Image source, EPA

Back at the UK House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, and head of NHS Test and Trace Baroness Harding has told members the "constraint" in the testing system was in processing and laboratories.

She said: "We have to restrict the number of people who are taking tests in the testing sites so that there's no risk of those tests going out of date when they are processed in the labs.

"So I do understand how frustrating it feels that when you arrive in the testing site and it doesn't look like it's very busy and you can see it could do more, but the capacity constraint isn't in those testing sites, it's back in the lab.

"And it would be very dangerous to send too many samples back to the laboratory, have them not be processed and people not know what their results were."

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A head teacher has blamed staff for an outbreak of Covid-19 at a Lancashire school.

Eight members of staff at Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads CE Primary School have contracted Covid-19 since they attended a party on 5 September.

Another three who weren't present have since been infected and the school has had to close.

In a letter to parents, John Aspin said his staff had "jeopardised hard work" done to keep the school safe and took an "ill-advised risk" when they attended a party at the home of a former colleague.

He had not been told about the gathering and initially could not work out how so many had become ill.

The staff did not break any government restrictions but he said they "failed to appreciate the bigger picture" of the spread of the virus, Mr Aspin said, as he apologised to parents for the "error of judgement".

Read more about it here.

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Israel is urging hundreds of Hasidic Jews gathered on Ukraine's border to return home. The pilgrims, who began to congregate on Monday, have been singing and dancing, as well as praying to be allowed to cross into Ukraine, one guard on the Ukraine-Belarus border told AFP news agency.

The believers want to enter Ukraine to mark Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year, which begins on Friday, but the country is refusing to allow any foreigner entry due to coronavirus restrictions.

Normally thousands of people travel to the city of Uman in central Ukraine to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nahman, the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement. This year the pilgrims set off despite warnings from Ukraine and Israel not to travel.

"We believe in God, and if God wants it this way, we need to do anything we can to show our determination, to the very last minute," one pilgrim told AFP from the border.

Believers, including families with children, are staying in makeshift tents while others sleep on their luggage in temperatures of 9C at night at the Novaya Guta crossing.

Image source, EPA

Coronavirus cases in the UK have risen by 3,395, government figures show, external. That is down from the 3,991 cases recorded yesterday.

It takes the total number of cases to 381,614.

A further 21 people who had a positive coronavirus test in the last 28 days have died.

Baroness Harding is asked about why there has been an increase in demand for Covid-19 tests.

She says it's an "entirely human thing to be scared and worried and think the answer is a test".

She says with pupils going back to school, there has been a doubling of children under 17 coming forward for tests and more than that in ages five to nine.

Committee chairman Greg Clark says it's "dispiriting" that the right testing capacity was not put in place during the quieter months of June, July and August.

Lady Harding says testing capacity has doubled in this period.

She says NHS Test and Trace is on track to double capacity again by the end of October.

Image source, PA Media

Baroness Dido Harding says up to 20-25% of people coming forward for a test do not have symptoms.

The government has advised that people should only get tested if they have coronavirus symptoms.

Committee chairman Greg Clark questions how this figure can be correct when it is a requirement when booking a test online to have symptoms of the virus.

Baroness Harding says people are coming directly to testing centres.

"Generally, if we have people walking up, having either booked a test or asking for one, our brilliant people who are manning the hundreds of testing sites across the country don't want to push away people who are scared. But we do have a significant number of people who are coming forward for tests who don't have symptoms."

Baroness Dido Harding, head of NHS Test and Trace, is giving evidence at the Commons science and technology committee.

She is asked about what the current level of demand for testing is amid ongoing reports of people struggling to access tests and results being delayed.

Baroness Harding says it's "quite hard to give you an accurate figure".

"It's clearly obvious there is significantly more demand than there is capacity today," she says.

She says they estimate total demand by the number of people calling 119 and visits to their website.

Based on these estimates, demand is "multiples" of the tests available, she says.

Image source, PA Media

P&O Cruises has said it will not operate any sailings until 2021.

The firm, the UK's largest cruise line, said the decision had been taken due to "evolving restrictions on travel".

There have been several changes to the list of countries which are exempt from quarantine for travellers returning to the UK - with destinations being added to, and taken off, the list, often at short notice.

P&O had previously cancelled sailings until 12 November.

The company's president, Paul Ludlow, said: "With evolving restrictions on travel from the UK, unfortunately it is necessary to cancel these itineraries.

"These further cancellations vary according to ship as well as complexity and length of itineraries, advice and guidance regarding ports of call and current air availability for fly/cruises.

"We are continuing to monitor the overall situation closely and will certainly reintroduce cruises should the opportunity arise and it is feasible to do so."

The start of university life is usually a time to mix and socialise with fellow students and make friends.

But with Covid restrictions in place, and social distancing a must, how can first year students make the most of their new surroundings?

We visited the University of Hull, and spoke to a number of students who shared their experiences, and first impressions of university life in these unique times.

Image source, Reuters

One of the most powerful leagues in US college sports has reversed a decision to postpone its autumn American football season because of coronavirus safety concerns.

The Big 10 said the season would now begin in late October after unanimous agreement from its 14 member universities.

It said it had adopted “stringent medical protocols”, including daily antigen testing, for the season to go ahead.

The decision last month to postpone the season because of coronavirus was met with pressure from players, parents, coaches and even the US president.

Meanwhile, the University of Georgia has come under fire for saying it would not have an on-campus voting site for the presidential election because of Covid safety concerns, while allowing American football games.

“Those comparing this matter to a football game should be able to recognize that football games will be played outdoors but we will still require social distancing by substantially reducing capacity in the stadium,” the university said in a statement.

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we reported NHS Test and Trace figures that showed people were waiting longer for coronavirus test results from England's community testing centres.

Only a third of tests carried out in these venues came back in 24 hours in the week up to 9 September, the data showed.

Responding to the figures, Dr Layla McCay, director at the NHS Confederation, said the spread of Covid-19 was not being controlled.

She said: "It appears we are now in a position where the spread of the virus is no longer being adequately controlled, with new cases nearly tripling compared with the end of August.

She said it appeared "a second surge may already be under way", adding that an effective test and trace system was key to reducing the risk of the virus spreading.

"It is concerning that this system seems to be faltering under predictable pressure."

NHS Test and Trace boss Baroness Dido Harding said it was important that "only those with symptoms book tests".

"We need everyone to help make sure that tests are there for people with symptoms who need them."

Read our story here

Image source, Getty Images

Over-enthusiastic karaoke singers are preventing their neighbours getting a good night's sleep and threatening their immune systems, a provincial governor in the Philippines says.

In a Facebook post quoting popular Frank Sinatra song I Did It My Way, Governor of Cavite province Jonvic Remulla told his followers to report noisy singers to authorities.

He said people with nothing better to do than sing all night were stopping people sleeping properly, adding that curfews are not only about staying at home but also promoting healthy sleep.

Karaoke is a very popular pastime in the Philippines, with many residents owning their own sets for home performances.

Daniel Wainwright
BBC England Data Unit

While the rates of new coronavirus infections in the affected parts of the north-east England are lower than those in places such as Bolton, this is not a simply a case of rankings.

Rates of new infections in areas such as South Tyneside and Sunderland are at their highest since May and have been climbing for the past few weeks.

Other areas affected by the new restrictions, such as Northumberland, have much lower rates per 100,000 population but it is clear that infections have been climbing there too.

Image source, Reuters

Northumberland's rate of 25.7 cases per 100,000 in the week to 13 September means it is outside the top 100 of 315 areas of England for new infections.

However, when the government imposed tighter restrictions on Greater Manchester, the east of Lancashire and West Yorkshire in the summer, areas with lower rates were also included.

At the time, Wigan in Greater Manchester and Rossendale in Lancashire were not seeing the same rates of infection as their neighbouring boroughs and districts, but Public Health England included them because they were "part of an area in which overall infection rates are high, with household transmission a key pathway".

It will be the same for Northumberland, with people travelling to and from work in other areas of the North East.

The US has seen a 17% increase in confirmed deaths from Covid-19 in one week, according to a leaked memo reported by ABC News.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency memo showed that 5,906 coronavirus-related deaths were recorded during 9-15 September, a 16.6% increase compared with theprevious seven days. But confirmed cases slightly decreased - by 0.7% - according to ABC's reporting.

Image source, Reuters

Israel’s government has approved the restrictions that will be enforced under a second nationwide lockdown, following a dramatic surge in new Covid-19 infections.

The measures will take effect at 14:00 (11:00 GMT) on Friday, just as the Jewish New Year festival of Rosh Hashanah begins, and last for three weeks.

• Everyone will have to stay within 500m (1,640ft) of their homes, with limited exceptions including buying food or essential supplies, travelling to workplaces, and exercising
• Schools will be closed from Thursday, except for special education
• Gatherings will be limited to 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors. But spending time in the home of another person will not be permitted.

Israel became the first country to reimpose a nationwide lockdown after its health ministry reported the highest level of infection per capita in the world and hospitals warned that they would be overwhelmed within weeks.

On Wednesday, President Reuven Rivlin apologised for the failure of the country's leaders to contain Covid-19 since the first lockdown ended in May.

But he also appealed to Israelis to heed the new measures. “This is a second chance and we must take it because we will not, I fear, get a third one,” he warned.

Rob Cameron
BBC Prague Correspondent

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The Czech Republic has for the first time reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day.

In total, the health ministry reported 2,139 cases on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who said on Monday Czechs should stop scaring themselves over Covid, now says the government had not expected the number of people in hospital or dying to rise at such a rate, and everyone should follow the rules to stop an exponential increase.

Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamacek says the Czech Republic could see 8,000 new cases a day by the end of the month if nothing is done.

More restrictions come into effect on Friday, in particular aimed at bars and clubs, as the rise in infections is sharpest amongst the 20-29 age group.

Health minister Adam Vojtech has confirmed that from Friday masks will be mandatory inside classrooms in all Czech schools. At present they are only mandatory in common areas.

Image source, EPA

We reported earlier the World Health Organization's warning that a "very serious situation" is emerging in Europe. The WHO also repeated that the 14-day quarantine period for anyone exposed to coronavirus should not be changed.

The recommendation is based on a scientific understanding of the virus's incubation period and tranmission, the WHO Europe senior emergency officer Catherine Smallwood said on Thursday.

Quarantine periods vary according to country. In France people who have been exposed are told to self-isolate for seven days, but in the UK and Ireland the suggested time is 10 days. Portugal and Croatia are currently considering reducing their recommended quarantine.

"Knowing the immense individual and societal impact even a slight reduction in the length of quarantine can have... I encourage countries of the region to make scientific due process with their experts and explore safe reduction options," the WHO Europe director Hans Kluge explained.

Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed that from midnight, new social distancing restrictions will be introduced in parts of north-east England as Covid-19 cases rise across the region.

The measures apply to seven council areas: Newcastle, Sunderland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Northumberland and County Durham.

So what are the new measures for people in these areas?

• No socialising with people outside of their home or support bubble
• Restaurants will only be able to offer table service
• Restaurants, bars and pubs will have to shut between 22:00 BST and 05:00

Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes said the temporary measures would hopefully "head off the potential of any further damaging full lockdown across the region".

"The evidence we've found from local testing is that it's spreading in three main areas - in pubs, in people's homes and in grassroots sports," he said.

"So [council leaders] have put together a series of requests to government for additional restrictions around these areas for a fixed period of time to try to prevent a damaging full lockdown."

Read our story here

Image source, PA Media

School pupils and teachers to have rapid access to testing to avoid mass absences, according to a UK Labour MP.

Helen Hayes, who represents Dulwich and West Norwood in south London, told the House of Commons: "The heroic efforts of teachers to enable the full reopening of schools are being undermined by the chaos of the testing system.

"When will school children, teachers and school staff have reliable, rapid access to testing and results so that Covid cases can be swiftly identified and isolated and disruption to education minimised?"

Health Secretary Matt Hancock replied: "The message to her constituent and indeed others is that there are thousands of tests available in her part of London and it is incredibly important that those with symptoms come forward, but that those who do not have symptoms do not."

Back in the UK House of Commons, and the Liberal Democrats' health and social care spokesperson, Munira Wilson, says she was "utterly astounded" that Health Secretary Matt Hancock's statement only included one reference to coronavirus testing.

She told MPs: "We see cases rising across the country, a system in meltdown, people unable to access tests, turnaround times down. If he doesn't believe us, perhaps he should read his own constituency inbox."

She calls on Hancock to admit the system is "broken" and asks him to issue a public apology.

He responds by saying: "I think it's really important and incumbent on all of us as public servants to explain things fairly and straight and properly to our constituents, and that's what she should start to do."