If you’re only tuning in just now, here’s is a round-up of some of the biggest coronavirus developments as of 6pm on Saturday.
I am Aaron Walawalkar – bringing you the latest updates.
If there’s anything I’ve missed, please DM me on Twitter @AaronWala. I’ll try to read everything but due to overwhelming interest I may not be able to reply.
The number of people to test positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Saturday is 5,018 –up from 3,983 at 9am on Friday, the Department of Health said.
A total of 72,818 people have been tested, with 67,800 negative results.
Department of Health and Social Care
✔@DHSCgovuk
UPDATE on coronavirus (#COVID19) testing in the UK:
As of 9am on 21 March, a total of 72,818 have been tested:
67,800 negative.
5,018 positive.
As of 9am, 233 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died.
The digital dashboard will be updated later today.
New York’s airspace has been partially closed after a trainee at an air traffic control tower tested positive for coronavirus.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a ground stop for New York airports as it adjusts its staffing to reopen the airspace.
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The coronavirus death toll in France has jumped by 112 in 24 hours to 562, the health ministry has confirmed.
The country now has 14,459 confirmed cases, while 525 people are in intensive care – half of whom are under 60 years old.
The true number of people who are thought to have contracted Covid-19 is estimated at 30,000–90,000.
My colleague Lorenzo Tondo has the latest from Italy:
Italy’s government is evaluating whether to close all “non-essential’’ offices and plants, after the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 793 to 4,825 on Saturday.
Rumours of closures of all non-essential commercial activities have circulated in the last few days, following complaints by workers who are still forced to leave their houses. Several regional governors have already ordered the closure of supermarkets at the weekend.
Mayors and governors throughout the country have been demanding even stricter measures in recent days. Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, is widely expected to respond soon.
Authorities in northern Italy ordered the deployment of hundreds of soldiers to oversee containment measures in the coronavirus crisis. The move came after a request from Lombardy’s governor, Attilio Fontana, for the army to help police enforce the lockdown.
While millions of Italians have been staying at home since 9 March, a minority of the population have violated rules requiring citizens to venture out only if strictly necessary, such as for work, health-related reasons or grocery shopping.
Italian police have so far pressed charges against more than 60,000 people for violating the lockdown, according to figures from the interior ministry.
Prince Harry has announced this year’s Invictus games will be postponed until 2021.
In a recorded statement posted online, he urged viewers to “look out for each other”.
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'Look out for each other': Prince Harry postpones Invictus Games due to coronavirus – video
In the UK, supermarket giant Asda is the latest retailer to announce measures to help the most vulnerable, saying it will donate £5m to FareShare and the Trussell Trust to bolster provision at food banks.
The chain said the package would help provide over 4m meals to families in poverty impacted by coronavirus, as well as giving more than 3,000 charities and community groups access to free food over the next three months.
Asda will also be giving priority to NHS workers in larger stores every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 9am.
Like Tesco, and following government advice on hygiene, Asda is asking that wherever possible customers use card and contactless in order to reduce the volume of cash handled by staff.
