Test-and-trace: Higher profits expected by Serco
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Ardern scores landslide win in New Zealand election The centre-right opposition concedes, with Labour set for a rare outright parliamentary majority.
In a tweet (in French), police urged members of the public to avoid the area.
Lancashire has agreed to move into tier three from Saturday with a financial support package worth £42m. Around 1.5 million people, including those living in Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, Lancaster and Preston, will be affected by the new rules.
The Wellcome Trust director, who also sits on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told the BBC’s Newscast podcast that countries that had controlled the virus well so far – including South Korea and New Zealand – had a “national consensus about the way forward”.
It comes as talks continue between the government and local leaders over the expansion of the strictest coronavirus restrictions to more parts of England.
But Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said he is meeting the PM’s team later to discuss the issue.
In Northern Ireland, schools will close from Monday and pubs and restaurants face new restrictions on Friday.
It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a two to three week “circuit-breaker” lockdown in England to bring the rising infection rate under control.
His call comes after documents revealed government scientific advisers called for such action three weeks ago.
It comes as the Liverpool region prepares to enter a “very high” Covid alert level from Wednesday, the highest of a new three-tier system.
Media playback is unsupported on your device The Liverpool City Region will be on the “very high” Covid alert level from Wednesday, Boris Johnson has announced. Confirming a new three-tier lockdown system, the PM said pubs, bars and betting shops will close on Merseyside. Most areas of England will be on “medium” alert, with measures
Liverpool recorded 600 cases per 100,000 people in the week ending 6 October. The average for England was 74.
Across the UK, the R number – the average number of people each infected person passes the virus onto – is now estimated between 1.2 and 1.5. Anything above 1.0 means cases are increasing.
The UK has reached a “tipping point” in its coronavirus epidemic similar to that last seen in March, one of the country’s top scientists has warned. Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, said “the seasons are against us” and the country is running into a “headwind” ahead of the winter months. More deaths
White House ‘hosted Covid superspreader event’ The top US virus expert blames a lack of masks and no social distancing for an outbreak of cases.