The coronavirus is spreading further in the United Kingdom. The curfew over Corona could be drastically extended.
- The United Kingdom is desperately fighting the Sars CoV-2 * coronavirus
- Prime Minister is infected, MPs in self-isolation
- The curfew could take longer, Wimbledon before cancellation
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+++ 20.00: Great Britain will also bring back citizens from abroad: The government announced on Monday (30.03.2020) that it would fly back to the Kingdom of the British stranded for around £ 75m (€ 84m).
Throughout the UK , the number of people who died from Covid-19 rose to 1408. Around 1,000 people are hospitalized every day in the Kingdom's hospitals, according to the British Guardian. Experts expect the number to increase in the coming weeks.
According to the Mayor Sadiq Khan, London is around “two to four weeks” from the climax of the coronavirus pandemic . Khan did not want to make an assessment of the extent of the pandemic in the metropolis.
Coronavirus: Formula 1 team help with the production of official equipment
+++ 16.24 PM: In England , the number of people who died in connection with the coronavirus rose to 1284. That is 159 more than on Sunday, reports the British "Guardian" with reference to British health authorities. The deceased were all between 32 and 98 years old and all but four had previous illnesses.
Meanwhile, Mercedes' Formula 1 team has teamed up with British scientists to build much-needed ventilators for coronavirus patients. As the University College in London announced, the British health authorities have already given the green light for the production of so-called CPAP ventilators.
Such devices, which help patients with breathing problems with a mask instead of a tube to breathe, have already been used in coronavirus patients with severe pneumonia in Italy and China .
The University College London and Mercedes have now developed their own model, of which they can produce several thousand copies at short notice. These are said to be delivered to hospitals across the UK .
Coronavirus in the UK: Prince Charles no longer isolated
+++ 13.55 p.m .: The Prince of Wales is no longer isolated in his house in Birkhall in Scotland . Prince Charles had been tested positive for coronavirus last week.
A spokesman for Clarence House said, "We can confirm that the Prince of Wales is no longer in quarantine after consulting his doctor."
Johnson consultant in isolation
+++ 11.40 clock: Another member of the government seems infected: According to the "Daily Mail", the Prime Minister's senior adviser, Dominic Cummings, went into self-isolation with corona symptoms.
Dominic Cummings has developed symptoms of coronavirus over the weekend and is now self-isolating. No 10 source says he remains 'in contact'
- Jason Groves (@ JasonGroves1) March 30, 2020Number of new admissions in hospitals declining slightly
+++ 09.15: According to Professor Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London, the coronavirus epidemic in the UK could currently "slow down" somewhat. The expert argues that the number of new admissions to hospitals is declining somewhat.
"It has not yet peaked, but the rate has slowed," Ferguson told BBC Radio 4. This is a trend that can be seen in other European countries.
UK death toll continues to rise
Update 3/30/2020, 8:45 a.m .: The full curfew has been in effect in the UK for a week now. At a press conference in Downing Street, a senior British medical doctor has now demanded that measures be taken for a period of six months or more to get the virus under control.
Meanwhile, the UK's death toll from the virus increased to 1,228 over the weekend.
Corona in the UK: Corona virus curfew could last over three weeks
+++ 29.03., 17.33 clock: According to the government, the curfew imposed in the UK due to the corona virus will take longer than three weeks. "I can't make an accurate prediction. But I think everyone has to be prepared for this measure to remain in effect for some time to come, ”said cabinet secretary Michael Gove, the BBC broadcaster on Sunday. According to an expert, the curfew could last until June.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who has Corona himself, said about a week ago that the curfew would last three weeks. Britain had taken the measure to contain the coronavirus pandemic significantly later than most European countries.
Corona in Great Britain: tennis classic in Wimbledon due to corona virus shortly before cancellation
+++ 29.03., 3:02 pm: Because of Corona , the tennis classic in Wimbledon is about to be canceled. "There is no doubt about it. That is necessary in the current situation, ”said the vice-chief of the German Tennis Federation on Sunday on the TV channel Sky. The decision will be announced on Wednesday.
The tournament should actually start on June 29, 2020 in London. But Hordoff does not expect Wimbledon to be postponed due to the corona virus. "Wimbledon has its own laws due to the lawn and the special lighting conditions," said the official. Therefore, a host in September or October is unthinkable.
Corona virus in the UK: Government plans to expand corona testing capacity
+++ 29.03., 12.02: In the fight against the corona virus , conference centers in London, Manchester and Birmingham are being converted into temporary hospitals. The capital city's Excel Center alone is said to treat 4,000 patients. The UK government also announced that it would significantly expand testing capacity.
So far, only 114,000 people have been tested for the corona virus - far less than in Germany. Hospital employees in particular are now to be tested extensively for antigens using a newly developed method.
Corona crisis in Great Britain: Boris Johnson warns of difficult times
+++ 29.03., 09.09 clock: With an emotional letter, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who has Covid-19 , prepares his compatriots for difficult times and does not rule out even stricter measures in the fight against lung disease.
"It is important for me to speak openly and honestly with you - we know that the situation will deteriorate before it gets better," says the letter that Downing Street published in London on Saturday, next week to be sent to 30 million households. The government is making the right preparations and the more closely these rules are followed, the less lives are lost and the sooner one can return to normal life.
However, Boris Johnson did not rule out further tightening of the measures: "We will not hesitate to continue if the scientific and medical advice tells us that we have to do it."
Corona crisis: Britain has more than 1,000 deaths
+++ 28.03., 16:27: The number of people who died from the lung disease Covid-19 in Great Britain has risen to over 1000. This was announced by the United Kingdom government, as of Friday night.
The day before, the number of deaths from the disease caused by the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus was still 759. In the days before, the number of infected had already risen sharply. According to Johns Hopkins University, 14,754 people have coronavirus in the UK.
Concern for sick government officials in the UK
+++ 28.03., 12.00 clock: The British government has long used a different strategy in the fight against the corona virus than other countries. Herd immunity was the buzzword, Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially did not want to know about contact bans and curfews. But now that Johnson himself and Secretary of Health Matt Hancock have also become ill, there is growing criticism of the British government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak. John Ashton, a former regional director of the National Health Service NHS, accused the government of indolence. This applies both to the measures in the country and to their personal behavior, both of which were "too slow".
On Monday (March 23rd) the Prime Minister had curfewed and asked the British to only leave the house if absolutely necessary. But on Wednesday (March 25th) Johnson answered parliamentary questions in the cramped parliament. "I was surprised that Question Time was held - it was clearly unnecessary," Ashton told The Guardian.
The Financial Times quoted a cabinet member as accusing some ministers of being "very hesitant" to put their own advice on social distance into practice. Another member of the government complained to the newspaper, according to the newspaper, that until recently the Cobra National Security Council had "crammed" in a tap-proof meeting room.
There is now concern in London that government decision-making may be compromised if other cabinet members are infected. However, there should initially be no precautionary tests. "Everyone follows the advice of the health authority," said a Downing Street spokesman at the request of the German Press Agency. Accordingly, one should go into self-isolation as soon as symptoms appear.
The number of deaths in Great Britain increases by 181 to 759
+++ 3.20 p.m .: The current figures were published in Great Britain. By March 27 at 9 a.m., a total of 113,777 people had been tested in the UK: 99,198 negative, 14,579 positive. As of March 26 at 5 p.m., 759 of those infected in Great Britain died. That's an increase of 181 deaths from the previous day.
UPDATE on coronavirus (# COVID19) testing in the UK:
As of 9am 27 March, a total of 113,777 have been tested:
99.198 negative.
14,579 positive.
As of 5pm on 26 March, of those hospitalized in the UK, 759 have sadly died. pic.twitter.com/MBuOB994N4
Queen Elizabeth II last saw Johnson on March 11th
+++ 2.30pm: After all, the Queen still seems to be doing well. As the palace announced, Queen Elizabeth II (93) last met the Coronavirus-infected British Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally more than two weeks ago. This was announced by Buckingham Palace on Friday in London. She is still in good health.
"The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on March 11th and is following appropriate advice on her welfare," the statement said. Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (98) had already withdrawn for an early Easter stay at Windsor Castle last week.
Meanwhile, there is an emergency in Germany. Hundreds of thousands support a petition from nurses in the corona crisis.
The Minister of Health also tested positive
+++ 14.05 clock: And again, a representative of the British government has tested positive for the corona virus . After Prime Minister Boris Johnson , Health Minister Matt Hancock has now tested positive. He too is in self-isolation with mild symptoms.
Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus.
I've tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating.
Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives # StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/TguWH6Blij
+++ 1.30 p.m .: In Great Britain the question now arises with whom the Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who tested positive for the corona virus , had last contact. Because now, at the latest, the entire Westminster district is at the focus of corona diseases. State secretary Nadine Dorries had already tested positive on March 11, and many MPs and officials from Whitehall have since isolated themselves.
As of today, this includes Angela Rayner , the education spokeswoman for the opposition Labor party, who is considered a candidate for the post of the next deputy chairwoman of the party. On Twitter, she said that she felt uncomfortable overnight and that her condition was gradually deteriorating.
Boris Johnson positive
+++ 12.22 PM: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the Coronavirus Sars CoV-2 . Johnson has mild symptoms and will isolate himself on Downing Street, a statement said. "It was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of senior medical advisor Chris Whitty."
Boris Johnson himself spoke up with a video on Twitter. There he said that he had developed mild symptoms in the past 24 hours and was then tested positive for the coronavirus. He would now isolate himself and continue to lead government work in the fight against the virus via video conference. "I would like to thank everyone involved and, of course, our excellent NHS staff." Secretary of State Dominic Raab would take over Johnson's duties in an emergency.
Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.
I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus.
Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri
Dogs are supposed to sniff out corona virus
+++ 27.03., 09.15 a.m .: Great Britain is breaking new ground in the fight against the corona virus . Now dogs are to be trained to sniff out infections with the new corona virus with their extremely strong sense of smell.
The charity Medical Detection Dogs (about: dogs in medical diagnosis) entered into a partnership with scientists for this project, as announced today (March 27). According to the plans, the noses of the four-legged friends should be sensitized within six weeks to the smell emanating from the lung disease Covid-19 in such a way that they can be used for diagnosis.
"Basically, we are sure that dogs could spot Covid-19," said Medical Detection Dogs chairwoman Claire Guest. Currently, methods are still being investigated as to how the odor emitted by corona patients can be captured in order to present it to the dog's nose.
Dogs are already used to discover other diseases such as cancer or diabetes. Medical Detection Dogs has already carried out various training programs for the four-legged friends.
In the UK, dogs from the medical detection dogs charity are now to be used in the fight against the corona virus. (Archive picture)
© AFP
Corona crisis: Great Britain wants to support the self-employed
+++ 19.17 PM: The British finance minister Rishi Sunak has announced to support self-employed people who are threatened by the corona virus in their existence. As with employees, the state wants to provide 80 percent of the income.
The self-employed should receive up to 2500 pounds (around 2750 euros) per month. A requirement is a maximum profit of £ 50,000 annually. Around 95 percent of all self-employed are to be protected in this way. However: "We cannot protect every single job and every single company," Sunak explained. Some would fall through the grid.
Too few Cotonavirurs tests in the UK
+++ 14.55 clock: Great Britain has so far been difficult to increase its test capacities. A total of around 97,000 people were tested there by Wednesday. This puts the country far behind Germany, where around 410,000 tests have now been carried out. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he wanted to increase the capacity from 5000 to 25,000 tests a day. So far, however, it is not clear until when this goal can be achieved. On Wednesday, according to official information, just 6,600 tests were carried out.
However, the British government said that it had secured 3.5 million sets for antibody tests, but it is still unclear whether they will work as desired. However, these could prove to be crucial when it comes to sending hospital staff back to work after an infection. Antibody tests can identify an infection that has already been overcome.
Coronavirus pandemic: UK hospitals before collapse
+++ 12.05 PM: Britain's NHS complains that London hospitals are increasingly overworked due to the coronavirus pandemic . The hospitals in the British capital are faced with a "constant tsunami" of seriously ill corona patients, the high-ranking NHS representative Chris Hopson said on Thursday.
After the hospitals had "massively" expanded their capacities for the intensive care treatment of patients in the past weeks, there is now an "explosion" in the number of seriously ill patients. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that many hospital employees are themselves ill and therefore missing. The sickness rate among hospital staff is “30 percent, 40 percent and in some places even 50 percent,” said Hopson. This extent is "unprecedented".
According to information from Wednesday, 9,529 infections with the novel coronavirus have been detected in the United Kingdom, 463 infected died. Last week, the government announced the establishment of a 4,000-bed temporary hospital in a conference center in London.
Mayor of London is powerless
+++ 10.40 clock: Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has been criticized in the past few days by the ministers for not offering underground services in his city anymore. As a result, some cars were overcrowded, increasing the risk of coronavirus transmission. This morning Khan pointed out that he could no longer offer capacity because one in three of the staff was isolated or sick.
⚠️ One in three @TfL staff are off sick or self-isolating: we cannot run more services
⚠️ Employers: staff must work from home wherever possible to help protect our key workers who need to travel
⚠️ If you have to go to work, please don't travel at rush hour # COVID19 pic.twitter.com/67SmQ7q3kp
At the same time, he urged the population to avoid rush hours as much as possible.
No preferential treatment for Prince Charles
Update 03/26/2020, 08.55 a.m .: The UK government has pointed out that Prince Charles did not receive preferential treatment when he received a coronavirus test before many NHS workers.
Speaking to Sky News, Health Minister Edward Argar said the prince had received no special treatment when tested positive for the virus.
When asked why the prince had received a test while many health officials are still waiting, Argar said, "My understanding is that his symptoms and condition met the criteria for a test."
Corona Emergency Law passed
+++ 19.54 PM: The British Parliament in London has passed a Corona Emergency Law. Among other things, the law authorizes the government and authorities to enforce exit restrictions and closings of shops if necessary using coercive measures.
In addition, the law makes it easier to access citizens' private data. The authorities also have the right to forcibly quarantine people with corona and suspected cases. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the lower house had already prematurely entered the Easter break on Wednesday (25.03.2020).
400,000 British want to help the NHS
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson also told journalists on Wednesday that more than 400,000 volunteers have signed up to support the NHS state health service in the corona crisis .
They had followed a call from the government the previous day. In addition, 12,000 former NHS employees have agreed to temporarily resume their jobs.
21-year-old dies of Covid-19 without previous illness
+++ 14.20: As "Sky News" reports, a 21-year-old woman without diagnosed previous illness died from the lung disease Covid-19 after being infected with Sars-CoV-2 . She is believed to be the youngest person to die after being infected with coronavirus in the UK .
Coronavirus: Briton, 21, 'with no existing health conditions' dies after contracting COVID-19 https://t.co/FUEQbtS08J
- Sky News (@SkyNews) March 25, 2020Couples should "test their feelings"
+++ 14.10 PM: The British government has asked couples with separate households to test their relationship for resilience because of the initial restrictions imposed by the coronavirus epidemic . The couple should choose whether to stay together or to keep a distance, said Jenny Harries, the UK government's deputy health official, to journalists on Wednesday.
However, people should be prevented from switching back and forth between different households. "Check the strength of your feelings carefully and stay in one household, either together or separately, but stick with it (...)," said Harries.
Corona at Prince Charles: Equal rights for everyone?
+++ 12.40 p.m .: Some commentators on Twitter are not pleased about the possibility that Prince Charles may receive special treatment that is not available to other people with coronavirus symptoms . The BBC's James Cook says: “It is surprising to say that Prince Charles of the NHS in Aberdeenshire 'met the criteria required for testing'. The NHS Scotland website states that tests for Covid-19 are generally only performed if you have a serious illness that requires hospitalization.
The statement that Prince Charles “met the criteria required for testing” by the NHS in Aberdeenshire is puzzling. The NHS Scotland website states that, generally, testing for Covid-19 will only be carried out “if you have a serious illness that requires admission to hospital.” pic.twitter.com/KLnu61rya7
- James Cook (@BBCJamesCook) March 25, 2020Prince Charles tested positive
+++ 12.10 PM: As reported by the British royal family, Charles, Prince of Wales, has tested positive for the new type of corona virus. The heir to the throne "shows mild symptoms, but is otherwise in good health," said a spokesman for the eldest son of the queen.
Duchess Camilla also tested
His wife, Duchess Camilla (72), had also been tested, but no infection was found to have been found. The couple are now in domestic isolation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Where the Prince of Wales could have caught the virus was initially unclear. Charles had seen a number of appointments in the past few weeks. He now works from home, the message said.
It was initially unclear whether Queen Elizabeth II (93) and her husband, Prince Philip (98), were also tested. The two had already moved to Windsor Castle, west of London, last week. Because of their age, they are considered to be particularly at risk.
+++ 11.20 am: Following the government's announcement to convert the ExCel Center in London into an emergency hospital, large conference halls in other British cities will now follow suit.
In Birmingham, the operators of the "NEC", where a dog show was held earlier this month, said they would be "ready" and "well-equipped" if the hall were considered a suitable location for a makeshift hospital.
House of Commons goes into Easter break earlier
+++ 10.45 a.m .: The "lockdown" now also affects the British Parliament. MEPs start the Easter break a week earlier than planned. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the lower house, has made a request.
However, the break should not begin until the Coronavirus Act has been passed. The decision to take an early break is not a big surprise - but another sign of how the outbreak of the corona virus has changed all aspects of normal life in Britain.
UK corona crisis - unprecedented lockdown
Update from Wednesday, March 25th, 2020, 10:29 am: The British daily "The Independent" calls the partial lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson unprecedented, even compared to times of war. But the newspaper also reports doubts as to whether the measures are actually sufficient. It is unclear whether the order could prevent a "terrible crisis in the hospitals".
While the restrictions on freedom of movement that have been progressively announced in the past few weeks will have a positive effect and reduce pressure on public health services, the UK could still suffer severely from Covid-19. “If we had curfew a month ago, we would be better able to cope with the peak of the epidemic today. For this reason, it will be necessary to intensify the lockdown in the coming days, ”writes the newspaper.
Corona pandemic in the United Kingdom (UK): More than 8000 people infected with corona
Update, Tuesday, March 24th, 7:50 pm: The number of corona deaths in Great Britain rose by 87 in the evening to 422 now. The number of confirmed infections is now more than 8000.
The actual number is likely to be even higher. In the United Kingdom (UK), only around 82,000 people have been tested so far, far less than in Germany, for example. British Health Minister Matt Hancock said the government is about to buy millions of test sets.
Londoners ignore warnings about Corona: Mayor Khan stunned
First report, Tuesday, March 24, 2:26 p.m .: London - Sadiq Khan was stunned. "We have to stop all unnecessary trips," said the Mayor of London . "Ignoring these rules means losing more lives." More employers would have to offer employees to work at home during the Corona crisis .
The reason for his excitement was pictures from the subways of the British capital. Because even on Tuesday (March 24th), many trains in London were still completely overcrowded, in many compartments the passengers were crowded next to each other - even though the government had just introduced stricter exit restrictions in the fight against the Sars CoV-2 coronavirus .
Corona in the UK: People ignore government recommendations
A nurse had no interest in sitting on the subway on her way to the clinic. As a precaution, she would rather walk 40 minutes, she told the German Press Agency. She did not want to endanger herself and the patients.
Which is a voice of reason that is otherwise in the UK surprisingly often still missing. Most British people simply ignored the government's recommendations at the weekend. People soaked up the sun in the beautiful spring weather in the parks of London, and there were also plenty of day trippers in the Snowdonia Mountains in Wales, in the Scottish Highlands and in Cornwall in the south-west of England.
Fighting UK corona pandemic: British irritated by new exit restrictions
But apparently the latest exit restrictions in the fight against the corona pandemic are not clearly worded. In a speech to the nation on Monday (23 March), Prime Minister Boris Johnson * instructed his compatriots to leave their own four walls as little as possible. Meetings of more than two people are prohibited. The house should only be left for the purchase of essential items such as food and medicine, for the way to work and once a day for sports. Shops that are not used for basic services had to close immediately.
Police chiefs reported on Tuesday (March 24th) that they were receiving a flood of questions that they could not answer. The leader of the Labor opposition party, Jeremy Corbyn , asked for clarification as to which workplaces must now be closed. Previously, a sporting goods company had unsuccessfully opposed the closure on the grounds that its equipment was crucial for the fight against the novel pathogen.
Corona in the United Kingdom: Situation is getting worse
The situation in the United Kingdom (UK) has been worsening for days. Boris Johnson in particular is criticized for reacting too late to the coronavirus pandemic . The hesitation could prove fatal, warn scientists. Already more than 335 people have died of the infection on the island, the curve of the number of cases develops very similar to that in Italy - with a difference of two weeks.
Bending the curve: the earlier the better. The @FT graph also displays the enlightening recap of when lockdown to limit # COVID19 was put in place in different countries:
- China: at 30 deaths
- France: at 175
- Spain: at 200
- UK: at 335
- Italy: at 800
- US: no lockdown pic.twitter.com/Rwl1ZEw6Gz
In fact, Johnson was initially very hesitant about the corona pandemic. The prime minister, based on the advice of his advisers, started out with a completely different strategy than most other countries. Since the corona virus is unstoppable, drastic measures should be delayed as long as possible. It makes the most sense if part of the population is infected and then immunized. With this “herd immunity” , the United Kingdom (UK) wanted to avoid a second wave of contagion in autumn.The World Health Agency was not a friend of this strategy, and numerous scientists accused Johnson of following an erroneous line.
UK Corona Pandemic: Pre-Collapse Health Service
Johnson has meanwhile turned around. But the United Kingdom (UK) is also struggling with the problem that the national health service NHS is extremely poorly prepared * for the coronavirus crisis *. Even with flu waves, the tax-financed system is constantly on the brink of collapse, but now the corona crisis could lead to a collapse.
Now the years of austerity measures have had a negative impact. In the United Kingdom (UK), only 6.6 beds per 100,000 inhabitants were available in intensive care units before the outbreak of the crisis. There is a lack of personnel and material, protective masks and respirators are in short supply.
By Christian Stör
* fr.de is part of the Ippen-Digital editors network
Rubric list picture: © picture alliance / Yui Mok / PA Wire / dpa