Hyung Eun Kim
BBC Korea

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The recent spike of Covid-19 cases related to a clubber in Seoul's leisure district is disheartening.

Many people here are comparing the clubber to "patient 31", the single "super-spreader" from a religious cult who caused a rapid rise in cases near the start of the outbreak.

But there is another reason for concern.

The venues the clubber visited include LGBT bars. In homophobic South Korea, some fear that those who made contact with him may be hesitant to get tested. The fear of stigmatisation and discrimination could worsen the spike in cases.

The saving grace here, perhaps, is that we’re past the peak of pandemic. We've enjoyed some zero-case days, allowing ourselves to dream that things would return to normal.

Most importantly, we know how we did it: washing hands, wearing masks, avoiding crowds and all that. We know stigmatisation and discrimination didn’t help us quash the outbreak.

Read more: How lives changed to beat the virus in South Korea

Nicola Sturgeon also appeared to criticise Boris Johnson for not filling her in about his plans before they appeared in the Sunday papers.

Scotland's First Minister said she remained "committed to the closest possible co-operation" with the UK government, and she had "no interest in politics when it comes to tackling this virus".

But, she added: "Consultation and alignment of messages remains really important.

"We should not be reading of each others' plans for first time in newspapers."

Ms Sturgeon said she had not seen the full details of what Mr Johnson would announce tonight, so she could not say if the Scottish government would follow suit. But she said that after talking to the PM, she believed there was a "pragmatic acceptance we may move at different speeds" across the UK.

And the only change the Scottish government "judges is safe to make right now without risking a rapid resurgence of virus" was on exercise.

"My basic message for Scotland remains the same as it has been - please stay at home."

Scotland's First Minister has asked the UK government not to deploy its new "stay alert" messaging in her country, saying people should "stay at home full stop".

Nicola Sturgeon announced a minor change to lockdown measures - namely removing the limit to exercising once a day - but said they "mustn't squander the progress" by "easing up too soon" or sending out "mixed messages".

Asked about the new government messaging, she said she didn't "understand what stay alert means".

She confirmed she had taken part in a COBR emergency meeting with Boris Johnson this afternoon, and said that we may hear the PM "announce other immediate changes" in his speech tonight.

"But for the avoidance of doubt, let me be clear, rules here have not changed [in Scotland]," she added.

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We're getting a bit more reaction from the airline industry to the government's reported plan to impose a 14-day quarantine for most people arriving in the UK.

Airlines UK, the trade body for UK-registered airlines, said there was "no clarity on the detail" in a call with the government aviation minister this morning.

Speaking to the BBC, a spokesperson from Airlines UK said: "Ministers are effectively telling people they can no longer travel for the foreseeable future and airlines will respond to that by grounding their operations - and that is why they require urgent additional government support to get through this growing crisis.

"We all - including government - need to adapt to the new normal but closing off air travel in this way is not the way to achieve this."

The new rules are expected to come into effect at the end of May.

Image source, PA Media

UK prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to make a speech this evening outlining the next steps in England's response to the virus.

What will Johnson say?

We don't know for certain yet, but we can expect him to announce the launch of an alert system for tracking coronavirus in England.

We're likely to hear an update on the five tests the government said must be met before the lockdown can be lifted.

He's also bound to say "stay alert, control the virus, save lives" - the government's new slogan to replace the current "stay home, protect the NHS, save lives".

It's worth emphasising that Johnson's address will focus on England - most decisions related to coronavirus and the lockdown in other parts of the UK are made by the devolved administrations.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have already decided to stick with the present slogan, and the UK government's new one has already come in for criticism.

Elsewhere, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about life in the weeks ahead. From schools to masks, travel, and the economy, read our full rundown on what to look out for in the PM's speech here.

What time is it on?

His address will be broadcast at 19:00 BST.

How can I follow it?

• Watch here on the live page, BBC One, BBC Scotland or the BBC News Channel
• Read our online coverage on the BBC News website or on the app (download for Apple devices here, external, and for Android products here, external)
• Listen on Radio 4 or Radio 5 Live. Some of our local radio stations will also air analysis and reaction

The NHS has announced another 178 deaths in England of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths in English hospitals to 23,150.

There have been another 10 confirmed deaths in Scotland, 12 more in Wales, and five in Northern Ireland.

The UK-wide figure, which also includes deaths in care homes and the community, will be announced later.

Experts have previously warned against over-interpreting daily figures of people dying with Covid-19 in the UK, since they often reflect reporting delays.

Spikes or dips may in part reflect bottlenecks in the reporting system, rather than real changes in the trend.

Many hospitals will not report deaths that happened over the weekend until the middle of the following week.

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Belgium is allowing every household to invite up to four guests to their home from Sunday, as part of the country’s strategy to ease coronavirus restrictions.

Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès announced the plan to allow “social bubbles” last week, noting that separation from friends and family had become “unbearable” for some.

But Belgian police have said plan will be impossible to enforce.

On Friday, government’s Covid-19 spokesman Steven Van Gucht urged people to “think very carefully about which household you want to meet”.

“Preferably, choose one family or one household you meet, and stay within that fixed bubble,” Van Gucht said.

Other countries, including the UK, are reportedly considering similar moves to allow people to expand their social groups.

Read more: Is it too early to expand our 'social bubbles'?

Reality Check

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This week we've been fact-checking widely shared dubious coronavirus claims.

One video claims that changes introduced in UK law give the government the power to enforce vaccinations as a result of the outbreak, but this is not true - vaccines are not compulsory.

It has also been suggested that the pandemic is a "plandemic" - a planned event that has been "manipulated" in a laboratory. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

Another video of a doctor from Paraguay claims a substance known as "miracle mineral supplement" (MMS) can help prevent Covid-19, but it contains a harmful bleaching agent.

Keep up to date with BBC Reality Check here.

Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus outbreak started, has reported its first new case of Covid-19 for more than a month.

The case is one of 14 new infections reported by China’s National Health Commission. The patient, a 89-year-old man, is in critical condition and had previously been asymptomatic before testing positive, local media reported.

The man's local residential community has been put under tight restrictions following the diagnosis, according to the reports.

China has reported a total of 82,901 cases and 4,633 deaths from Covid-19. Tight lockdown restrictions appear to have brought the spread under control.

It's lunchtime here in the UK. Many people are awaiting Prime Minister Boris Johnson's speech this evening, when he is expected to set out the next steps in England's response to the virus. It's been a busy morning - here is a round-up of the main developments:

• An alert system to rank the threat level of the virus in England is set to be launched by the government. The prime minister is expected to unveil the system, as part of his address to the nation at 19:00 BST
• The PM also introduced a new slogan telling the public to "stay alert, control the virus, save lives" - a change in messaging from "stay at home". However, the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have said the "stay at home" advice will remain in place

• More than 70 public figures are calling for a full independent public inquiry into deaths from Covid-19 among people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
• The government has admitted sending about 50,000 coronavirus tests to the US last week for processing after "operational issues" in UK labs

• Decisions on which shops reopen after lockdown should be based on safety, not their size or business type, the British Retail Consortium has said
• Religious leaders have warned that social distancing will be impossible in some places of worship if government ministers allow them to reopen

The US saw its first major sporting event since March on Saturday when UFC 249 was held in Jacksonville, Florida.

The popular mixed martial arts spectacle, which featured several fights, is usually played out in packed arenas - but Saturday's competition was closed to the public and only televised.

There were, however, confirmed coronavirus cases on the eve of the event. Brazilian middleweight Jacare Souza and his two cornermen tested positive, forcing the fighter to withdraw.

UFC 249 still went ahead with strict health and safety protocols were in place inside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

Read about UFC's return here.

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Scientific advisers to the UK government have reportedly warned that the country could suffer more than 100,000 deaths by the end of the year if lockdown measures are relaxed too quickly.

The Sunday Times reports that the government was warned about the potential death toll early last week, with an unnamed scientific adviser telling he newspaper: “There is very limited room for manoeuvre”.

PM Boris Johnson will make a speech to the nation on Sunday evening and is expected to set out a "roadmap" for easing the restrictions.

While the government is giving little away about what may be announced, here are some of the things to look out for.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has topped the four million mark, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University. The global death toll has also risen to above 277,000.

The US accounts for almost a third of confirmed cases, and over a quarter of deaths.

Experts warn the true number of infections worldwide is likely to be far higher, with low testing rates in many countries skewing the data.

The charts below show the steep rise in cases since March and which states in the US have been most affected by Covid-19.

For more charts tracking the pandemic click here

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Spain has reported its lowest daily death toll in two months, as it emerges from strict lockdown restrictions.

The health ministry says 143 people died over a 24-hour period, taking Spain's total number of deaths to 26,621.

It is the lowest daily figure since 18 March, two days into the lockdown. The peak was reached on 2 April, with 950 deaths.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that large parts of country, covering 51% of the population, would begin "phase one" of a four-step lockdown transition on Monday.

Restaurants and bars will be able to serve customers outside and shops selling non-essential items can open. Private gatherings of 10 people or fewer can also be held.

Madrid, Barcelona and the other badly-affected regions do not currently meet the criteria for similar measures, so will have to wait at least another week to move to "phase one".

Image source, Reuters

UK Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has said the UK is not developing a second ‘test, track and trace’ app, in case the one currently being piloted in the Isle of Wight fails.

Jenrick told the BBC on Sunday: "As far we are aware we are not developing a second app - we are learning lessons from the other apps that exist elsewhere in the world and if we need to change our app, we will do."

The UK's tracing app is being tested on 50,000 people on the Isle of Wight, a small island off the south coast of England.

Jenrick also acknowledged that the situation in UK care homes was "extremely challenging", but he said the government had a "clear strategy".

He said no one would be allowed to go to a care home unless they were free of the virus, and that staff and residents would be tested even if they did not display symptoms.

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Earlier we reported that South Korea had seen a spike in new coronavirus cases linked to a Itaewon - a popular nightlife district in the capital Seoul.

The area was unusually empty on Saturday after the mayor ordered bars and clubs to close. Many venues displayed signs reading "temporarily closed".

"The district has turned into a complete ghost town," a restaurant owner told South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, external. "Normally this is supposed to be the busiest time of the day. Now, there's not a single customer."

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said the country must not let its guard down to the virus after 34 new cases were reported on Sunday, the biggest daily rise in a month.

Read more: How South Korea 'crushed' the curve

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South Korea was once a Covid-19 hotspot but was hailed for its response to the virus - using technology and testing to avoid a total lockdown.

The country, which has a similar sized capital to the UK, relied on a test-and-trace policy to fight its initial outbreak.

Pairing its emergency text alert system with CCTV footage, the government managed to identify carriers and notify people who were in recent contact with them.

On Sunday, days after easing some social distancing restrictions, South Korea reported 34 new cases - the highest daily rise in weeks. Many of those were linked to a cluster in popular nightlife district in the capital, Seoul.

South Korea's total death toll so far is just 256.

Watch Laura Bicker's report below.

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The UK public is being fed "number theatre" by the government instead of "genuine information", a leading statistician from the University of Cambridge told the BBC on Sunday.

David Spiegelhalter criticised the government's daily briefing, saying "seems to be co-ordinated really much more by a Number 10 communications team" rather than led by experts.

"I just wish the data was being brought together and presented by people who really knew its strengths and limitations and could treat the audience with some respect," he said.

Spiegelhalter wrote an article for the Guardian in April, external which has been quoted by government ministers when they argue against comparing Britain's high death rate to other nations.

But earlier this week he tweeted, external to ask ministers to stop citing his article.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr: “What I was talking about was the comparisons between the bad countries in Europe such as UK, France Italy, Belgium - I was not saying we can’t make any comparisons at all.

“Clearly it is important to note that we as a group are way above Germany, Portugal, Norway, who have low mortality rates.

“What happened in this country was not inevitable," he said.

Image source, Reuters

The reproduction rate of the virus in Germany has risen above one, causing concern days after some restrictions were eased.

The country's "R-value" - the average number of people a patient will infect - is now 1.1, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control said.

Coronavirus infections increase exponentially if the reproduction rate is above one.

“The increase of the reproduction number R necessitates a close monitoring of the situation in the coming days,” the RKI said in a bulletin, external.

On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany's goal of slowing the spread of the coronavirus had been achieved, meaning lockdown restrictions could be gradually relaxed.

For more on the importance of the reproduction rate, read this analysis by BBC health correspondent James Gallagher.

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Monday could be crunch time for English Premier League clubs, when they meet to discuss 'Project Restart' - how the league will conclude its 2019-20 season.

There are 92 games still to be played and it is expected they will held at neutral venues in order to reduce the chances of fans gathering nearby.

Watford, Brighton and Aston Villa have said they are opposed to the idea of using neutral venues.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Steve Parrish, the Crystal Palace chairman, said: "There are no easy answers, we have to work through it as a collective and I think we will and come out with a consensus in the end."

It was expected there would be a formal vote on Project Restart on Monday, but the vote has been delayed.

• Project Restart: Your questions answered