Summary

  • The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US has now surpassed 41,000

  • The New York governor said the outbreak was "slowing, not growing" in his state

  • Earlier, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson delivered the UK government's daily update

  • He said there were currently no plans for English schools to open over the summer period

  • UK minister Michael Gove said it was too early to lift restrictions on movement

  • Meanwhile, Spain said it was about to relax rules that have seen children kept at home since 14 March

  1. Spain's death toll slowspublished at 10:56 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Spain's death toll from the Covid-19 outbreak rose by 410 on Sunday, down from 565 on Saturday, the health ministry said, bringing the total to 20,453 deaths in one of the world's hardest-hit countries.

    The number of overall coronavirus cases rose to 195,944 on Sunday from 191,726 on Saturday, it added.

  2. Columnists share their pandemic tipspublished at 10:46 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Collage of images authors of advice columnsImage source, Supplied

    Lockdown measures have changed all of our lives.

    But what if you can't stand your partner's annoying traits now that you're stuck inside together? What if your parents are driving you crazy? Or what if you just feel really lonely?

    For decades, advice columnists have been the go-to place for people wanting to ask for advice anonymously.

    BBC journalist Helier Cheung has spoken to some of America's favourite columnists to hear what they are being asked about during the pandemic.

  3. 'Balanced judgement' when UK will end lockdownpublished at 10:36 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Michael Gove

    The UK government wants to make sure it makes a "balanced judgement" about which lockdown measures can be relaxed and when, a senior minister has said.

    Michael Gove told the BBC's Andrew Marr: "We want to make sure that we make a balanced judgement about which restrictions can be relaxed at what time."

    He dismissed reports that schools would return on 11 May but added that the hospitality sector would be among the last to see restrictions lifted.

    We reported earlier that the government had been criticised for missing a number of opportunities to reduce the impact of coronavirus.

    Addressing the reports, Mr Gove said it was "grotesque" to portray Prime Minister Boris Johnson "as though not caring about this".

    The Sunday Times reports that the PM missed five meetings of the emergency Cobra committee - something Mr Gove shook off, saying it was normal for the nation's leader not to attend every meeting.

  4. Higher levels of debt is a 'price we have to pay'published at 10:26 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is "very bad" and everyone will have to pay a price to combat the crisis, says the secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of mostly developed countries.

    Angel Gurria stressed that the lockdowns implemented globally would be hard on people but he said governments' main duty was "to protect".

    He told the BBC's Andrew Marr: "We’re all going to end up with higher levels of debt for government, higher levels of debt for corporations, maybe even higher levels of debt for households, but that is the price we’re all going to have to pay in order to deal with the crisis itself and also, hopefully, to avoid a second wave."

  5. Saudi clerics: Don't gather for prayer during Ramadanpublished at 10:15 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Man wearing a mask walks past mural of King Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh (file photo)Image source, Getty Images

    Saudi Arabia's top religious body has urged Muslims around the world not to congregate for prayer during the holy month of Ramadan in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

    The Council of Senior Scholars said Muslims should "avoid gatherings, because they are the main cause of the spread of infection", the state-run Saudi Press Agency reports.

    Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia has closed its mosques, including the world's holiest - the Grand Mosque in Mecca - as part of measures to try to stop people catching the virus.

    Meanwhile the Supreme Leader of Shia-ruled Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, has said Muslims are not required to fast during Ramadan - one of its obligations - if doing so poses a threat to their health.

  6. Vaccine clinical trials to start within dayspublished at 10:05 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Professor Sarah Gilbert

    Scientists working on a coronavirus vaccine in Britain hope to start clinical trials towards the end of next week, the leader of the team has told the BBC.

    Professor Sarah Gilbert, from Oxford University, said nobody had been immunised yet but her team had been given permission to start recruiting volunteers and hoped to start trials within the next few days.

    She told the BBC's Andrew Marr: "We are waiting for the final safety tests to be done on the vaccine and the final approvals to be given."

    She would not be drawn on who would receive any future vaccine first, adding: "We want to make it available across the world and we want to be able to make it available at a price that everybody can afford."

    Prof Gilbert added that researchers needed support from the UK government to help accelerate manufacturing.

  7. Orthodox Christians mark Easterpublished at 09:55 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    A priest sprinkles holy water on believers and their "paskha" cakes, eggs and other food during the Orthodox Easter celebrations amid the coronavirus disease outbreak in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine April 19 2020Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A priest blesses believers in rebel-controlled Donetsk, eastern Ukraine

    The world's Orthodox Christians are marking their holiest festival in a very different way this year.

    Most worshipers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa were urged not to attend Easter services because of the risk of spreading coronavirus.

    Some were able to follow by watching television or online broadcasts.

    Read more about how the festival is being marked around the world

  8. How to clean your smartphone safelypublished at 09:45 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    While you may want to clean your smartphone to guard against coronavirus infection, some substances can damage the device

    Dr Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London, says you can effectively clean your phone using just household soap and water.

    Media caption,

    Coronavirus: How to safely clean your smartphone

  9. UK doctors 'extremely worried' they are not protectedpublished at 09:35 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Doctors are "extremely worried" that they are not adequately protected, the chairman of the British Medical Association has said.

    Dr Chaand Nagpaul said doctors and other healthcare workers were treating colleagues in intensive care on ventilators and seeing them die.

    "This is extremely emotionally taxing and it's showing its toll on the healthcare workforce," he told Sky.

    He added: "At the beginning of the pandemic we were assured that we had sufficient stockpiles... and we believed that we were well catered for."

    He said the government had been warned last weekend that there were "critically low shortages of full-length gowns".

    The government has been criticised over a lack of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.

    Healthcare workers have been advised to re-use gowns or wear different kit if stocks in England run low, raising concerns the new guidance could put hospital staff and patients at risk.

  10. Spanish children to 'get some fresh air'published at 09:25 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    A child looks outside from a balconyImage source, EPA

    Because of strict measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, Spanish children have been kept at home since 14 March.

    Now Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said he plans to relax the rule later this month so they can "get some fresh air".

    It comes after Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau - herself a mother - pleaded with the government to change their stance.

    Read more

  11. UK government under fire for 'missed opportunities'published at 09:15 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    The UK government has been accused of missing a number of opportunities to lessen the impact of the coronavirus.

    The Sunday Times reports that Boris Johnson missed five meetings of the emergency Cobra committee as the health crisis was looming and the government is accused of losing weeks in the fight against Covid-19.

    The government is facing criticism over its preparedness for the crisis, over testing, the timing of the lockdown and personal protective equipment.

    Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove told Sky there were aspects of the newspaper report that were "slightly off", and would not be drawn on accusations that the UK sent 266,000 pieces of protective equipment to China.

    Shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, was damning of the senior minister's comments.

    Mr Ashworth told Sky: "Michael Gove's line that one or two aspects of this story are off beam is possibly the weakest rebuttal of a detailed expose in British political history."

    Michael GoveImage source, Press Association
  12. Captain Tom guest at hospital opening after raising £25mpublished at 09:02 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    A 99-year-old war veteran who has raised more than £25m for the National Health Service is to be guest of honour at the opening of a new UK field hospital.

    Captain Tom Moore originally aimed to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by completing 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden before his 100th birthday.

    The veteran will appear via video link at the opening of the Nightingale hospital in Harrogate on Tuesday

    He said it was an honour and a chance to thank NHS workers directly.

    Media caption,

    Coronavirus: Captain Tom Moore finishes 100th lap in NHS fundraiser

  13. UK not thinking of lifting restrictions yet - Govepublished at 08:50 British Summer Time 19 April 2020
    Breaking

    Michael Gove has said that reports the UK is looking to gradually lift some lockdown restrictions, such as re-opening schools and allowing some small social gatherings, are "not correct".

    "It would be wrong to get ahead of ourselves here," the senior minister told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday, insisting the country must maintain the current measures until death rates begin to fall.

    He said the facts and advice were "clear" that we should not be lifting the restrictions yet.

  14. 'No decision' to reopen UK schoolspublished at 08:41 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Gavin WilliamsonImage source, Press Association

    UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said that "no decision" has been made as to when schools might reopen.

    The minister tweeted on Sunday morning: "I can reassure schools and parents that they will only reopen when the scientific advice indicates it is the right time to do so."

    Schools across the UK were closed last month to all pupils except the children of key workers, such as doctors, nurses and delivery drivers, some vulnerable children and those with more serious special educational needs.

  15. 'No 10 ignored warning' and 'PM takes back control' - UK paperspublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Sunday's UK newspapers

    Many of Sunday's front pages focus on the UK's possible exit strategy from the coronavirus lockdown and the role of prime minister Bors Johnson.

    The Sunday Times reports a "crucial" five-week period was "lost" in the UK's fight against coronavirus, during which Mr Johnson missed high-level meetings, external to discuss Covid-19.

    Separately it says ministers have drawn up a three-phase plan to lift the lockdown restrictions, which could see schools reopen as early as 11 May. Under the proposals, it says pupils would return to classes part-time - depending on their age - to aid social distancing.

    The Sun on Sunday calls it a "traffic-light master plan", external, which would see non-essential shops reopen within three weeks as part of a "red phase", before some restaurants are allowed to operate a fortnight later in the "amber phase".

  16. The things we spotted during concertpublished at 08:23 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Collage shows artists including Lady Gaga and Jennifer LopezImage source, Global Citizen

    Last night the World Health Organization and Global Citizen teamed up, with the help of pop superstar Lady Gaga, to pay tribute to healthcare staff working tirelessly during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Mark Savage, the BBC's music reporter, stayed up late to watch the mammoth eight-hour concert.

    He's written up a list of the nine things he noticed during Together at Home - including one star who didn't even make their bed for the occasion!

    You can read more here

  17. UK care home deaths 'far higher' than official figurespublished at 08:11 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    Care homesImage source, Getty Images

    New data has added to growing evidence that the number of deaths linked to coronavirus in UK care homes may be far higher than those recorded so far.

    The National Care Forum (NCF) estimates that more than 4,000 elderly and disabled people have died across all residential and nursing homes.

    Its report comes amid calls for accurate data on virus-linked deaths.

    Only 217 such care home deaths have been officially recorded in England and Wales up to 3 April.

    Separately, analysis from Care England, which represents large care home providers in England, claims that there have been 7,500 more deaths in care home - from all causes - in the last two weeks than would be expected at this time of year.

  18. Welcome back to the BBC's live coveragepublished at 08:04 British Summer Time 19 April 2020

    We'll be bringing you the latest breaking news and expert analysis about the coronavirus pandemic from around the world.

    In the latest headlines:

    • At a briefing on Saturday, President Donald Trump said China should face consequences if it is found they were “knowingly responsible" for the outbreak
    • His comments came as further protests were held in some parts of the US by conservative activists. They want local lockdown measures to be relaxed, despite the growing outbreak and death toll
    • Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said he hopes to relax lockdown restrictions so that children kept indoors due to Covid-19 can “get some fresh air”
    • According to Johns Hopkins University tracking, there are now more than 2.3m cases of coronavirus around the world and more than 160,000 deaths