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Coronavirus: The 15 major developments that happened on Thursday

Undated handout photo issued by Bex Arts/MDD of Asher, a specially trained dog, as people with mild coronavirus symptoms in the North West of England are being encouraged to participate in a trial which aims to see whether dogs can sniff out Covid-19.
Asher, a specially trained dog, as people with mild coronavirus symptoms in the North West of England are being encouraged to participate in a trial which aims to see whether dogs can sniff out COVID-19. (Bex Arts/MDD/PA Images)

Here’s what you need to know on 6 August. This article was updated at 5pm.

Deaths: The Government said 46,413 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Wednesday, up by 49 from the day before.

NHS: An ICU doctor has said that the aftermath of the coronavirus lockdown and its impact on hospitals and other illnesses is causing "just as much harm" as the virus itself. Dr Ron Daniels, the chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said his recent work in two large hospitals in Birmingham showed that there was a “huge downturn” of COVID-19 patients who were seriously ill. Read more here.

PPE: Fifty million face masks bought by the Government as part of a £252 million contract can’t be used because of concerns they are inadequate. The masks have ear loops instead of head loops. Read more here.

Track and trace: Some 20% of the contacts of people who have tested positive for coronavirus can’t be reached by the NHS Test and Trace system because people do not know their contacts well enough to have their personal details. Read more here.

Local health protection teams are more successful at tracking contacts of people who have tested positive for coronavirus than call centre workers. When local teams do the work, 98% of close contacts of people who tested positive are contacted to isolate. Read more here.

Local lockdowns: There are now 20 towns and cities across the UK that are currently subject to local lockdowns. Take a look at the areas affected here.

Preston could be the next place to face a coronavirus local lockdown amid rising infection rates. Preston recorded 49 new cases of coronavirus in the week leading up to July 31, with 18 cases recorded on July 29 alone. Read more here.

Northern Ireland: Face masks will be mandatory indoors in Northern Ireland as the R rate rises to as much as 1.8. The reopening of pubs has also been delayed. Read more here.

Long-COVID: Fatigue and breathlessness are among the top long lasting symptoms for coronavirus sufferers. Psychological distress is also common according to data from Leeds University. Read more here.

Policy: Face mask rules change in England this weekend, with coverings now mandatory in more places, including places of worship, libraries and museums. Read more here.

Business: JD Wetherspoon said on Thursday that up to 130 jobs were at risk at its head office, as the popular pub operator warned that the coronavirus crisis had resulted in a downturn in trade in the hospitality industry. The company said that it had written to all 417 people employed at its head office, including those based outside of its headquarters in Watford, to inform them that between 110 and 130 positions were at risk of redundancy. Read more here.

Read more about COVID-19

How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms

What you can and can’t do under lockdown rules

In pictures: How UK school classrooms could look in new normal

How public transport could look after lockdown

How our public spaces will change in the future

Rest of the world

There are fears of a second wave of coronavirus in France and Spain after reporting large rises in the number of cases. France reported 1,695 new cases in 24 hours, while Spain had 1,772 new cases on Wednesday. Read more here.

Italy has accused RyanAir of violating coronavirus rules, saying staff are failing to ensure passengers wear face coverings and not staggering passengers when they leave the plane. It could put some holidays at risk. Read more here.

Homes and businesses in Los Angeles face having their water cut off if they violate COVID-19 restrictions, the mayor has said. Permission has been given to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to stop services for anyone caught hosting unauthorised gatherings. Read more here.

Positive news

Dogs are being trained to sniff out mild coronavirus symptoms, with sufferers asked to donate sweaty clothes to see if it could work. Medical detection dogs have previously been used to sniff out cancer and researchers say dogs could screen 250 people an hour if its proved they can smell the virus. Read more here.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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