Jahana Hayes, a Democratic US representative from Connecticut, has tested positive for coronavirus and will quarantine for 14 days, she has announced on Twitter.
“After going to 2 urgent care centers yesterday, I finally got an appointment at a 3rd site and was tested this morning,” the lawmaker said, adding that she has no symptoms “except for breathing issues which are being monitored”.
Jahana Hayes
(@RepJahanaHayes)This morning I received a positive COVID-19 test result and will be quarantined for the 14 days.
After going to 2 urgent care centers yesterday, I finally got an appointment at a 3rd site and was tested this morning. pic.twitter.com/Yiw9yNLglU
Greece reported an additional 170 coronavirus cases and seven deaths on Sunday.
The country’s cumulative number of cases stands at 15,142, while its death toll is at 338.
The greater Athens area will be placed under additional restrictions from Monday in response to a surge in new infections.
The new measures include a ban on gatherings of over nine people, limiting weddings and funerals to 20 attendees and the shuttering of cinemas and concerts venues, according to Ekathimerini.
Over-65s will also be encouraged to stay home for the next two weeks.
Updated
France reports an additional 311 coronavirus deaths
The French health ministry has reported 10,569 new cases in 24 hours, down from the previous day’s record increase of 13,498.
The country’s death toll rose by 311 to 31,585 – the highest number of deaths in months. The death toll increased by 25 on Saturday, following a jump of 154 on Friday.
The latest increase in deaths may reflect late-arriving data for earlier fatalities, according to Reuters.
The cumulative number of cases now stands at 453,763.
Hospitalisations rose by 3,894 over seven days, according to the health ministry, while 593 people are in intensive care.
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Nearly 700 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Liverpool in the seven days to 17 September, according to new data from Public Health England.
A total of 688 cases were recorded – the equivalent of 138.1 cases per 100,000 people, up from 96.4 per 100,000 in the previous week.
It means Liverpool now has the fifth highest weekly rate in England.
The four areas with higher rates are Bolton (187.8 per 100,000 people, down from 213.2); Rossendale (159.5, up from 60.2); Hyndburn (156.7, up from 117.2); and Preston (148.1, up from 103.4).
Summary
Here’s a round-up of the latest developments and figures:
- The US performed a record one million tests on Saturday – but experts say the country needs to be hitting targets of between six and ten million a day to get the outbreak under control.
- Myanmar has announced a stay-at-home order for its largest city, Yangon, from Monday, following a record daily rise in new coronavirus cases on Sunday.
- The UK has reported an additional 3,899 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases. This brings the total to 394,257. The death toll has risen by 18 to 41,777, according to government data.
- Authorities in China’s northeastern Jilin province have found the coronavirus on the packaging of imported squid, health authorities in the city of Fuyu said on Sunday, urging anyone who may have bought it to get themselves tested.
- Russia has reported 6,148 new cases. It was the second straight day when the daily number of cases exceeded 6,000, taking the national tally of infections to 1,103,399.
- Indonesia has reported 3,989 new cases, taking the total to 244,676. Data from the country’s health ministry also showed 105 new deaths, taking the total to 9,553, the biggest death toll in Southeast Asia.
- The World Health Organization has endorsed a protocol for testing African herbal medicines as potential treatments for coronavirus and other epidemics.
- The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has warned that the English capital needs fresh Covid restrictions by Monday if it is to avoid a big rise in infections, while doctors are urging the government to introduce stronger coronavirus measures in England to drive down case numbers and avoid another national lockdown.
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Testing for Covid-19 in schools must improve if they are to remain open, the National Education Union (NEU) told the Boris Johnson on Sunday.
The leaders of Britain’s largest education union urged the government to take emergency measures if schools and colleges are to stay safe, warning Boris Johnson not take support for schools for granted.
Joint general secretaries Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney wrote: “It is now clear that your government has not managed to ensure that testing is sufficiently available to meet the predictable need when 12 million children and their staff returned to school in England.”
The leaders encouraged Johnson to move towards asymptomatic testing of staff and older pupils, as has been done in care homes and the NHS.
“The situation needs addressing as a matter of urgency. Children and staff should be a high priority for the testing regime,” they wrote.
Donna Ferguson
The schools divide between private and state is not just about the quality of education – now it’s about whether or not the students and staff can get a coronavirus test.
While those at state schools have been struggling to book a test since the start of term, their peers at private schools are facing no such problem. Both the Independent Schools Association (ISA) and the Independent Association of Prep Schools say some of their members have privately purchased Covid-19 tests to use on pupils and staff who display symptoms.
The US performed a record one million tests on Saturday – but experts say the country needs to be hitting targets of between six and ten million a day to get the outbreak under control.
The country carried out 1,061,411 tests on Saturday, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer-run effort to track the outbreak.
The record follows a fall in testing figures in recent weeks, with the country performing an average of 650,000 tests in the week up to 13 September, compared to a peak of 800,000 in late July.
Testing shortages have hampered efforts to contain the virus, with residents in Houston and Miami queuing for hours and even sleeping in cars for a test.
The testing system has also been plagued by delays, with people waiting up to two weeks to learn if they have the virus, rendering the process pointless in some cases.
Myanmar has announced a stay-at-home order for its largest city, Yangon, from Monday, following a record daily rise in new coronavirus cases on Sunday.
Myanmar has recorded 671 new infections, the health ministry said. The country has so far reported 5,541 cases and 92 deaths. Most of the recent new cases have been in Yangon, the country’s commercial capital.
The order will force all employees to work from home. Schools have already been shut.
Infections have increased to hundred per day over recent weeks following an outbreak in the western state of Rakhine, after weeks without a confirmed domestic case.
UK coronavirus cases rise by 3,899
There have been a further 3,899 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK, according to government data.
A total of 394,257 cases have been confirmed.
Government figures show a further 18 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus as of Sunday. This brings UK toll to 41,777.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have now been 57,500 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
UK cases have risen dramatically in recent weeks, with the prime minister describing it as a ‘second wave’ and London likely to be next in line for stricter lockdown measures.
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