Summary

  • Boris Johnson has led a briefing, as latest UK coronavirus figures showed a further 7,108 cases and another 71 deaths

  • The UK PM says his government "will not hesitate" to put further measures in place if needs be

  • UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock says wherever possible MPs will get a vote on Covid-19 regulations

  • The number of new UK Covid-19 cases tops 7,000 for a second consecutive day

  • Germany has announced measures to limit the size of gatherings and fine those who break tracking rules

  • The world has seen more than 33.6m coronavirus cases and 1m deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University

  1. Decline of aviation industry 'could cost 46 million jobs'published at 15:33 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Grounded planes in the USImage source, Reuters

    As many as 46 million jobs could be lost globally because of the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the aviation industry, an industry group says.

    The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) said it is not just jobs in aviation itself that are under threat but also those related to the industry, from tourism to construction.

    The total shutdown of the industry for several months, the slow recovery and the stop/start nature of the reopening means air travel will not recover to pre-Covid-19 levels until around 2024, the ATAG said.

    “Our analysis shows that up to 4.8 million jobs in aviation may be lost by the beginning of next year, a 43% reduction from pre-Covid levels,” Michael Gill, the group’s executive director, said, external. “When you expand those effects across all the jobs aviation would normally support, 46 million jobs are at risk.”

    He said that, as well as giving employment support, governments also needed to be consistent in their messaging so travellers are not "subject to random quarantine declarations and constantly changing lists of acceptable and unacceptable destinations".

  2. Foreign students in UK 'begging security staff for food'published at 15:20 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Reese ChamberlainImage source, Reese Chamberlain

    A student has told the BBC that international students are being forgotten in the Covid crisis engulfing Scotland's universities.

    Reese Chamberlain, who is studying at the University of Edinburgh, claims foreign students who are self-isolating are being forced to call security begging for food.

    He said calls and emails to student welfare are going unanswered.

    The university said it was supporting all students who were self-isolating.

    More widely, over 1,000 students have been asked to self-isolate after a series of Covid-19 outbreaks at several Scottish universities.

    Are students allowed to go home? This and other questions are answered here.

  3. Eight die in Welsh hospital outbreakpublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Royal Glamorgan HospitalImage source, Google

    Eight patients have died with coronavirus at a hospital where 82 cases have been linked to an outbreak on the site.

    Planned surgeries have been temporarily stopped at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant as part of a plan to manage the outbreak.

    Patients who would usually be taken to A&E in an emergency will also be sent elsewhere.

    The temporary measures came into force at 14:00 BST on Wednesday.

    Read more here.

  4. European countries react to record daily risespublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Romanian children returning to schoolImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Romanian children returning to school

    A number of European countries are seeing surges in cases of coronavirus right now, including several that have reported record daily increases today. Here's the latest.

    In Romania, the number of confirmed cases went up by 2,158 in the past 24 hours - a record for the country.

    The government has extended a state of alert until mid-October, and Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said he was "very concerned by what I have seen today". Cabinet officials are going to discuss potentially introducing further measures.

    Meanwhile in Slovakia, the government has approved a new state of emergency that will come into force tomorrow and last for 45 days. The move gives the government the power to impose stricter Covid measures, but doesn't automatically mean another lockdown.

    The country reported a record 567 single-day rise in cases on Tuesday. Writing on Facebook, Prime Minister Igor Matovic said that after the initial 45 days, "we will decide whether to continue or if we will be able to return to normal".

    The Netherlands also reported a record single-day rise today, with 3,924 new cases of the virus. The daily number of new cases passed 3,000 for the first time yesterday. On Monday, a raft of new measures were introduced to curb the rise in infections.

    As our chart below shows, many countries in Europe are seeing a second rise in cases.

    Chart showing second rise in cases in Europe
  5. How many fines are issued to people breaching restrictions?published at 14:51 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Reality Check

    A woman in a face maskImage source, Getty Images

    Almost 19,000 fines were issued by police forces in England and Wales between 27 March and 21 September, new data released by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) shows.

    Most of these were during the early part of lockdown in March, April and May, with figures dropping significantly from mid-May onwards.

    Despite a slight increase recently, only 151 fines were issued for breaching coronavirus restrictions in the four weeks to 21 September.

    In the first week after the "rule of six" was introduced on 14 September, 15 people were fined for failing to follow it, although the NPCC cautions there could be a reporting lag.

    Between 15 June and 21 September, 89 fines were issued for not wearing a face covering.

    More than 4,000 referrals have been made by public health authorities in relation to quarantine rules for people returning from abroad.

    In more than 3,000 of these, officers found the individual was complying with the rules, a further 218 people were successfully encouraged to self-isolate, nearly 700 people couldn’t be reached and 38 fines were issued for failing to self-isolate.

  6. 'Panto parade' highlights live event industry's plightpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Mark Savage
    Music reporter, BBC News

    A pantomime dame taking part in the protestImage source, EPA

    Dozens of pantomime dames have been marching on Westminster in central London today as part of a day of action highlighting the plight of the live events industry in the UK.

    The socially-distanced parade was organised after the rise in coronavirus cases prompted the cancellation of this year's panto season.

    Organisers are calling for an extension to the government's furlough scheme for theatre workers.

    Ahead of Wednesday's day of action, hundreds of people who normally work at concerts, festivals and theatres gathered in Parliament Square on Tuesday to hold a 30-minute silent protest at the government's handling of the situation.

    While venues have been allowed to reopen with social distancing measures in place, there are scarcely any plays or concerts taking place compared with the start of 2020. Some bands have already started cancelling , externalshows planned for 2021.

    There is also a global campaign to reflect the issues facing live events.

    Under the slogan "red alert", the #WeMakeEvents campaign will see venues in 25 countries bathed in red light, to draw attention to the continued uncertainty over when concerts and shows can resume.

  7. 'Lower Covid rates' at historically Black collegespublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Covid testingImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on people of colour in the US

    Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the US are reporting lower coronavirus infection rates because students are better at wearing masks and observing social distancing, a study has found.

    According to a report in Inside Higher Ed, external, students at HBCUs are also more aware of the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on people of colour in the US.

    HBCUs have also taken a stricter approach to Covid measure, the report adds. One HBCU in North Carolina held classes on Labour Day weekend, to discourage students from going to gatherings.

    The college, North Carolina A&T State University, reported no parties or gatherings that weekend. Elsewhere in the country, large student Labour Day parties led to spikes in cases of coronavirus.

    HBCUs are universities that were established before the Civil Rights Act in 1964. While they enrol students of other ethnicities as well, they were founded with the principal mission of educating Black Americans, who were shut out of other educational institutions because of segregation. There are 101 HBCUs in the US.

  8. Delirium a ‘key symptom’ of Covid in frail older peoplepublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Philippa Roxby
    Health reporter, BBC News

    Elderly patient receiving careImage source, Getty Images

    There are three main symptoms of a coronavirus infection, but research suggests frail, older people can also experience delirium or confusion.

    Scientists don’t know why vulnerable over-65s, who are more likely to have falls and be in poor health, are more likely to have this symptom.

    But they are warning doctors and carers to look out for signs of confusion, drowsiness or strange behaviour in this age group because it could be an early sign of Covid-19.

    In the study of 800 people, one in five patients in hospital with Covid had delirium as their only symptom.

    Among people who recorded their symptoms on an app, a third who experienced delirium did not have the classic symptoms of a cough or fever.

    Read more here.

  9. Moscow sees Covid cases surge againpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Sarah Rainsford
    BBC Moscow Correspondent

    Visitors wearing masks in Moscow's Red Square on 25 September 2020Image source, EPA

    For a few weeks over summer, life in Moscow returned to near-normal: city parks filled up; shops and museums, even the Bolshoi Theatre, re-opened.

    Floors and pavements were daubed with social distancing marks and there were regular loudspeaker announcements recommending face masks. But the vast majority of Muscovites ignored them. Even the Kremlin spokesman admitted he’d been to the cinema on Sunday and no-one had bothered with any face covering.

    So the number of Covid-19 cases is surging again. Moscow is the hotspot, with 2,308 reported cases over the past 24 hours - the most since late May. Russia as a whole recorded 8,481 new cases.

    President Putin this week called the coronavirus an invisible but "dangerous" enemy, but all the talk for now is about enforcing those protective measures that already exist and underlining how well Russia’s healthcare system is primed to cope, even as reports emerge of hospitals dedicated to Covid cases quickly reaching capacity again.

    Masked commuters on the Moscow underground on 30 September 2020Image source, Getty Images

    Anxious to shield the economy, officials are shying away from a return to lockdown. Still, Moscow’s mayor has asked thousands of city firms to help staff work remotely again and recommended that the elderly and sick stay indoors.

    He’s also doubled the October school break from one to two weeks, asking parents to keep their children home as much as possible. "Let’s use this holiday to slow the spread of the infection and protect our health," Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his blog.

    But according to the Tour Operators’ Association, bookings to Russia’s south coast, Crimea and Turkey for that extended holiday have soared.

  10. Teenage drug dealers posed as key workers during lockdownpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Police stopping and searching young peopleImage source, Met Police
    Image caption,

    More than 200 people were arrested last week as part of the cross-country operation targeting county lines drug supplies

    Teenage drug dealers have been pretending to be key workers during the pandemic to evade police, authorities in London have said.

    City Hall's Rescue and Response's annual report found demand for drugs was "very high" during lockdown.

    More than 3,000 people were identified as being exploited to move drugs from London to 41 towns and cities across the UK - so-called "county lines" drug dealing.

    The youngest age of a dealer was 10 and the oldest 26, the report has revealed.

    The report found that some posed as key workers to justify breaking lockdown restrictions if they were stopped.

    Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "It's vital we act now to protect children and young Londoners who we know are at increased risk of exploitation by County Lines during the pandemic.

    "Criminal individuals and gangs are using the uncertainty created by Covid-19 to recruit disadvantaged young Londoners, many of whom have lost their jobs and, in some cases, their accommodation."

  11. Drive-in voting in the Czech Republicpublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    An election committee member holds a ballot box for a voter at drive-in polling station in Prague, Czech Republic, 30 September 2020.Image source, EPA

    The pandemic has had an impact on elections around the world - at least 71 countries and territories postponed elections due to Covid-19, external, although 64 places still held polls amid the outbreak.

    In the Czech Republic, elections to the Senate are going ahead - but voters who are currently in quarantine are required to cast their ballots from their cars, at drive-in polling stations.

    Initially, people isolating or in quarantine were not allowed to vote - but as their numbers went up, legislation was passed to ensure they could still take part, AP news reports.

    The country has had more than 67,800 cases and 630 deaths, Johns Hopkins University reports.

    An election committee member wearing protective equipment carries a ballot box at drive-in polling station in Prague, Czech Republic, 30 September 2020.Image source, EPA
  12. Sturgeon stresses importance of self-isolationpublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Two couples keeping their distance at a mealImage source, Getty Images

    First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon is asked about clusters of coronavirus at universities. She said she's "confident" - though not "complacent" - that health experts were working hard and that the "appropriate steps" were being taken to reduce the risk of transmission.

    This is true in university clusters and other settings, she adds.

    Ms Sturgeon stresses it is "very important to underline" that while the recent rise in cases has been "driven by the younger, healthier population", this should not give rise to complacency.

    That's not only because young people themselves can get sick, but also because they can pass it on to the older and more at-risk in the community, who can become ill and even die.

    She's also spoken about self-isolation, saying she recognises it's particularly difficult for those on low incomes. She said the £500 grant announced last week, for those struggling to make ends meet while isolating, is "important" because "self-isolation is important".

  13. 'Big gap' between new rules and efforts to stop job losses - Starmerpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    JohnsonImage source, HoC

    For his final question, Sir Keir Starmer says the PM "just doesn't get it" on supporting jobs that would otherwise be viable.

    He says there is a "gap" between the new rules and the corresponding level of support to stop job losses and accuses Mr Johnson of being "tin-eared" when it comes to people's concerns.

    Turning to the issue of racial inequality, he calls for an investigation into statistics suggesting black women are more likely to die during childbirth.

    In response, Boris Johnson says the government has launched a review into "inequalities across the whole of society".

    Turning to Labour, he says the opposition needs to decide whether to "march side by side" with ministers on new Covid-19 restrictions, or "fire from the sidelines".

  14. Labour challenges PM's record in saving jobs threatened by Covidpublished at 12:34 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Sir Keir Starmer moves on to the UK government's economic record on coronavirus.

    He says he spoke to Newcastle Council's leader, who said the other "big problem" apart from the government's public health messaging was its lack of economic support to local communities under restrictions.

    He says the council indicates that by the end of the year 10,000 jobs in hospitality will be lost.

    He asks the PM why the government has decided these jobs aren't worth saving.

    Mr Johnson says the government is putting its arms "around the whole of the UK economy". He says he was surprised by the response from the Newcastle Council leader's comments because politicians there were calling for restrictions.

    He says the best way to protect jobs and the economy is to drive down the virus, keep children in education and to keep the "economy moving".

  15. Nicola Sturgeon: Number of deaths a reminder of Covid dangerspublished at 12:28 British Summer Time 30 September 2020
    Breaking

    Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is giving her daily update on the coronavirus situation in Scotland.

    She says seven new deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours - and that this is the highest number she has had to report since 17 June.

    It is, she says, a "sharp reminder" of how dangerous and infectious the virus is.

    There were 640 new infections, 10.3% of those newly tested. It brings the total number of cases to 29,244. There are 137 people in hospital, an increase of 14 from yesterday, of which 15 are in intensive care, which is one fewer than yesterday.

    In the week ending 26 September, there were 94 coronavirus-related admissions to hospital - a 60% increase from the 58 admissions the previous week.

    This should tell people, she adds, that is it dangerously complacent to think the virus is nothing to worry about.

  16. Starmer 'not surprised' by PM's mistakepublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    StarmerImage source, HoC

    Sir Keir Starmer brings up the PM's verbal stumble on Monday over the restrictions in the north-east of England and says it "didn't come as a surprise to me" - having sat opposite him each week at PMQs - that he had got the details wrong.

    He asks how if ministers cannot get them right, how can the public be expected to follow them - citing critical comments by the Conservative leader of Bolton Council.

    In response, the PM says he believes the public "do understand and overwhelmingly do follow the rules."

    Mr Johnson says he "cleared up" the misunderstanding over his comments as quickly as possible.

    He goes on to urge the Labour leader to show more consistency over the restrictions and "instil more confidence" in the public.

  17. UK PM defends local restrictions strategypublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Boris JohnsonImage source, HoC

    Moving on to Prime Minister's Questions, Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer says more than 16 million people are living under local restrictions.

    He says only one area has ever come out of local restrictions - Luton. Why is that, Sir Keir asks?

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the reason for the success of Luton is local people "pulled together" to depress the virus. That is the way forward for the entire country, he says.

    Sir Keir says local lockdowns have been described as a "whack-a-mole" strategy.

    But he says in many areas people think things are getting worse, not better, with cases in locked-down areas going up not down.

    Boris Johnson says no-one wants to impose local restrictions, but the spike in virus cases "does appear" more localised than in the spring.

    The PM says the government is working with councils to ensure the "right mix" of restrictions, and hopes to see an effect from these in the coming weeks.

  18. Commons speaker criticises government over Covid regulationspublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Commons Speaker Lindsay HoyleImage source, HoC

    Before Prime Minister's Questions, the Commons Speaker makes a highly critical statement on this afternoon’s debate on the government’s emergency coronavirus powers.

    Sir Lindsay Hoyle says the way the government has passed regulations with little notice and no debate has been “totally unsatisfactory”.

    He says the government has treated Parliament with "utter contempt" and must "rebuild trust" with MPs.

    The Speaker said an amendment tabled by a Conservative backbencher would not be selected for debate because he believes it is not within the scope of the day’s proceedings and risks undermining Parliament.

    The proposed amendment tabled by Tory MP Sir Graham Brady would have required further national restrictions to be voted on in advance before they came in.

    There is a meeting after PMQs in which MPs and ministers will discuss a potential compromise to give MPs more say.

    Read more about the issue in Laura Kuenssberg's blog

  19. Disney: Decision to lay off 28,000 staff 'heartbreaking'published at 12:14 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Disney fan taking pictures outside closed Disneyland gateImage source, Getty Images

    Walt Disney says it has no choice but to lay off 28,000 employees, mostly from its US theme parks.

    Josh D'Amaro, chairman of the firm’s parks unit, said in a statement that while the decision was "heartbreaking... we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity."

    The layoffs apply to “domestic employees” of which about 67% are part-time.

    Disney shut all its parks earlier this year as the virus spread, but only Disneyland in California remains closed.

    The movie giant lost $4.7bn (£3.6bn) in the three months to 27 June, with revenues for its Parks, Experiences and Products division plummeting 85% compared to the same quarter in 2019.

    Mr D'Amaro said the company's problems were "exacerbated in California by the state's unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen".

    On Tuesday, California’s health secretary Dr Mark Ghaly said the state was following a science-based approach to reopening in order to “minimise the health and economic risks that would be caused by opening and shutting repeatedly”.

    Read more on this story here.

  20. Israeli ministers get power to ban mass protests as rates surgepublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 30 September 2020

    Tom Bateman
    BBC Middle East correspondent

    Anti-Netanyahu protesters demonstrate outside of the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 29 September 2020 Knesset (Israeli Parliament) during a national lockdown in Jerusalem, Israel, 29 September 2020Image source, EPA
    Image caption,

    People protested against the law in Jerusalem before it was approved by Israel's parliament

    Israeli MPs have handed ministers the power to ban mass protests as coronavirus rates surge.

    The measures would mean demonstrators are confined to “capsules” of no more than 20 people and must stay within 1km (0.6 miles) of their homes.

    For weeks, big protests have taken place in Jerusalem against Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership.

    The PM has described them as virus “incubators” without providing evidence of the claim.

    Protest organisers called the vote for new powers an “execution ceremony for democracy”.

    Despite a second national lockdown new daily cases reached more than 8,000 last week.

    Tensions have come to the fore over Israel’s democratic versus its religious character; with a heated debate about restrictions on protest and prayer.

    A top scientist warned that allowing worship inside synagogues on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day which fell on Monday, risked “mass transmission”; while reports have emerged of widespread flouting of the rules in some of Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox areas, external.