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Coronavirus live news: global cases near million mark as US federal stockpile of medical equipment dwindles Coronavirus live news: global cases near million mark as US federal stockpile of medical equipment dwindles
(32 minutes later)
Trump says personal protective gear has nearly run out; Florida, Georgia, Mississippi ordered to shelter in place; record daily fatalities in UK. Follow the latest updates.Trump says personal protective gear has nearly run out; Florida, Georgia, Mississippi ordered to shelter in place; record daily fatalities in UK. Follow the latest updates.
Three-quarters of Britons said they experienced shortages of products when shopping in the week leading up to the Prime Minister’s orders to stay at home because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to new research published today (Thursday) by consumer group Which?
In a survey of more than 2,000 members of the public on the impact of the outbreak carried out between 20th-24th March, three-quarters (76%) reported experiencing shortages of products in supermarkets, shops or online. They included vulnerable people who struggled to get essentials when unable to get to physical stores.
A third (34%) said they could not find hand sanitisers anywhere while around a quarter could not find toilet rolls (27%) and rice and pasta (25%).
The coronavirus outbreak has also impacted shopping habits, with around a third (32%) saying they have shopped at independent and convenience stores more than usual.
The survey provides a snapshot of shopping patterns during initial panic-buying and before new rules on ‘physical distancing’ led to supermarkets and other retailers racing to introduce measures such as restricting shopper numbers.
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection and food policy at Which?, said: “Millions of people have been experiencing product shortages in supermarkets, with all parts of the country affected. While many can adapt their shopping habits, it is particularly concerning that we are hearing from vulnerable consumers who are struggling to get hold of essentials.”
Ireland’s lower house of parliament, the Dáil, will convene on Thursday but at least one party will stay away, saying the sitting is non-essential and a needless risk.
The Labour party has said it will send in written statements and post video messages rather than join other deputies in the chamber to hear statements on health and social protection.
Ireland has a caretaker government following February’s election but there will be no vote today on a new taoiseach, nor can legislation pass because there is no functioning upper house.
Sinn Féin has said the chamber must meet to hold to account a government that has imposed sweeping restrictions and adopted new powers to deal with coronavirus.
China reported six new coronavirus deaths as of the end of Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Wednesday’s death toll was the same number as on Tuesday.
China had 35 new coronavirus cases on 1 April, all of which were imported, the National Health Commission said on Thursday.
The Cambodian government has been accused of manipulating the coronavirus pandemic to assert absolute power “over all aspects of civil, political, social, and economic life”, after it put forward a draft state of emergency law that includes no time limits, checks or balances, reports Rebecca Ratcliffe in Bangkok.The Cambodian government has been accused of manipulating the coronavirus pandemic to assert absolute power “over all aspects of civil, political, social, and economic life”, after it put forward a draft state of emergency law that includes no time limits, checks or balances, reports Rebecca Ratcliffe in Bangkok.
Russia posted its largest single-day rise in identified cases of coronavirus as the country has passed tougher measures to enforce shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of the disease, reports Andrew Roth in Moscow.Russia posted its largest single-day rise in identified cases of coronavirus as the country has passed tougher measures to enforce shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of the disease, reports Andrew Roth in Moscow.
Facing calls to declare a coronavirus state of emergency, the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was criticised on Thursday for instead offering people free cloth masks, pointing to growing frustration for some over his handling of the crisis. PA Media reports:Facing calls to declare a coronavirus state of emergency, the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was criticised on Thursday for instead offering people free cloth masks, pointing to growing frustration for some over his handling of the crisis. PA Media reports:
In a worrying sign, a refugee camp in Greece has been placed under quarantine after 20 of its in-place residents were diagnosed with coronavirus, reports Helena Smith in Athens.In a worrying sign, a refugee camp in Greece has been placed under quarantine after 20 of its in-place residents were diagnosed with coronavirus, reports Helena Smith in Athens.
Professor Paul Cosford, emeritus medical director of PHE, said testing is “critically important” but that social distancing is too.He told Good Morning Britain: “Social distancing is absolutely the way that we will reduce the spread of this infection and ultimately will get on top of it.”He said social distancing measures will need to stay in place until spread of the disease becomes “minimal”.Professor Paul Cosford, emeritus medical director of PHE, said testing is “critically important” but that social distancing is too.He told Good Morning Britain: “Social distancing is absolutely the way that we will reduce the spread of this infection and ultimately will get on top of it.”He said social distancing measures will need to stay in place until spread of the disease becomes “minimal”.
PA Media reports:PA Media reports:
The UK’s shadow attorney general, Lady Chakrabarti, said Labour wants the government to show clarity in its testing strategy and how it will protect Britons on health and economic matters.The UK’s shadow attorney general, Lady Chakrabarti, said Labour wants the government to show clarity in its testing strategy and how it will protect Britons on health and economic matters.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Never has an opposition wanted a government to succeed as much as we want to help the government defeat the coronavirus, and everything I say is in that spirit.”She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Never has an opposition wanted a government to succeed as much as we want to help the government defeat the coronavirus, and everything I say is in that spirit.”
Chakrabarti added: “We’re asking the government to be transparent and to be clear... about what its plans are to deliver the kind of scale of testing that we need, both to get the NHS workforce tested but also to return as quickly as possible to community-based testing.Chakrabarti added: “We’re asking the government to be transparent and to be clear... about what its plans are to deliver the kind of scale of testing that we need, both to get the NHS workforce tested but also to return as quickly as possible to community-based testing.
“Without widespread testing in the population, we don’t understand - having listened to experts - the way out of the lockdown.”“Without widespread testing in the population, we don’t understand - having listened to experts - the way out of the lockdown.”
Sir Paul Nurse, chief executive of the Francis Crick Institute in London, has said its research laboratory had been repurposed so it could carry out Covid-19 tests at a rate of 500 a day by next week - rising to 2,000 a day in future.Sir Paul Nurse, chief executive of the Francis Crick Institute in London, has said its research laboratory had been repurposed so it could carry out Covid-19 tests at a rate of 500 a day by next week - rising to 2,000 a day in future.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We hope that we can roll this out to other research institutes so that everybody can contribute.”He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We hope that we can roll this out to other research institutes so that everybody can contribute.”
He added: “A metaphor here is Dunkirk - we are a lot of little boats and the little boats can be effective.He added: “A metaphor here is Dunkirk - we are a lot of little boats and the little boats can be effective.
“The government has put some big boats, destroyers in place. That’s a bit more cumbersome to get working and we wish them all the luck to do that, but we little boats can contribute as well.”“The government has put some big boats, destroyers in place. That’s a bit more cumbersome to get working and we wish them all the luck to do that, but we little boats can contribute as well.”
Nurse said their tests can be turned around in under 24 hours, which could help get NHS staff back on the front line.Nurse said their tests can be turned around in under 24 hours, which could help get NHS staff back on the front line.
Jazz pioneer Ellis Marsalis Jr has died at the age of 85 after being diagnosed with coronavirus, his son has said. Press Association reports:Jazz pioneer Ellis Marsalis Jr has died at the age of 85 after being diagnosed with coronavirus, his son has said. Press Association reports:
Hello this is Alexandra Topping at the helm of our global coronavirus liveblog. If you think we’ve missed a story or want to draw our attention to something please do get in touch.Hello this is Alexandra Topping at the helm of our global coronavirus liveblog. If you think we’ve missed a story or want to draw our attention to something please do get in touch.
I’m on alexandra.topping@theguardian.com and @lexytopping on Twitter: my DMs are open.I’m on alexandra.topping@theguardian.com and @lexytopping on Twitter: my DMs are open.
Here’s an update on some of the key UK stories we have:Here’s an update on some of the key UK stories we have:
A shortage of moderators who combat sexual abuse online combined with children spending more time on the internet at home has created a “perfect storm” for abusers to take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the UK’s biggest safeguarding charities has warned.A shortage of moderators who combat sexual abuse online combined with children spending more time on the internet at home has created a “perfect storm” for abusers to take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the UK’s biggest safeguarding charities has warned.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said six in 10 UK firms have no more than three months of cash left as companies across the UK were suffering from a sharp and significant fall in domestic and overseas sales, threatening widespread job losses.The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said six in 10 UK firms have no more than three months of cash left as companies across the UK were suffering from a sharp and significant fall in domestic and overseas sales, threatening widespread job losses.
Virus patients more likely to die may have ventilators taken away. In a new document issued by the British Medical Association, doctors set out guidelines to ration care if the NHS becomes overwhelmed with new cases as the outbreak moves towards its peak.Virus patients more likely to die may have ventilators taken away. In a new document issued by the British Medical Association, doctors set out guidelines to ration care if the NHS becomes overwhelmed with new cases as the outbreak moves towards its peak.
The government is to set up a virtual parliament to allow MPs to scrutinise its response to the coronavirus crisis following demands from the Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, and opposition parties.The government is to set up a virtual parliament to allow MPs to scrutinise its response to the coronavirus crisis following demands from the Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, and opposition parties.
The World Health Organization is considering changing its guidance on whether people should wear face masks in public, prompted by new evidence that suggests doing so could help contain the pandemic.The World Health Organization is considering changing its guidance on whether people should wear face masks in public, prompted by new evidence that suggests doing so could help contain the pandemic.
The UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has responded to mounting criticism over the UK’s failure to provide widespread testing by telling the public he had no doubt the tide would be turned if Britain’s measures were followed.The UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has responded to mounting criticism over the UK’s failure to provide widespread testing by telling the public he had no doubt the tide would be turned if Britain’s measures were followed.
Speaking in a video posted last night from his quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, Johnson said testing was “massively increasing” and it was “the way through” the pandemic.Speaking in a video posted last night from his quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, Johnson said testing was “massively increasing” and it was “the way through” the pandemic.
“This is how we will unlock the coronavirus puzzle. This is how we will defeat it in the end.”“This is how we will unlock the coronavirus puzzle. This is how we will defeat it in the end.”
Just 2,000 of half a million NHS staff to date have tested to date. Health Minister Matt Hancock returns today after his own quarantine.Just 2,000 of half a million NHS staff to date have tested to date. Health Minister Matt Hancock returns today after his own quarantine.