Coronavirus news-- live: NHS test and trace call centres stop working to reach 40%as international death toll reaches three-quarters of a million

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The UK has actually tape-recorded its greatest daily increase in infections for 2 months, with an official total of 1,441 brand-new cases– four times greater than those just over a month earlier.

Meanwhile, local lockdown limitations in parts of the northwest, West Yorkshire, east Lancashire and Leicester will continue until further notification after coronavirus cases there failed to be up to a safe level over the previous 2 weeks, the government has said.

Individuals in the affected locations are not permitted to combine with other households (omitting a support bubble) within personal houses or gardens to slow the spread of the infection.

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The choice came as France threatened to enforce mutual measures against the UK after the British federal government added the country, along with Malta and the Netherlands, to its coronavirus quarantine list.

This is how our live coverage today unfolded:


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Hi and welcome to The Independent‘s live protection of the coronavirus pandemic.


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Grant Shapps, the transportation secretary, stated the Netherlands, Malta and Monaco would also be added to the quarantine list from 4am on Saturday.

Our political reporter, Ashley Cowburn, and travel correspondent, Simon Calder, have the full story listed below:


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From 15 August, indoor theatre, music and other carrying out arts locations will be able to stage occasions with socially distanced audiences, while spectators will return to sports in picked pilot occasions.

Our press reporters, Samuel Osborne and Chris Baynes, have the complete story below:


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Federal government making ‘absolute mess’ of exams grading system, Labour’s deputy leader states

Labour’s deputy leader has criticised the federal government for making an “outright mess” of school exams grading after about 40 percent of instructors’ estimate grades were reduced.

Angela Rayner informed BBC Breakfast that the “just alternative” left for the federal government now was to U-turn, like the Scottish government, and return to the original teacher-awarded grades.

” If you take a look at what’s occurred over the last 24 hours, a great deal of children who have worked extremely hard have been ravaged by a system that’s been totally flawed and has taken into consideration the school’s previous history rather than what that kid’s had the ability to achieve this year,” Ms Rayner stated.

” I believe that’s disastrous and there’s baked inequality in what’s happened.”

She included: “The government has to act very rapidly on this. There’s a great deal of youths out there that their life possibilities are determined by whether they have the ability to get on and enter into university or onto the course or the apprenticeship scheme that they desire based on these grades.

” The government has made an outright mess of it and they’ve understood for months now that this was boiling down the track.”


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” What we have to do is supply clear guidance and, in this case, clear law in order to require people to quarantine,” Grant Shapps said.

” I just desire to worry it is really crucial that individuals do quarantine.


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Travel alternatives going out for UK holidaymakers returning from France

Travel choices are quick shutting down and rates are going up as British travelers in France rush to return to the UK to beat the new quarantine due date.

The UK government revealed last night that a 14- day self-isolation would be mandatory for anybody showing up back from France, the Netherlands and Malta after 4am on Saturday morning.

Our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, has the complete story below:


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Minister insists more trainees from disadvantaged backgrounds are going to university

The transportation secretary has insisted that more students from disadvantaged backgrounds are going to university overall following debate over the system for awarding A-level outcomes this year.

Grant Shapps was asked on BBC Breakfast if he accepted that bad students had been hardest-hit by the small amounts system after countless pupils had their teacher-assessed outcomes reduced.

Mr Shapps responded: “No, I reconsider you ought to go on the proof here – that’s not been the outcome.

” I was taking a look at the numbers and 18- year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, on the basis of the exam results yesterday, 7.3 per cent more are going to university, have actually been accepted for university, than simply in 2015.”

When asked whether he was discounting stats indicating children from the most deprived areas were being impacted the most by the results downgrade, the minister added: “I do not [discount it], it’s just that I read a real fact – 7.3 per cent more children from disadvantaged backgrounds, 18- year-olds, accepted to university this than in 2015, to which you’re returning and saying I don’t concur with that, however you’re not providing me any numbers.”


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New infections have actually increased progressively in recent weeks, with Belgium now reporting one of the greatest number of cases per resident of any European country.

The country of 11 million individuals has already had one of the world’s greatest death rates from Covid-19 per head, with nearly 10,000 deaths linked to the virus so far.


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Hundreds of deaths linked to Covid-19 misinformation, research study finds

Online conspiracy theories and misinformation associating with coronavirus have led to a minimum of 800 deaths, brand-new research study has actually found.

The so-called “infodemic” led to about 5,800 people being admitted to medical facility as an outcome of following false information on social networks in the very first 3 months of this year, according to a study released in the American Journal of Tropical Medication and Hygiene

Our reporter, Anthony Cuthbertson, has the full story below:


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UK government indications deals for 90 million dosages of 2 more speculative vaccines

The UK government has signed offers for early access to 2 more coronavirus vaccine prospects which might provide 90 million doses in total.

The Department for Company, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) stated it had actually protected access for UK residents to the prospects through in-principle plans with the companies Novavax and Janssen.

It brings the UK’s stockpile of prospective coronavirus vaccines to 340 million doses from six candidates.

Our press reporter, Jon Sharman, has the complete story below:


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Our reporter, Liam James, has more details below on the substantial fines which could be used against organisers of unlawful raves:


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France threatens to enforce ‘mutual’ measures over UK quarantine choice

France has alerted it will enforce “mutual” measures after the UK federal government got rid of the nation from its list of locations exempt from quarantine limitations.

Clement Beaune, France’s secretary of state for European affairs, explained the quarantine statement as “a British choice which we regret and which will lead to reciprocal measures, all in wishing for a return for regular as soon as possible.”

Our political reporter, Ashley Cowburn, has the complete story below:


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Notting Hill Carnival to go online-only after cancellation due to coronavirus limitations

Notting Hill Carnival is set to switch the streets of West London for computer screens worldwide this year as the occasion goes online-only due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The organisers of the carnival, which generally attracts more than a million visitors, have spent a month recording acts to be transmitted online between 29 and 31 August after the physical parade was cancelled earlier this year.

” First I was extremely sad that it would not be on the streets – I still am – but I’m very thrilled about the possibilities of this year taking Carnival into unique locations,” Matthew Phillip, the carnival’s executive director, said.

The online 2020 occasion will be set against a backdrop of increased focus on racial inequality in the UK following big protests in assistance of the Black Lives Matter motion and attention on the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities.


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‘ Troubling’ indications virus is re-emerging fastest amongst youths in France

Health authorities in France have actually warned that new coronavirus infections have actually been rising fastest amongst younger individuals in the nation.

Santé Publique, the French health ministry’s public health arm, stated the infection rate in the week starting 3 August was fastest among individuals aged 15 to 44 and described the rise as a “uncomfortable scenario”.

It came as the national federal government stated Paris and Marseilles as high-risk zones for the infection and given authorities higher powers to impose localised limitations.

Our press reporter, Kate Ng, has the full story below:


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England’s newest lockdown alleviating is political and science ‘has actually not truly changed’, Sage advisor says

The most recent easing of England’s coronavirus lockdown is a political choice not based upon a change in scientific proof, a leading specialist has suggested.

John Edmunds, teacher of transmittable illness modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medication, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that “nothing has truly changed” in terms of the science around the pandemic in the last couple of weeks.

Teacher Edmunds, who is also a member of the Sage group of consultants, added that there was “huge unpredictability” around estimates for the prevalence of coronavirus in society

Our press reporter, Jon Sharman, has the full story listed below:


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The findings revealed there were practically 4 times as many infections in the town as previously reported, the study’s job leader Claudia Santos-Hoevener from the RKI informed a news conference.


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Average PM2.5 stood at 33 micrograms per cubic metre over the 7 months, according to data collected from keeping an eye on stations in more than 300 cities, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated.

Environmental groups have actually warned that China may turn a blind eye to industrial polluters and rely on energy-intensive processes to try to reverse the economic impact of the pandemic in the second half of the year.


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India’s Covid-19 death toll surpasses UK to end up being 4th greatest in world

India’s confirmed coronavirus death toll has actually surpassed the UK, offering the South Asian country the 4th highest total of casualties worldwide.

The Health Ministry reported 1,007 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 48,040 – behind only the US, Brazil and Mexico.

India’s overall number of verified cases likewise reached 2,461,190 after a single-day spike of 64,553, the ministry said.

The nation’s two-month lockdown in late March kept infections low, but across the country measures have actually since been relieved and restrictions are now mostly being imposed in high-risk locations.

New cases increased after India reopened stores and manufacturing and permitted hundreds of thousands of migrant employees to go back to their houses from coronavirus-hit areas.


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France imposed tit-for-tat quarantine between 8 June and 9 July in action to the UK’s preliminary blanket policy of requiring travellers to self-isolate at house for 2 weeks.

But French authorities made it clear that it was a voluntary or advisory treatment, which was never ever policed.