate is now increasing more than in many other parts of the country.

“This is a significant and worrying change. It means that the measures we currently have are no longer sufficient to stop the spread of the virus in our city. We will have to do more to keep people safe in Nottingham. “

She added: “We urge people to take action now and not mix indoors with people from other homes. It’s okay to blend in with your support bubbles unless someone has tested positive or has symptoms. “

Coronavirus vaccine could be ready by end of 2020, says WHO chief

A coronavirus vaccine could be ready by the end of this year, said the head of the World Health Organization (WHO).

In his closing remarks to the WHO Executive Board meeting, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the organization’s director general, called for a political commitment from all leaders to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccines when available.

“We will need vaccines and there is hope that by the end of this year we can have a vaccine. There is hope, ”said Dr. Tedros.

The EU health regulator said on Tuesday it had released a real-time review of a Covid-19 vaccine developed by US drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech, following a similar announcement for rival AstraZeneca’s jab last week. .

The announcement by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) could speed up the approval process of a successful vaccine on the block.

Nine experimental vaccines are in the pipeline of the WHO-led global COVAX vaccine facility, which aims to deliver 2 billion doses by the end of 2021.

“Especially for vaccines and other products that are in the pipeline, the most important tool is the political commitment of our leaders, especially in the equitable distribution of vaccines,” said Dr. Tedros.

“We need each other, we need solidarity and we need to use all the energy we have to fight the virus.”