The UK added 4,463 cases today and now has reported a total of 152,840 positive cases of COVID-19. We had all together tested 543,413 people as of 9am this morning.
As of 5pm yesterday, of those hospitalised in the UK, we have lost another 413 people to COVID-19. We now sadly have a total of 20,732 losses of life in hospitals. Losses of life in the community are reported by ONS with a 2 week delay.
Total cases and losses reported are presumed to be:
England 130,130 / 18,396
Northern Ireland 3,308 / 299
Scotland 10,324 / 1,249
Wales 9,078 / 788
(The government haven't been reporting how many of the UK's positive testing cases have recovered.)
Rep. Of Ireland have 18,561 cases and 1,063 losses of life (not yet reported today).
There have now been 2,965,711 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is now 205,656. Already 871,265 people have recovered.
There are claims we should expect Boris back at work tomorrow, possibly in a staged return.
The UK briefing today was led by George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Food availability levels are back to normal, supermarket staff have introduced measures and customers must respect this. Absence is now reducing, staff are back at work.
500,000 food parcels have been delivered to the shielded group, and supermarket delivery slots will be prioritised.
Other people are also in need of help with food shopping. Local Authorities, Age UK and other charities can make direct referrals for those in need through the Good Samaritan app.
Most trade is going well, there are a few problems, notably with goods coming from India, but it's mostly travelling freely.
England's fresh food season is ahead, only around 1/3 of the workers who would usually be coming from abroad are here, we are actively recruiting food pickers from June onward (Google 'Feed The Nation' if you fancy some cash for hard honest work).
Prof Stephen Powis of NHS England with the slides.
IOS users are walking and driving more according to Apple maps data.
We have 15,953 people in hospital with COVID-19, down again, especially in the Midlands. This is really positive and has been reducing every day consistently for most of this week.
We are beginning to see a slight overall drop in the number of patients lost.
Press asked about schools re-opening. It was pretty much slapped down - schools are really hard places to ensure social distancing.
Steve said there are lots of different strategies we can try (it's true, there are umtpyhundred different combinations), it will be the role of strategists and government to decide which we will use.
(In my opinion we would be daft to make any decisions until we see what effect different strategies have in other countries - we are still all new at this and have the benefit of being able to watch before we decide.)
Steve answered questions about contact tracing. The app. will be really useful for this, but currently we simply have too many cases. Once we've suppressed the numbers, then it will be a strategy we will use.
Everyone working throughout the food supply chain was thanked for keeping the nation fed - thanks from me too.
The WHO have clarified that although no evidence yet exists for immunity - "We expect that most people who are infected with COVID19 will develop an antibody response that will provide some level of protection."
The US CDC have updated their list of symptoms. Previously fever, shortness of breath and cough, they've added chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.
Argentina is extending its quarantine until May 10, with relaxation of restrictions outside large cities.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that the approach to reopening the economy will not depend on widespread immunity in the population.
4 more tigers and 3 lions at Bronx Zoo have tested positive. The SARSCoV2 virus, which causes COVID-19, was found in their poop. This follows their first tiger, and at least 2 pet dogs and 4 pet cats around the world, and has prompted the US CDC to release guidance on keeping your cat home more than usual. Scientists are rushing to try and find out which animals can be infected, but it is still considered unlikely that your pet will infect you, far more likely you'll infect them.
Minks at 2 farms in the Netherlands appear to have caught COVID-19. They are suffering from respiratory symptoms. Staff have previously exhibited symptoms and it's believed they have infected the animals.
More than 80% of patients in South Korea have now recovered.
Donald Trump didn't lead the US coronavirus briefing yesterday. Word is his advisors have warned him it's actually damaging the public's view, and fighting with journalists isn't what people want to see.
Trump didn't tweet anything controversial last night at all, nope. He just tweeted congratulating himself for the fabulous job he's doing. Nothing outrageous at all. Thank heavens eh.
Doctors in the USA are reporting a small, but very significant, number of younger patients with strokes. COVID-19 has been found to affect blood, and is causing blood clots in some people, which generally cause massive problems when they reach the lungs, heart or brain. Research is ongoing.
Algeria is allowing some shops to open and taxis can work in urban areas.
It's hard to know how to approach this, and I've thought about it for a while, but compiled data from more than 10 countries shows smokers are significantly less likely to die from COVID-19 than non smokers.
They do not yet know why.
It could be nicotine is a factor, so nicotine trials are already underway - and nicotine patch sales in France have had to be limited over fears of stockpiling.
It could be that smokers have damaged the receptors in the lungs and less virus can attach. There's your reminder that smoking is not big, and it's not clever.
It could be something else entirely.
Don't start smoking, you're much cleverer than that.
The Church Of England has launched a free phone line, Daily Hope, with music, prayers and reflections, and full services. 24 hours a day. 0800 804 8044. I'd imagine other religious support lines are available.
Spain has reported their lowest loss of life in a month.
Malta has reported no new cases for 24 hours and is intending to start reducing restrictions.
The Chinese city of Wuhan has discharged their final COVID-19 patient. It has taken more than 4 months. Fingers crossed that's their last case, although that is a very tall order.
Wuhan in China is still increasing COVID-19 testing, and even now, on 22nd April tested 89,000 people.
Some people. Every one born on the same tiny planet as you:
Countries / Cases / Losses of life (some states yet to report):
USA 970,106 (+9,455) 54,910 (+654)
Spain 226,629 (+2,870) 23,190 (+288)
Italy 197,675 (+2,324) 26,644 (+260)
France 161,488 Not yet reported today 22,614
Germany 157,114 (+601) 5,884 (+7)
UK 152,840 9 (+4,463) 20,732 (+413)
Turkey 110,130 (+2,357) 2,805 (+99)
Iran 90,481 (+1,153) 5,710 (+60)
China 82,827 (+11) 4,632
Russia 80,949 (+6,361) 747 (+66)
Brazil 59,479 (+283) 4,062 (+17)
Belgium 46,134 (+809) 7,094 (+177)
Canada 45,791 (+437) 2,489 (+24)
Netherlands 37,845 (+655) 4,475 (+66)
Switzerland 29,061 (+167) 1,607 (+8)
India 26,917 (+634) 826 (+1)
.
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Sources:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020042410595
https://news.yahoo.com/canadas-reopening-wont-depend-immunity-trudeau-225224504.html
https://twitter.com/DailyStarLeb/status/1254314274652119040?s=19
https://twitter.com/nataliealcoba/status/1254204187765813254?s=19
https://reut.rs/3eT4IeE
https://reut.rs/2zrcGv7
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/coronavirus-live-updates-cdc-adds-symptoms-covid-19/story?id=70351472&__twitter_impression=true
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/church-england-launches-dial-worship-013016876.html
https://www.ft.com/content/1fe1dda2-bec5-426b-8cfc-a7c2e5a4b139
https://www.qeios.com/read/article/561
https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1254160937805926405?s=19
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/04/tiger-coronavirus-covid19-positive-test-bronx-zoo/#click=https://t.co/1LlNNUrdbZ
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1253679654734573570?s=19
https://youtu.be/bfN2JWifLCY
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/25/donald-trump-stays-away-from-briefings-amid-fallout-from-disinfectant-comments
https://qz.com/1837798/why-some-covid-19-patients-might-have-tested-positive-twice/
https://www.ft.com/content/1fe1dda2-bec5-426b-8cfc-a7c2e5a4b139
https://twitter.com/AndyBiotech/status/1254220044592205827?s=19
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2020/04/26/covid-19-geconstateerd-op-twee-nertsenbedrijven
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