The Covid-19 contact tracing app will be launched across England and Wales later this month, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
Households in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull will be banned from meeting each other from Tuesday, the Department of Health has announced. Councillor Ian Ward warned the virus "has not gone away, has not weakened – it is relentless".
Residents living in Lanarkshire will not be able to meet other households indoors from Friday, it has been announced.
Liverpool city region is included in the Government's watch list due to a rising number of cases, metropolitan mayor Steve Rotheram says.
Leeds has avoided further Covid-19 restrictions but will instead receive enhanced support towards managing the rise in infection rates, the city council has said.
05:36 PM
Leeds avoids further restrictions
Leeds has avoided further Covid-19 restrictions but will instead receive enhanced support towards managing the rise in infection rates, the city council has said.
A spokeswoman said this means the city will move up one stage from being placed on the national Public Health England watchlist last week as an area of concern.
The seven-day rate of infection now stands at 66 per 100,000 people, with a test positivity of 6 per cent.
The enhanced support status means that Leeds City Council and its partners will work with Government on ways to bring down infection rates, with extra resources provided, the spokeswoman said.
05:24 PM
Spain reports more than 4,700 new Covid-19
Spain reported 4,708 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, bringing its cumulative total to 566,326 - the highest in western Europe.
Spain has been regularly revising up its daily tallies and while today's figure was a new record for initial infection reports since the end of its strict lockdown in June, it was below recent peaks seen in those revised tallies.
A week ago, for example, the initially reported figure was 4,500 but that was later revised up to more than 11,000.
Spain also registered six new deaths, bringing its total Covid-19 death toll to 29,747.
However, health emergency head Fernando Simon said yesterday there seemed to be a slowdown in contagion in half the country's provinces in the last few days and Spain could be looking at a stabilisation of new infections.
05:06 PM
Exclusive: Eton College faces coronavirus outbreak after 'a few' students test positive for Covid-19
Eton College has been hit by an outbreak of coronavirus after several students tested positive for Covid-19 after returning to school from the summer holidays, Tony Diver reports.
The last of the school’s students, in Year 13, returned from the summer break on Thursday and students were tested privately to avoid use of NHS services.
Eton said “a few” of its students had tested positive for Covid-19 and have been placed in isolation.
Lanarkshire restrictions 'will not be welcome news', Sturgeon says
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said "It is clearly regrettable" that new restrictions are needed for Lanarkshire as cases rise. - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Commenting on the increased restrictions in Lanarkshire First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "It is clearly regrettable that these restrictions need to be extended to people living in Lanarkshire.
"I understand that this will not be welcome news for people living in these areas, especially ahead of the weekend, but we must act now to protect people and get more control over the virus in the area."
04:38 PM
France issues warning over rising cases but no new lockdown
This just in from Henry Samuel in Paris:
France is seeing a “clear worsening” of the Covid-19 outbreak, the prime minister warned on Friday, issuing a “solemn” appeal to the country to observe stricter social distancing but steering clear of announcing any fresh lockdowns.
“The virus is circulating more and more in France,” warned Jean Castex following a defence council meeting, adding that that the infection rate had risen to 72 per 100,000 people against 57 a week ago.
Of particular concern, he said, was the rising number of hospitalisations, which had gone up “for the first time in many weeks”. Those in intensive care are the same as in March, namely mainly old people, he said.
Mr Castex singled out Marseille, southern France, Bordeaux to the West and the overseas departement of Guadeloupe, where hospital intensive care wards risked bottlenecks if the number of serious cases continued to rise.
National French strategy remained unchanged, he said, namely, “to fight the virus while avoiding having to put on hold our social, cultural economic life, the education of our children and our ability to live normally”.
“Yes the virus is here for a few more months and we must succeed without allowing ourselves to be dragged again into the logical of a blanket lockdown,” he said.
Instead, he placed the onus on regional authorities to choose whether extra restrictions were necessary.
France would recruit a further 2,000 people to try and trace and break contamination chains and give priority for testing to people with symptoms and those they came into close contact with, along with health workers.
The country will also reduce the current self-isolation period for those with the disease or people they came into contact with from 14 to seven days, he confirmed.
People wait in line at a testing site for coronavirus in Paris, France, September 11, 2020 - REUTERS/Charles Platiau
04:19 PM
Home visits banned in Lanarkshire
Residents living in Lanarkshire will not be able to meet other households indoors from Friday, it has been announced.
It is the latest Scottish region to have tougher restrictions applied, similar measures are already in place in Glasgow, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.
The rules come into place midnight tonight and the extension means such restrictions now apply to more than 1.75 million people living in the west of Scotland.
In the last week, 205 positive cases of Covid-19 have been identified by Test and Protect in Lanarkshire.
Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, had previously said the rise in new cases was "causing some particular concern".
04:13 PM
UK Covid-19 death toll increases by six
The Government dashboard also said a further six people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday. This brings the UK total to 41,614.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been 57,400 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
04:05 PM
Positive UK cases increase by 80pc on last week
Daily positive cases have jumped by more than 80 per cent in a week, analysis of Department of Health data shows.
On September 4 1,940 positive cases were reported, compared to 3,539 reported today - a rise of 82 per cent in seven days.
It comes as the nationwide 'R' value is now estimated to be as high as 1.7, with the infection rate doubling almost every week.
Read more about the worrying rise in UK cases here.
03:45 PM
UK cases highest since May 17
The UK has reported 3,539 new positive Covid-19 cases, the Department of Health has said.
The last time the daily positive case count was higher was May 17 when 3,562 positive cases were recorded.
Commenting on the new cases, Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England said:
“3,539 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported overnight, compared to 2,919 overnight cases reported yesterday. Most of these cases are people tested in the community.
“Although younger people continue to make up the greatest share of new cases, we’re now starting to see worrying signs of infections occurring in the elderly, who are at far higher risk of getting seriously ill.
“This is a reminder of the ongoing risk as the virus spreads throughout the UK. People should continue to follow social distancing rules, wash their hands regularly and wear a face covering in enclosed spaces. You should not mix with others when unwell.”
03:37 PM
Watch: How coronavirus will decide the 2020 presidential race
In this video we unpack several of the key issues related to the pandemic that will play a key role in November's Presidential election; from Donald Trump’s performance record, the US economic recovery, to the potential of a vaccine announcement ahead of the vote.
03:19 PM
Hancock's comments on testing were 'profoundly dangerous', expert says
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary's, suggestion that there has been a surge in people seeking inappropriate coronavirus tests has been branded "profoundly dangerous".
The comment came from a member of the Independent Sage group, which has published a report describing the NHS Test and Trace system as "flawed" and "inadequate".
The group also raised concerns about the "poor rationale" behind the Government's multibillion-pound Operation Moonshot - an ambitious plan which would see millions of UK-wide tests carried out daily.
Mr Hancock said earlier this week that there has been an increase in people seeking tests when they have not got symptoms of Covid-19.
But his comments were criticised by Professor Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage group, who said:
"The Government seem more intent on managing blame than managing the pandemic.
"To tell people off for getting tests is profoundly dangerous, because the real problem is this, that when people are unsure... if you tell them 'Oh you mustn't get a test if you're not unwell', they will delay.
"It will be longer before people get tests, they will be infectious for longer without doing anything about it, and the infection will spread more.
"So what Matt Hancock said is not only wrong, it's profoundly dangerous and it will increase the pandemic."
03:06 PM
Manchester Council leader warns of possible full lockdown
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, has warned if cases do not go down, a full lockdown could be imposed in Manchester.
He said: "Over the past few months guidance has been confusing and I appreciate the frustration that many people must have felt.
"But there can be no confusion about what the end result will be if the number of Covid-19 cases do not start to go down - a full lockdown in Manchester.
"I am determined that we will avoid this, but this can only be achieved through the actions of every resident, business and community. This is our Manchester, and as a city we will always pull together in times of crisis."
A ban on two households mixing indoors in Manchester is currently in place because the weekly rate of infection has risen to 71.6 per 100,000 people.
02:51 PM
NHS nurse dies after contracting Covid-19
nurse Wilbald Tesha who died after contracting Covid-19 - PA/Sussex Partnership NHS Trust
A nurse who spent 30 years working for the NHS has become the latest frontline healthcare worker to die after contracting Covid-19.
Wilbald Tesha, who worked as a mental health nurse at Eastbourne District General Hospital, spent time in intensive care before his death last week.
The father of one came from a small village at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Simbwe, and had been living and working in Eastbourne for the last three decades.
Described as the "most humble, caring and committed man", just prior to his death he had been in discussions with the Wishing Well charity about developing a new project to support the children and families from his Tanzanian village.
A fundraiser has been set up to try to continue his work with his former primary school.
More than £6,600 has so far been donated, which organisers said will be enough to "completely refurbish every classroom in the school".
Cleaners at Birmingham Crown Court which was closed earlier this week and given a deep clean after a staff member reported Covid-19 symptoms overnight. - Jacob King/PA Wire A shopper wearing a protective face mask walks past the Bull statue outside the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham - JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP A shopper crosses tram tracks in Birmingham as new restrictions were brought into force including banning of household mixing - Jason Alden/Bloomberg
02:17 PM
The virus is 'relentless' says Birmingham Cllr
Addressing Birmingham's residents after the household mixing ban was announced, Cllr Ward added: "I know this is difficult, particularly when we've got used to seeing friends and family, but it is vital we stick to these rules and protect each other, given the sudden rise in infection rates."
He added: "The virus has not gone away, it has not weakened, in fact it is relentless. We must be relentless in our efforts to control the spread.
"I understand that it may be frustrating that you can go down the pub but not see your family, but the data we have shows the infection rate has risen mainly due to social interactions, particularly in private household gatherings."
02:06 PM
Birmingham restrictions apply outside city boundary, Cllr confirms
Cllr Ian Ward, who heads a council responsible for 1.14 million people, said: "From Tuesday 15th September, Birmingham residents will not be able to mix with any other households, indoors or in private gardens, except for those in a support bubble.
"This restriction will apply both inside and outside the city boundary.
"If you live in the city boundary, you cannot mix with another household outside the city boundary.
"If you live in the affected area, in order to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, you must not host people you do not live with in your home or garden, unless they're in your support bubble.
"You must not meet people who do not live with, in their home or garden, whether inside or outside of the affected area, unless in your support bubble."
01:56 PM
Birmingham Council leader says spread is occurring in social interactions
The Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Ian Ward, said there had been a rise in percentage of coronavirus cases reported, including from "people of a white ethnicity".
With 892 cases in the latest seven-day period, he said the rate was currently 78.2 cases per 100,000 people, adding there had been "an increase of hospital admissions with Covid-19 and an increase in cases in care homes".
He added: "The spread appears to be primarily occurring through social interactions, especially private household gatherings, and workplaces where social-distancing is not being observed.
Cllr Ward said: "The city's position now is that we have become an area of intervention in line with places such as Greater Manchester."
01:44 PM
NHS England reports 9 further coronavirus deaths
A further 9 people, who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 29,648.
Patients were aged between 79 and 88 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.
Date of death ranges from September 8 to 10 2020.
The number of deaths of patients with Covid-19 by region are as follows:
East of England - 0
London - 0
Midlands - 0
North East & Yorkshire - 1
North West - 7
South East - 0
South West - 1
01:36 PM
West Mids mayor stresses new rules are just for household mixing
Andy Street, addressing a weekly call with regional journalists on Friday, concluded the statement by saying: "This decision has been made in collaboration with local leaders who are considering additional local measures to tackle the increase in the number of cases."
He added: "So to emphasise, this is about mixing between households, it is not about prevention of schools, workplaces, transport, any of the other options - it is about household mixing."
Mr Street said the full Government announcement on measures, potentially affecting other areas of the country, would be made "later".
01:29 PM
Coronavirus cases spike in Birmingham
01:27 PM
Household mixing banned in Birmingham
The West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has announced tougher restrictions on household mixing in Birmingham, and neighbouring Solihull and Sandwell boroughs, after a rise in Covid-19 infections.
Mr Street said he had been permitted to read out a statement headed "Ban on household mixing in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull", with the agreement of the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock - who had been due to make the announcement.
The mayor said: "The following areas will now be escalated to an area of national intervention, with a ban on people socialising with people outside their own household.
"The ban will take effect from Tuesday 15th September, but residents are advised to avoid household mixing before then as it has been identified as one of the drivers of transmission."
He added that the bans applied to the whole of Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull.
01:15 PM
Switzerland enforces quarantine for travellers from Paris
Switzerland has added the regions around Paris and Vienna to its list of areas with high Covid-19 infection rates requiring incoming travellers to enter quarantine for 10 days.
The government said it was adopting a regional approach for neighbouring countries for the measures which will come into force on September 14. As part of this, it named Ile de France and the Vienna region in its list of areas with a raised risk of infection.
Border regions are unaffected by the measures.
12:53 PM
Expert reaction: REACT-1 study shows resurgence of infections is 'real and substantial'
Reacting to the latest data from the Imperial College London REACT study, which shows that infection rates are increasing in all adult age-groups below the age of 65, Prof Rowland Kao, the Sir Timothy O’Shea Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Data Science, University of Edinburgh, said:
“The REACT-1 study is one of the most important epidemiological indicators of trends in Covid-19 infection because, unlike other markers, such as those based on results from the Pillars 1 and 2 of test and trace, it is largely unbiased and based on a large, representative population sample.
"Its key results confirm other findings that the resurgence of Covid-19 infections we are currently experiencing (in this study for England, but with similar findings for across the UK) is real and substantial.
"The estimate of R from this study for the current phase since 22nd August is high (1.7) and suggests that getting Covid-19 will require substantial measures – whether or not the most recent announcements of additional controls is sufficient will only be known in a few weeks time.
"It must also be remembered that the current data do not reflect the return of students to schools, the imminent return of students to universities, and the likely increase in indoor contacts that will result from cooling weather all of which may have further influences on increasing R.”
12:48 PM
Covid-19 cases doubling every 7 to 8 days, study shows
Coronavirus cases in England were doubling every seven to eight days at the beginning of September, new data suggests.
It is estimated that between August 22 and September 7, 13 people per 10,000 were infected, compared with four people per 10,000 between July 24 and August 11.
According to the latest round of the Real-Time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT-1) study, Covid-19 cases are shown as no longer clustering in healthcare or care home settings, as seen in May and June.
Experts say this suggests the virus is now spread more widely in the community.
Out of 152,909 swab results, 136 were positive, and prevalence doubled every 7.7 days, the figures suggest.
Professor Paul Elliott, director of the REACT-1 programme at Imperial from the School of Public Health, said the prevalence of the virus is “still quite low” but it has “gone back up again” since August.
“"I think the really important thing here is that this system was set up as an early warning system. And I think it has picked up the signal early. And that's being fed in to Government,” he said.
Downing Street suggested it would not review the decision to include children in the six-person limit on social gatherings despite Scotland and Wales exempting those under 12.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: "We looked at all of the evidence in advance of the decision that was reached on Wednesday and it was decided to proceed with a rule of six that applies to all ages.
"What we have done is ensure that the rules have been simplified and strengthened so they are easier to understand. Social distancing measures can only be effective if the public understand them and abide by them."
It comes after The Telegraph revealed Boris Johnson is facing growing unrest in the Cabinet over his 'rule of six' regulations that will force families apart for months. Read the full story here.
12:34 PM
60 test positive after charity football match
More than 60 people have tested positive for coronavirus following a charity football match, health officials said.
A further 33 people have now contracted the virus amid an outbreak linked to the event at Burnside Working Men's Club in Fencehouses, on the border of Sunderland and County Durham.
Officials first said 28 people were infected following the match on August 30, and they urged around 300 people who attended to self-isolate until midnight on September 13.
The latest confirmed cases bring the total so far to 61.
Amanda Healy, director of public health at Durham County Council, said: "We were aware that a large number of people are believed to have attended the event so we always expected the number of cases to rise.
"We would like to thank everyone who has responded so far to our call to self-isolate if they were present at the club on August 30, and to those who have sought a test when appropriate.
"We would like to reiterate that our initial advice remains the same in that anyone who attended the event should self-isolate for 14 days from that date unless they're contacted individually by NHS Test and Trace with further advice."
12:21 PM
ONS: Household infection rate on the rise
Evidence suggests the rate of new infections in private households in England has increased in recent weeks, the ONS said.
An average of 3,200 people per day were estimated to be newly infected with Covid-19 between August 30 and September 5, the ONS said.
This is up from an average of 2,000 people per day between August 19 and 25.
12:19 PM
ONS: Estimated community infection rate increases
An estimated 39,700 people in private households in England had Covid-19 between August 30 and September 5, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This was the equivalent of around 0.07 per cent of the population, or one in 1,400 individuals.
The estimate is an increase from the previous figures for August 19 to 25, which were 0.05 per cent of the population, or one in 2,000 individuals.
The figures do not include people staying in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.
The new figures are slightly higher than the current official levels of new cases being reported across the whole of the UK.
The UK recorded 2,919 new daily confirmed cases on Thursday and 2,659 confirmed new cases on Wednesday.
11:59 AM
Merseyside leader calls for action to prevent lockdown
The leader of Sefton Council said the entire Merseyside area had been added to the Government watch list.
Cllr Ian Maher said: "In the light of this news, it's essential that every single one of Sefton's residents and businesses continue the great efforts they have made already to prevent us going into lockdown.
"The willingness and efforts of local people and the vast majority of the borough's businesses to follow the guidelines and implement the measures required have been impressive and were reflected in low numbers of cases recently. However, this current rise is a cause for concern."
He added that infections are spread through social networks "whether at home, at work or out and about", and that they are being reported in people of all ages, but are prevalent in people aged 20 to 60.
"Those people may be only mildly affected by Covid-19 and some are asymptomatic, but our real concern is how these people can still spread the infection, including to their loved ones at home who may be vulnerable and far more seriously affected," he added.
"It's vital that local people continue with social distancing and follow the Government's recently revised guidelines restricting indoor meetings to members of two different households and keeping numbers at outdoor gatherings to a maximum of six. Wearing masks and face coverings where required and frequent, thorough hand-washing are also crucial."
11:46 AM
Liverpool joins Government 'watch list' as cases rise
Liverpool city region has been included in the Government's coronavirus watch list due to a rising number of cases, metropolitan mayor Steve Rotheram has said.
Mr Rotheram said: "Over the past week we have seen a rapid increase in Coronavirus cases across the Liverpool City Region.
"We are not yet at the stage of having extra restrictions imposed on us - as other areas have - but if we continue on our current trajectory, it will become a case of when, not if this happens."
He added: "There is still time to stop that happening - but doing so depends on us and what we choose to do."
11:45 AM
Switzerland sees highest daily case rise since April
Switzerland has reported 528 new cases of the coronavirus, the Federal Office of Public Health said, the highest daily rise in infections since early April.
The total number of laboratory-confirmed cases has now reached 46,239, the office said, while the number of Covid-19 deaths has risen by 3 to 1,740.
Switzerland was removed from the UK's list of quarantine exempt countries last month after cases began to rise.
See the full list of where you can and cannot travel here.
11:18 AM
'Shambolic', 'baffling' and 'crazy' – views from around Europe on the UK's Covid rules
We may be a nation of keen queuers, obsessed with class and enamoured by tradition, but Britons are also supposed to be proponents of common sense and personal freedoms.
Yet the country’s handling of the coronavirus crisis has been fraught with convoluted rules, draconian measures and haphazard quarantine decisions that have forced holidaymakers to rush back from countries where infection rates were, in some cases, barely higher than our own.
How does this appear from elsewhere? Have we scuppered relationships with our favourite holiday destinations and tarnished our reputation for practicality? Telegraph Travel’s destination experts from around Europe take the temperature in their respective countries.
Vaughan Gething, Wales' health minister, said the app's launch is "an important part of coronavirus response" and that it is sensible for the app to work across the two countries.
He said: "Working on a joint England and Wales basis is the most practical option here, as we know there is a lot of movement across our shared border. It makes sense to use the same app, working in exactly the same way, regardless of which country you're in.
"The Welsh Government has worked closely with the NHS app team to ensure the app is easy to use and gives people the right advice and guidance, tailored to the country they reside in. I strongly encourage people in Wales to download and use the app when it launches.
"The more people who download and use the NHS Covid-19 app, the more it will help us to prevent the spread of Covid-19."
10:44 AM
Contact tracing app is a 'defining moment', Hancock says
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, described the app's launch as "a defining moment" and said it will help to contain the virus "at a critical time".
He said: "We need to use every tool at our disposal to control the spread of the virus including cutting-edge technology.
"The launch of the app later this month across England and Wales is a defining moment and will aid our ability to contain the virus at a critical time.
"QR codes provide an easy and simple way to collect contact details to support the NHS Test and Trace system.
"Hospitality businesses can now download posters for their premises ahead of the launch of the NHS Covid-19 app. This will allow the public to seamlessly check in to venues using the app when it launches.
"It is vital we are using the NHS Test and Trace system to reach as many people as possible to prevent outbreaks and stop this virus in its tracks. This function will make it simple and easy so we can keep this virus under control."
10:38 AM
Contact tracing app to launch Sept 24, DHSC says
The Covid-19 app will be launched across England and Wales on September 24, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
Ahead of the roll-out businesses including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas are being urged to ensure they have NHS QR code posters visible on entry so customers who have downloaded the new app can use their smartphones to check-in.
The department said ongoing trials in the London Borough of Newham, on the Isle of Wight and with NHS Volunteer Responders show the app is "highly effective when used alongside traditional contact tracing to identify contacts of those who have tested positive for coronavirus".
10:27 AM
Retail's 'golden quarter' faces wipeout if Christmas is cancelled
A typical household in the UK spends over £2,500 each month. But in the run up to Christmas it parts with an extra £800, the Bank of England estimates, Laura Onita reports.
This year, Britons are expected to tighten the purse strings. There are early signs that the so-called golden quarter is going to look more like the copper quarter.
"The issue is, the new [social gathering] rules have just created more uncertainty over how people get together," says Richard Lim, chief executive at Retail Economics.
"Any dampening of the Christmas spirit is bad news for the retailers..."
Austria will tighten rules mask-wearing and social distancing at public events and in restaurants from Monday in response to accelerating coronavirus cases in the country, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said.
Wearing of masks will be compulsory in shops, in all public transport and in schools outside classrooms from Monday, he said. Private events will be limited to 50 participants indoors and 100 outdoors, while professionally-organised seated events could run to up to 1,500 people indoors and 3,000 outdoors.
The daily number of infections has been rising since late June and reached 644 on Thursday, the highest number since late March, when an initial spike in infections was fading under a national lockdown.
"Precisely because the summer went well and people can't quite believe that the numbers are rising once again, I call on all of us to together take the situation seriously," Mr Kurz told a news conference.
Portugal's president says the UK's decision to require quarantines for people traveling from the southern European country is unfair and punishes tourism-dependent regions.
Portugal, which is seeing a steady increase in coronavirus infections, was put back on Britain's quarantine list on Thursday, three weeks after it had been taken off it.
British transport secretary Grant Shapps said the 14-day self-isolation rule only applies to those arriving from mainland Portugal, excluding the Azores or Madeira.
"We have a certain feeling of unfairness because we don't close our doors to entries," Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said late Thursday, according to public broadcaster RTP. "There are other countries that have much more difficult and complicated situations."
Tourists drink beer as they look at the Douro river and the old downtown of Porto - REUTERS
He said the decision punished regions like Algarve, in the south, which is a magnet for tourists from Britain and where the spread of the virus is lower than in big cities.
Tourism, which accounts for 15 per cent of Portugal's gross domestic product and roughly 9 per cent of its jobs, has taken a big hit from border restrictions.
Portugal has reported more than 62,000 cases, including 1,852 deaths, from the virus.
09:33 AM
Sir Christopher Chope raises concerns that Government has yet to lay new Covid-19 regulations before Parliament
Raising a point of order in the Commons, the Christchurch MP said: "I've been looking at today's Order Paper and particularly at the remaining orders and I had expected to see the statutory instrument which the Government must lay in order for the draconian new rules which it is bringing in on Monday to be lawful.
"And that doesn't seem to have been laid despite the Prime Minister making an announcement about it on Wednesday and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care having made a statement yesterday (Thursday).
"And I'm very concerned about the lack of opportunity for people, the public first of all, to see the text of these new regulations and I'm also concerned about the continuing reluctance of the Government to give any opportunities to members to debate this."
09:08 AM
Confidence in Covid vaccines has fallen since pandemic's peak, researchers reveal
Confidence in potential Covid-19 vaccines has fallen since the pandemic peaked in the spring, with early data suggesting an increasing number of people in the UK would refuse a jab.
According to Prof Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, around five per cent of Britons surveyed in March said they would not take a coronavirus vaccine – a figure that increased to 15 per cent by June.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Prof Larson suggested that increasing reluctance was linked to falling fatality rates. In late March roughly 700 deaths were being reported a day, a figure that now hovers at around 10.
“We do see that [attitudes] are highly variable,” said Prof Larson, a professor of anthropology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “People are constantly weighing up the imminent threat of the disease with the apparent risk of the vaccine.”
Worst impacts of the crisis on poverty are still to come, warns expert
The United Nations independent expert on poverty is warning that the worst impacts from the coronavirus pandemic on poverty are yet to come, and that measures taken by governments to protect people so far have been insufficient.
"The social safety nets put into place are full of holes," said Olivier De Schutter, a Belgian legal scholar appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council as special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.
"These current measures are generally short-term, the funding is insufficient and many people will inevitably fall between the cracks," De Schutter said.
Miguel Angel Marquez, 45, who arrived from his home-state of Michoacan to work as a bricklayer in Mexico City but was left stranded without a job or place to sleep amid the Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic. - ALFREDO ESTRELLA
His message was directed to world leaders meeting this month for the U.N. General Assembly. He called on them to take more decisive steps to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities, according to a U.N. statement released Friday.
De Schutter said the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic is unprecedented in times of peace since the Great Depression in the 1930s.
He warned that 176 million additional people worldwide could fall into poverty, with $3.20 per day being used as the poverty baseline.
"Families in poverty have by now used up whatever reserves they had and sold their assets," he said. "The worst impacts of the crisis on poverty are still to come."
08:35 AM
Latin America and the Caribbean pass eight million cases
Latin America and the Caribbean on Thursday passed the milestone of eight million cases of Covid-19, days after logging more than 300,000 deaths from the virus, according to an AFP tally of official records.
The region, which is the worst hit in the world, had 8,035,484 cases as of 2200 GMT on Thursday, out of a global total of 28.02 million people infected with the disease.
The region made up of the United States and Canada has the second largest number of infections worldwide, with 6,504,734 cases. Europe is second to Latin America in the number of deaths, with 220,085 fatalities from the disease.
Doctors visit a patient in Chosica, east of Lima, on September 4, 2020 - ERNESTO BENAVIDES
Brazil is the worst hit country in Latin America, with 4.23 million people infected with Covid-19 and 129,522 dead from the disease.
Peru holds second place in the number of infections with 702,776 cases, as well as 30,236 dead - but Mexico holds second place in the number of fatalities in the region, with 69,095 having succumbed to the virus. It has logged 647,507 infections.
08:28 AM
Tough new Covid-19 restrictions could be imposed across Birmingham
Tough new Covid-19 restrictions look set to be imposed across Birmingham after infections rocketed.
The city of 1.14 million people is widely expected to have tighter rules imposed on Friday, following two days of discussions between Government and regional health and local authority leaders.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street, who had travelled to London to meet with officials, said earlier this week additional restrictions were "very, very likely".
Stressing no final decisions had yet been made, he added the "simplest form of restriction would be city-wide".
Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, told ITV's Peston on Wednesday that lockdown-style measures were looking increasingly inevitable.
According to NHS Digital data, the latest seven-day rate for the city to September 8 showed 78.2 cases per 100,000 with 892 cases over the period - among the highest in Birmingham since April's peak.
For the previous seven-day period, the rate was just over 30.
The city had already been moved up the rungs of the national Public Health England (PHE) watchlist, which ranks local authority areas of concern by infection rate.
08:10 AM
Gordon Brown: New measures are needed or we risk 'long-term damage, losing skills, losing capacity'
Former prime minister Gordon Brown said the country needs a recovery plan.
He told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "We need to avoid a cliff edge on October the 31st. The health successes have been too few for us to be able to say that the lockdown is completely over for everyone.
"And therefore we need new measures, and I don't think the Government's plan is up to it, and what I say is three things.
"Secondly, we've got to help young people. We face the worst labour market for young people for 50 years.
"And thirdly, we've got to help businesses recover. They need to invest and they can't invest if they're having to pay back some of the loans that have been charged upon them in the last few months.
"We need to do all these things, and we need to do it urgently to avoid what's going to happen in October."
He added if unemployment reaches three million, the country faces "long-term damage, losing skills, losing capacity".
He said: "We cannot afford not to spend now to save later."
07:44 AM
Airlines and airports will go bust unless Test4Travel is introduced, warns Heathrow Boss
The chief executive of Heathrow John Holland-Kaye has said that airlines and airports will go bust unless the Government intervenes and tests travellers.
He told Sky News: "August is normally the busiest time of year in aviation a lot of that is outbound tourists going from all over the UK around Europe.
"For Heathrow we have some of that but we also have a lot of inbound tourists coming in to spend their money and students coming to study that just hasn't been happening this summer.
"There's a great appetite to fly, but there's nowhere you can fly to because of the blanket quarantine and with only 17 per cent of normal traffic now the busiest time of year aviation just is not viable.
"So, unless something changes, we are going to see airports and airlines going bust over the coming months, and the Government can fix this by changing the rules so that if you test negative for Covid you can come out to quarantine early."
He added that Heathrow was calling on the Government to allow people to test at the airport, when they land, and then go into quarantine for a shorter period before taking another test and, if negative, they would then be able to come out of quarantine early.
Test4Travel: Join The Telegraph campaign to scrap quarantine through airport testing here.
07:36 AM
Bank of England is 'behind the curve', says Gordon Brown
Labour former prime minister Gordon Brown told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the Bank of England needs to put more focus on dealing with unemployment in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.
He said: "I think that there should now be an operational target that interest rates will not rise and stimulus will continue until employment returns to pre-crisis levels.
"It's a change. It's in line with what the Federal Reserve is doing. I think other banks around the world are going to do something similar. And I think the Bank of England, at this point, is, I'm afraid, behind the curve.
"They have got to send a signal that employment really matters.
"We are facing a tsunami of unemployment."
07:05 AM
New Covid rules will turn public spaces into airport security, says Steve Baker
The new coronavirus rules, where people are restricted to meeting in groups of six, will turn public spaces into airport security, a former minister has said.
Tory former minister Steve Baker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It seems to me the effect of having Covid marshals will be to turn every public space in Britain into the equivalent of going through airport security where we are badgered and directed... I'm not willing to live like this."
He added: "I think it is now time to say that this is not a fit legal environment for the British people.
"It's time to move to a voluntary system - unless the Government can demonstrate otherwise.
"And it is time for us to actually start living like a free people, not subjecting ourselves to constantly shifting legal requirements, which I think now no one can fully understand."
06:26 AM
Up to 30 can meet outdoors in Wales, says Mark Drakeford
New restrictions being brought in on indoor gatherings in Wales to combat the spread of coronavirus do not need to be extended to outdoor meetings, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.
Indoor meetings of more than six people from an extended household will be illegal in Wales from Monday.
The rule will not apply to children aged 11 and under, and up to 30 people from different households will still be able to meet outside.
Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "As far as gatherings are concerned we are going to introduce a restriction on people gathering indoors.
"People will still be able to form a single extended household from four other households, but only six of those people will from Monday be able to meet inside people's houses.
"We are not introducing that restriction on people meeting outdoors because we have no evidence in Wales that the virus is being transmitted between people when they meet in the open air."
Shoppers wearing PPE pose for a selfie photograph as they queue to enter a Zara clothing store in Cardiff on June 22, 2020. - GEOFF CADDICK
06:13 AM
UK economy grew by 6.6 per cent in July as lockdown measures continued to ease
The UK economy grew by 6.6 per cent in July as lockdown measures continued to ease, the Office for National Statistics has said.
ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said: "While it has continued steadily on the path towards recovery, the UK economy still has to make up nearly half of the GDP lost since the start of the pandemic.
"Education grew strongly as some children returned to school, while pubs, campsites and hairdressers all saw notable improvements.
"Car sales exceeded pre-crisis levels for the first time with showrooms having a particularly busy time.
"All areas of manufacturing, particularly distillers and car makers, saw improvements, while housebuilding also continued to recover.
"However, both production and construction remain well below previous levels."
05:58 AM
Ukraine reports record jump in cases
Ukraine registered a record 3,144 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the national security council said on Friday, up from a previous record of 2,836 registered on Sept. 5.
The council said a total of 148,756 cases were registered in Ukraine as of Sept. 11, with 3,076 deaths.
A Ukrainian man wearing a protective face mask walks in front of a placard on preventive measures during the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, in Kiev, Ukraine, 08 September 2020. - Shutterstock
05:53 AM
Coronavirus precautions leads to separate 9/11 remembrances
Sept. 11, 2013, the twin beams of the annual Tribute in Light commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks shine amid the city's skyline, in New York. - AP
Americans are set to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks with tributes altered by the coronavirus.
President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden both plan to visit the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania Friday, though not at the same time.
In New York, a dispute over coronavirus precautions is leading to separate remembrances.
The National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum cancelled its tradition of having relatives read the names of the dead aloud. It will offer a recording instead to those gathered at the World Trade Center site.
Some victims' relatives felt the change robbed the observance of its emotional impact. A different 9/11 group, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, set up a simultaneous ceremony.
Vice President Mike Pence plans to attend both events. Biden will also attend the main New York observance before heading to Pennsylvania.
05:44 AM
U.N. Security Council calls for a global cease-fire on schools and teachers
The U.N. Security Council on Thursday urged warring parties in all conflicts to immediately stop attacking schools and teachers and reaffirmed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for global cease-fires to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
A presidential statement approved by all 15 council members expressed "grave concern about the significant increase of attacks on schools in recent years and the resulting alarming number of children denied access to quality education."
The U.N. envoy for children in conflict told the council that attacking schools and teachers seems to be an emerging tactic of war, particularly in Africa's Sahel region, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made things worse.
Virginia Gamba said that in the Sahel, "schools are targeted precisely because they are schools, and even more if they cater to girls."
Rassemblement des Forces Patriotiques (M5-RFP) group, clash with police ahead of the next round of national consultations on the management of the transition in Bamako, Mali, 10 September 2020. - H DIAKITE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
She said the COVID-19 pandemic has made things worse because closed schools and crumbling economies favor the recruitment and use of child soldiers, sexual exploitation of children, and child marriage _ and the use of empty schools for military purposes.
The Security Council statement, sponsored by Niger, reaffirmed Gamba's appeal "to preserve and respect the civilian character of schools, as necessary for the protection of children in armed conflict."
It also acknowledged "the disproportionate negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," especially its economic impact and adverse effects on children in conflict and undergoing reintegration into society.
The council noted "the heightened risk for children in armed conflict, of not resuming their education following school closures, particularly girls." This makes them "more vulnerable to child labor, child recruitment as well as forced marriage," the council said, urging countries "to ensure access to quality education for all."
04:23 AM
India records 4.5 million Covid cases
India reported another record daily jump of 96,551 coronavirus cases on Friday, taking its case load to 4.5 million, data from the federal health ministry showed.
Infections are growing faster in India than anywhere else in the world and the United States is the only nation worse affected.
Deaths have remained relatively low in the country, but are seeing an upward trend, with more than 1000 deaths being reported every day for the past 10 days.
On Friday, 1,209 people died from Covid-19, the ministry said, taking total mortalities to 76,271.
02:50 AM
Antibodies fade after only a month, study shows
Coronavirus antibodies fade after only a month, a new study has revealed, in what could signal a blow to worldwide hopes of finding a vaccine.
Understanding antibody responses against Covid-19 is fundamental for the development of effective treatments and a preventive vaccine, experts say. And if antibodies decline overtime it could suggest immunity from a potential vaccine would also fade, rendering it less effective or require boosters.
In this latest study, researchers from Nanjing University Medical School in China monitored Covid-19 antibody responses in 19 non-severe and seven severe coronavirus patients for seven weeks from disease onset.
They found that most patients generated antibody responses against the virus.
But only a small portion produced a potent level of antibody neutralisation activity and around one in five (20 per cent) produced no antibody response at all.
President Trump has denied lying to Americans about the severity of the coronavirus after a new book by journalist Bob Woodward revealed that he deliberately downplayed the crisis.
Mr Trump's taped admission to Mr Woodward that he minimised the pandemic in public, while being aware from the start about the unique danger presented by Covid-19, has set off alarm bells less than eight weeks before the US election.
Asked at a hastily organised White House press conference, Mr Trump was asked: "Why did you lie to the American people?" He responded: "I didn't lie."
The Republican, who is down in the polls against Democrat Joe Biden and faces overwhelming disapproval from Americans on his handling of the coronavirus crisis, insisted that he had softened the dangers in public so as to preserve calm.
"I don't want to jump up and down and start screaming 'Death! Death!'" he argued.
Donald Trump at a rally in Michigan on Thursday night - GETTY IMAGES
01:57 AM
Boat show organisers furious at last-minute cancellation
Organisers of the Southampton International Boat Show are incensed over the city council's decision to cancel the event on the eve of its opening day due to coronavirus concerns.
The annual show and the smaller accompanying Ocean Village Boat Show - due to run from Friday until September 20 - were cancelled on Thursday afternoon by order of the Southampton City Council.
The authority cited the need for "stronger control measures" to reduce the transmission of Covid-19 in Southampton and across the country.
But organisers of the show - which is said to bring in some 20,000 people to Southampton each year - said all precautions had been taken to ensure the event, also known as Boats2020, "exceeded all safety requirements" relating to social distancing, and insisted that a shortened four-day show could have taken place in line with Government guidance.
Lesley Robinson, chief executive of show co-ordinators British Marine, said they were only notified at 6.34pm on Thursday of the cancellation order.
01:21 AM
Cabinet unrest over 'rule of six'
Boris Johnson is facing growing unrest in the Cabinet over his 'rule of six' regulations that will force families apart for months, the Telegraph can reveal.
Senior Tories have demanded that children be exempt from the new rule to enable families to get together and save Christmas, while scientists said such an approach would “make more sense”.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson’s plan for coronavirus marshals to help enforce the six-person rule was unraveling as police derided them as “Covid Wombles” and councils said they were a “gimmick”.
Downing Street admitted councils would not be given any money to pay for the marshals, suggesting volunteers could do the job, and said it would be up to individual local authorities to decide whether they actually wanted them.
UN seeks 'quantum leap' in funding for virus fight
The UN has called for an immediate "quantum leap" in funding to fight the coronavirus as the death toll crossed 900,000 six months after the pandemic broke out.
On Thursday France registered a record of almost 10,000 new Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours before a key meeting to decide a toughening of coronavirus measures.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries to find $15 billion over the next three months to fund the ACT-Accelerator programme, a global collaboration to hunt for a vaccine and treatments led by the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO).
"Either we stand together or we will be doomed," Guterres said, calling the virus the "number one global security threat".
Restrictions could be reimposed in Paris - REUTERS
11:30 PM
Extend furlough for select businesses, say MPs
Rishi Sunak has been urged by MPs to extend the taxpayer-funded furlough scheme for businesses with a chance of surviving the Covid storm.
The Chancellor should "show flexibility" and target companies that are still viable when the existing programme ends in October, members of the Treasury select committee said.
Critics have warned that in its current form - where it has been available to all companies, paying up to 80pc of employee wages if they are temporarily unable to work - furlough allows even failing "zombie" businesses to struggle on.
But the committee said the Chancellor should "carefully consider" whether a targeted extension was needed for furlough, which has protected 9.6m jobs so far at a cost of £35bn. The scheme will be wound up at the end of October.
Rishi Sunak has been urged to prioritise viable companies - PA
11:08 PM
Today's top stories
Boris Johnson is facing growing unrest in the Cabinet over his 'rule of six' regulations that will force families apart for months, the Telegraph can reveal
Boris Johnson’s coronavirus marshals have been dismissed as “Covid Wombles” by the police after it emerged they will have no powers to enforce new restrictions
Amazon has been accused of coronavirus "price gouging" after a consumer watchdog found prices for life-saving items such as face masks and hand sanitiser had soared by up to 1,000pc during the pandemic
Coronavirus antibodies fade after only a month, a new study has revealed, in what could signal a blow to worldwide hopes of finding a vaccine
Amanda Holden, 53, looked sensational as she showed off her latest outfit to host Heart FM despite "not being able to find a top" as she opted for just a bra and jacket
The arrival of the US M1A1 Abrams tanks in Ukraine was hailed as a turning point in the war. Coming in at roughly $10 million a unit, the Nato stalwart was supposed to provide the armoured fist that would punch through the Russian lines. But tactics evolve quickly in warfare, and Russia’s use of surveillance and hunter-killer drones has led to heavy casualties for Ukraine’s tank fleets. This is alarming for NATO. If Russia has found critical vulnerabilities in our armour, our borders are beginni
The moment was filmed by a Pollok resident who was left disgusted after spotting the vermin from her kitchen window in the Templeland Road area of Glasgow.
Following the latest Channel tragedy on Tuesday when five people, including a seven-year-old girl, died, one local French mayor squarely blamed Britain.
Leo Varadkar left his job as Irish prime minister last month with compliments being lavished on him from all directions — especially the White House — for his triumph over Brexit Britain in forcing the retention of an open land border on Northern Ireland.
Prince William made a surprise visit to a school in the West Midlands today, where he issued a 14-word update on his wife, Kate Middleton, amid her cancer treatment
Vida was treated by vets for lacerations which saw its coat soaked in blood but Quaker was in an equine hospital with its future "not looking good", sources said
A man gave his dying dog a chocolate bar – a treat dogs love but that is toxic to them – as a final gesture of love before she was put to sleep on April 23.Footage recorded by Miller Hurtado Toro shows his dog Sharon enjoying the tasty sweet before she was injected with euthanizing drugsToro told Storyful that Sharon was 12 years old and had been fighting the tick-borne canine disease ehrlichiosis for two years.“We tried to take her to find more treatments, but they saw that she had lung cancer, with metastases in her lungs and liver that were making her weak from just lying down,” Toro said.“The day before yesterday, she could not get up again, and that is when I made the decision,” he explained.Toro said he had often denied Sharon a taste of chocolate as the candy is notably bad for dogs’ health, but that he thought she should try it as her final treat.“No dog should leave without first trying chocolate,” Toro said. Credit: Miller Hurtado Toro via Storyful
Callum Laing, 40, was diagnosed with a stage 4 Glioblastoma brain tumour, after he had been suffering from intense headaches - but surgeons in Edinburgh have made a surprising discovery.
Yahoo News 
