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12:01AM What happened today

Here are the big developments from today:

Follow the latest news in Monday's live blog

11:00PM Extended social distancing will be ‘catastrophic’ for hospitality, industry chiefs warn

Up to four in 10 leisure firms could be closed indefinitely under social distancing plans as the lockdown is relaxed – with thousands of jobs and businesses at risk, industry chiefs have warned.

Corporate failures are inevitable on a massive scale after the Government admitted tough measures to stop Covid-19 could be in place until at least the end of the year, trade body UKHospitality said.

Hannah Uttley has more here.

10:49PM Self-employed could get emergency cash payments before June

The Chancellor may now get help to self-employed workers quicker than first thought

The self-employed could be handed emergency cash payments sooner than first expected following the smooth launch of a taxpayer-funded furlough scheme.

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor has vowed to support contractors with a scheme that will pay 80pc of their profits up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.

Freelancers were shocked after he said this help would not arrive until the beginning of June, much later than a similar package to protect the wages of furloughed workers which will make its first payments this week.

But early signs of success on the furlough scheme mean Mr Sunak may now get help to self-employed workers quicker than first thought. A source said: “That’s the aim. The Chancellor is looking to under-promise and over-deliver on that one.”

Tom Rees has more details here.

10:41PM Lockdown begins to fray as Britain realises it can't live like this

Scores of cyclists were spotted on Wimbledon Common on Sunday credit: Alex Lentati/LNP

The Government will come under pressure to explain its lockdown exit strategy after Britain's beaches and parks were packed on Sunday, argues Boris Starling.

Read more here.

10:30PM 'Too little too late' to meet Matt Hancock's testing target, warns senior minister

A senior minister has accused the health secretary of not acting quickly enough to implement mass testing before deaths soared.

Robert Mendick and Gordon Rayner have more here.

10:22PM Nigeria Kano state's rise in deaths not due to coronavirus, Gov says

A sharp rise in deaths in the Nigerian city of Kano was caused by complications from other health conditions and not the new coronavirus, the state government said on Sunday, citing a preliminary assessment, after a local newspaper reported what it called "mysterious" recent deaths.

The Daily Trust newspaper reported on Tuesday the recent deaths of around 150 people in the northern commercial city of Kano, prompting investigations to determine if they were related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The state government acknowledged the deaths but said they were caused by complications from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria and not the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kano state has become the epicenter of the pandemic in northern Nigeria, with 77 confirmed coronavirus cases and one death. Nigeria has 1,182 cases and a national death toll of 35.

A week-long lockdown in Kano, which was extended last week, has limited people's access to clinics for other ailments, while the state's coronavirus testing lab was closed after staff became infected with the virus, health officials have said.

10:09PM Italy to reopen factories in staged end to coronavirus lockdown

Italy will allow factories and building sites to reopen from May 4 and permit limited family visits as it prepares a staged end to Europe's longest coronavirus lockdown, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday.

More than two months after the first case of Covid-19 appeared in a small town outside Milan and following weeks of lockdown, Italy is looking ahead to a second phase of the crisis in which it will attempt to restart the economy without triggering a new wave of infections.

"We expect a very complex challenge," Conte said as he outlined the road map to restarting activities put into hibernation since early March. "We will live with the virus and we will have to adopt every precaution possible."

Manufacturers, construction companies and some wholesalers will be allowed to reopen from May 4, followed by retailers two weeks later. Restaurants and bars will be allowed to reopen fully from the beginning of June, although takeaway business will be possible earlier.

In addition, parks will be allowed to reopen and limited family visits and funerals with no more than 15 people present will be permitted. But movement between regions remains suspended and people moving about will still have to carry a declaration explaining the reasons for their journeys.

Museums and libraries can reopen from May 18, when sports teams will also be able to resume group training, although Conte said conditions would have to be assessed before any decision on resuming the top-flight Serie A soccer championship.

Schools will remain shut, however, until the start of the new academic year in September, leaving families facing childcare problems for months to come.

10:00PM US grants Iraq brief 30-day waiver for Iranian gas imports

Washington on Sunday granted Iraq a 30-day extension to a waiver allowing it to import Iranian gas for its dilapidated power grids despite American sanctions, an Iraqi official said.

The extension comes as Baghdad faces a cocktail of crises, including collapsing oil prices and the novel coronavirus pandemic and political deadlock over government formation.

Iraq relies on gas and electricity imports from its neighbour Tehran to supply about a third of its power grid, crippled by years of conflict and poor maintenance.

The US blacklisted the Iranian energy sector in late 2018 and has granted Baghdad a series of waivers, usually for 45, 90 or 120 days.

Last month, Washington granted Iraq a 30-day extension - its shortest yet - and extended it again on Sunday.

09:50PM Egypt asks IMF for one-year loan amid virus fallout

Egypt on Sunday said it had asked the International Monitory Fund for financial assistance to deal with the economic fallout caused by the coronavirus.

Neither Egypt nor the IMF specified the size of the one-year bailout loan, which Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly said would include "a financial package alongside technical support."

Egypt has been under a partial lockdown since mid-March, with a curfew in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Schools, mosques, churches and archaeological sites are closed, although many businesses remain open during the day.

With tourism and aviation at a standstill, the partial lockdown threatens the livelihoods of many of Egypt's 100 million people. One in three Egyptians were already living in poverty before the outbreak, according to government figures.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement that the emergency financing would allow the government to address any immediate balance of payments needs, and support the country's macroeconomic policies.

"This comprehensive package of financial support, if approved, would help strengthen confidence in the Egyptian economy, make further progress to protect the most vulnerable and provide the basis for a strong economic recovery," she said.

Georgieva praised el-Sissi for"quickly and decisively" responding to the outbreak with measures to "limit its spread and provide support to affected people and businesses."

Egypt has allocated 100 billion Egyptian pounds (over $63.5 million) to overcoming the virus and its effects. The country's Central Bank ordered the largest interest rate cut in its history and the government has begun paying informal workers 500 Egyptian pounds (around $32) per month in unemployment benefits for three months.

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, has more than 4,500 coronavirus cases, including dozens of foreigners, and at least 317 deaths.

09:41PM Dubai lifts lockdown on two densely populated commercial districts

The emirate of Dubai said on Sunday it has lifted its full lockdown on two commercial districts which have a large population of low-income migrant workers, after the United Arab Emirates eased nationwide coronavirus curfews over the weekend.

Dubai on Friday cut its emirate-wide 24-hour lockdown back to a 10:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew. It has now taken the same step in the Al Ras and Naif districts, which had been sealed off as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

The Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management took the decision since no new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the two areas in the last two days, the government media office said in a statement. It said more than 6,000 tests were conducted among Al Ras and Naif residents in less than a month.

The UAE has reported more than 10,300 cases and 76 deaths resulting from the virus, the second-highest count among the six Gulf Arab countries after Saudi Arabia. It does not give breakdowns for each of the seven emirates that make up the country.

The Gulf states, where expatriates make up the bulk of the labour force, have seen infections spread among low-wage foreign workers living in cramped quarters despite measures to combat the disease including the suspension of passenger flights, curfews and the closure of public spaces.

Dubai, the Middle East's business hub, on Friday allowed dine-in cafes and restaurants to resume business with a maximum capacity of 30% and shopping malls to be reopened partially. Mosques, cinemas and playgrounds remain closed.

09:32PM Nadal says he's 'very pessimistic' about return of tennis

Rafael Nadal said on Sunday that he was "very pessimistic" over a full resumption of the professional tennis circuit which has been halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

"From my point of view, I'm very pessimistic that the circuit can resume a normal activity," said the world number two in a virtual chat origanized by the Spanish Federation of Tennis (RFET) involving the team that won last year's Davis Cup.

"In tennis, you need to travel every week, stay in hotels, go to different countries," Nadal said. "Even if it we play without an audience, to organise any event you need a lot of people involved, which cannot be ignored. At an international level I see a serious problem."

Nadal said he hoped that restrictions can be relaxed gradually, but added that he was aware that the global health situation is serious.

"We have had a very tough month and a half, with many irreparable losses as well as others that are less important that will still bring great suffering to society, I hope only for a few months, at the economic level," he said. "Many people are going to lose their jobs."

"These are sad moments when you see so many people dying," he said

Nadal has been working with his friend Pau Gasol, the Spanish basketball player, to raise funds in the fight the coronavirus.

Along with other leading tennis players such as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Nadal is one of the promoters of a plan to create a fund to help low-ranked players who are suffering financially.

09:17PM Lifting lockdown for all except the most vulnerable would see more than 100,000 die, government scientist warns

Lifting lockdown for all except the elderly would see more than than 100,000 die, the scientist behind the government’s modelling has warned.

Professor Neil Ferguson spoke out amid growing calls for an easing of social distancing restrictions in order to limit the damage to the economy.

The Imperial College scientist said that sending the young and healthy back to work while keeping the vulnerable “shielded” in lockdown would still mean a significant increase in deaths.

Our health editor Laura Donnelly has the story here.

09:08PM Honduras extends coronavirus curfew by one week to May 3

Honduras will extend a blanket curfew imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus by one week until 3 pm on Sunday, May 3, Security Ministry spokesman Jair Meza said on Sunday.

08:57PM Sweden cracks down on bars as crowds flout corona rules

Sweden, whose softer approach to combatting the new coronavirus has garnered international attention, said Sunday it was ordering the closure of five Stockholm bars and restaurants that failed to respect social distancing guidelines.

The Scandinavian country has allowed schools for under-16s, cafes, bars, restaurants and businesses to stay open while urging people and businesses to respect social distancing guidelines.

Restaurants and bars are only allowed to provide table service, with tables spaced one to two metres apart to prevent overcrowding.

While data suggests most Swedes are voluntarily practicing social distancing, photos have made the rounds worldwide in recent weeks of Stockholmers soaking up the spring sunshine sitting at crammed restaurant terraces, or queuing closely together outside nightclubs.

Authorities had warned last week they would be stepping up inspections to ensure establishments were respecting social distancing guidelines, but some bars and restaurants were again packed at the weekend.

Among other restrictions Sweden has imposed are bans on visits to retirement homes and on gatherings of more than 50 people.

It has also urged people to work at home if possible, and recommended people over the age of 70 and in risk groups to limit contacts with others.

The Swedish approach has received criticism both domestically and internationally as its death toll has leapt much higher than its Nordic neighbours, which have all instituted more restrictive containment measures.

As of Sunday, Sweden, which has 10.3 million inhabitants, reported 2,194 COVID-19 deaths, compared to 422 in Denmark and 193 in Norway, whose populations are about half the size.

Swedish officials have nonetheless insisted their plan is sustainable in the long-term, rejecting drastic short-term measures as too ineffective to justify their impact on society.

08:48PM Birmingham’s Nightingale hospital has not taken a single patient since its opening 10 days ago

The hospital, based inside the National Exhibition Centre, was intended to take up to 500 coronavirus patients from 23 Midlands hospitals.

Our health editor Laura Donnelly reports. Read more here.

08:28PM Public Health England's plan for coronavirus 'totally negligent', says leading specialist

Dr John Ashton, who retired from the NHS in 2013 as PHE was launched, believes the agency should have been quicker to respond.

Tom Morgan has the story here.

08:19PM 'Game changing' Oxford antibody test claims 'overblown'

Hopes for the discovery of a ‘game changing’ immunity test for Covid-19 were dealt a new blow on Sunday when the Government was forced to deny claims it had ordered up to 50 million home testing kits.

Scientists are racing to manufacture an antibody test that can tell people whether they have had the virus and built up a possible immunity. But so far none of the available tests on the market have passed a Government validation panel set up at Oxford University.

Robert Mendick has more on the story here.

08:10PM Canada warns against chloroquine use as coronavirus treatment

Canadian health authorities have issued a warning against the use of anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus infections or prevent reinfections.

"Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine can have serious side effects. These drugs should be used only under the supervision of a physician," Canada's public health agency said in a note posted Saturday on its website.

"Health Canada is concerned that some people may be directly buying and using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to prevent or treat Covid-19," it said, noting they can cause "serious heart rhythm problems."

The European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration this week issued similar warnings about the drugs, whose promise as a coronavirus treatment has been touted by US President Donald Trump.

Health Canada said chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were approved to treat malaria and certain autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis but were known to potentially cause liver or kidney problems, low blood sugar and nervous system problems.

08:01PM Russia at risk of spike in coronavirus cases during May holidays, officials say

Russia could experience a spike in cases of the new coronavirus if people flout lockdown measures during public holidays scheduled for early May, a top health official said on Sunday.

The number of coronavirus cases in Russia began rising sharply this month, reaching more than 80,000 on Sunday after a record 6,361 new cases were registered over the past day.

Anna Popova, head of Russia's consumer health watchdog, said the country had so far avoided a spike in cases and could continue to do so "if only we do not give up during the holidays".

"That is the biggest risk today," Popova said in an interview on state television, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia only has a handful of working days between May 1 and May 11 this year, with back-to-back long weekends for the Labour Day and Victory Day state holidays. Many Russians typically take the entire period off work for travel or family holidays.

07:51PM Bangladesh garment factories reopen, defying virus lockdown

Hundreds of Bangladesh's garment factories defied a nationwide coronavirus lockdown to reopen on Sunday, raising fears the industry's vulnerable and largely female workforce could be exposed to the contagion.

Big-name international brands have cancelled or held up billions of dollars in orders due to the pandemic, crippling an industry that accounts for nearly all of the South Asian country's export earnings.

Factories shut their doors in late March but some suppliers said they were now being pushed by retailers to fulfill outstanding export orders.

"We have to accept coronavirus as part of life. If we don't open factories, there will be economic crisis," said Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice president Mohammad Hatem.

He said his MB Knit company had reopened part of a factory that makes clothing for Britain's Primark and several other retailers.

Factories were "under pressure" from brands to meet export deadlines and feared the risk that billions in orders could be diverted to competing operations in countries like Vietnam or China, Hatem added.

More than four million people work in thousands of garment factories across Bangladesh, which last year shipped out $35 billion of apparel to retailers such as H&M, Inditex and Walmart - second only to China.

Mofazzal Hossain said he felt compelled to return to his factory, where he earns $115 a month.

"The fear of coronavirus is there," he told AFP. "But I am now more worried about losing my job, wages and benefits."

07:40PM Spain lets children play

Spain let children go outside and play Sunday for the first time in six weeks as European countries methodically worked to ease their lockdowns and reopen their economies.

After 44 days in seclusion, children under 14 were allowed out with one parent for up to an hour, as long as they stayed within 1 kilometer of their homes, took only one toy and did not play with other youngsters.

"This is wonderful! I can't believe it has been six weeks," Susana Sabate, a mother of 3-year-old twin boys, said in Barcelona. "My boys are very active. Today when they saw the front door and we gave them their scooters, they were thrilled."

Her sons wore little face masks. "Now we will see how long they stay on!" she said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will present a detailed plan Tuesday for the "de-escalation" of Spain's lockdown.

"Maximum caution will be our guideline for the rollback," Sanchez said. "We must be very prudent, because there is no manual, no road map, to follow."

07:31PM Africa cases top 30,329

As of Sunday, 30,329 cases were reported by 52 African Union (AU) member states with the total number of deaths reaching 1,374 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said in a statement.

South Africa has the most confirmed cases out of all member states with 4,361 confirmed case and 86 deaths, Peta Thornycroft reports.

But it's feared the number of indirect deaths may be on the rise afte rSouth Africa’s Human Sciences Research Council said a quarter of all South Africans say they have no money for food and two thirds of those living in the high density townships say have no money for food.

07:20PM Boris Johnson returns to Downing Street

Boris Johnson has arrived back at Number 10 after spending several weeks recovering from coronavirus at his countryside residence of Chequers.

The prime minister is expected to return to work on Monday and is said to be "raring to go" after recovering from Covid-19 that resulted in him spending three nights in intensive care.

Mr Johnson hasn't been seen in public since posting a video of himself to Twitter on 12 April, in which he thanked staff at St Thomas' Hospital in London for saving his life.

07:13PM Israeli health minister plans to resign amid virus crisis

Israel's embattled health minister on Sunday said he would step down following a public uproar over his handling of the coronavirus crisis and his own Covid-19 infection.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would step aside as the country forms a new government. He made no mention of his much-criticized performance at the Health Ministry, which he has led for most of the past decade, and instead said he would take over the Construction Ministry.

In a statement, Litzman said he "decided not to return to the Health Ministry for a fourth time, and prefers to lead a sweeping development for solving the housing crisis in Israel in the Housing Ministry."

Litzman, an ultra-Orthodox politician with no formal medical training, has come under criticism for appearing ill-prepared at news conferences and reportedly resisting proposals to tighten lockdown measures that would affect the country's religious community.

Early this month, Litzman was diagnosed with Covid-19, apparently after ignoring his own ministry's orders to avoid group prayer in public places. He has since recovered.

In a TV interview Sunday, Litzman said he had never violated lockdown rules and said he was leaving his job because he was ready for a new challenge, not because of public pressure.

"It's clear things have changed for the better," he told Channel 13 TV.

07:04PM Mnuchin predicts US economic 'bounce back' as pandemic spending rises

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin insisted Sunday the US economy will come roaring back even amid warnings from another White House adviser of longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic's unprecedented shock to the economy.

Mnuchin's upbeat assessment came amid skyrocketing unemployment figures and forecasts predicting a deep contraction in economic activity this year.

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday," Mnuchin defended the soaring deficit spending as key to reviving the economy, even amid rising signs of Republican pushback in Congress.

In a related aside, he said the administration was considering loans to troubled energy companies, but insisted there would be no shareholder bailouts.

"I think as we begin to reopen the economy in May and June you're going to see the economy really bounce back in July, August, September," he said.

"And we are putting in an unprecedented amount of fiscal relief into the economy. You're seeing trillions of dollars that's making its way into the economy, and I think this is going to have a significant impact."

Congress this week passed a new $483 billion economic relief bill, adding to the massive $2.2 trillion emergency package passed in mid-March.

Another big package, this one for struggling state and local governments, is under discussion.

But resistance to more spending appears to be growing among some Republicans, exemplified by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's suggestion this week that it would be preferable for states to file for bankruptcy.

McConnell's comments were angrily denounced by Democratic and some Republican governors, and have so far not been echoed by the White House.

"As I've said, this is a war. We'll win this war," Mnuchin said. "If we need to spend more money we will, and we'll only do it with bipartisan support."

The secretary brushed off concerns that the national debt is expected to exceed GDP this year.

"We're going to need to look at, over time, how we deal with that issue," he said. "But right now we're in a war and we have to protect American workers and American business. And we're going to do whatever we need to take to do that."

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, however, warned in a separate television appearance that the impact of the pandemic has been so severe, with some 26 million people filing for unemployment benefits so far, that it could have long-term effects.

06:55PM Dramatic fall in France deaths

France reported a big fall in its coronavirus toll on Sunday, with 242 deaths in 24 hours, a drop of more than a third on the previous day.

The epidemic has now claimed 22,856 lives in the country since the beginning of March, health officials said.

The number of deaths in hospitals - 152 - was the lowest daily toll in five weeks, they said, while 90 people died in nursing and care homes.

The numbers of Covid-19 victims in intensive care also dropped, but only slightly, to 4,682.

But officials said they were worried by an increase in critically ill patients suffering from other conditions.

06:40PM Sri Lanka extends virus lockdown

Sri Lanka reversed plans to end its virus lockdown on Monday, extending it for another week after a spike in coronavirus infections led to a recall of military personnel on leave.

Within hours of announcing on Saturday that the nationwide restrictions imposed on March 20 would be lifted, the government revoked the order and extended them to May 4.

Army chief Shavendra Silva said on behalf of the army, navy and air force that the leave of all military personnel was cancelled. He ordered them to report back to work immediately.

The move came as the number of sailors infected with new coronavirus from a single naval base near the capital Colombo jumped to 95 out of a nationwide total of 477 reported cases.

Silva said 68 sailors at Welisara naval base were found to be infected with the coronavirus, up from 30 late last week.

Another 27 who had gone on leave from the base also tested positive, he said, adding that an additional 400 sailors had been tested but their results were not yet available.

The entire base - home to 4,000 sailors and their families - was placed under quarantine after the first cases emerged.

One officer at the camp died late Saturday night but the cause of death was leptospirosis or "rat fever", said navy spokesman Isuru Suriyabandara.

06:31PM Guinea-Bissau reports first death from coronavirus

Guinea-Bissau on Sunday reported its first coronavirus death and extended its state of emergency.

The unstable country of 1.8 million people, poor even by African standards, has 53 officially-confirmed cases of virus infection.

Guinea-Bissau's coronavirus toll is substantially lower than that of its neighbours Senegal, which has reported 671 cases and eight deaths, and Guinea, with 996 cases and seven deaths.

Guinea-Bissau's self-proclaimed president Umaro Sissoco Embalo said on Sunday "we shouldn't delude ourselves because we are far from being able to say that we are in total control of the situation" as he extended the state of emergency, first imposed on March 28, by another two weeks.

The government has ordered everybody to stay at home, except to go shopping in the morning, but widespread poverty makes it difficult for the population to comply.

06:22PM Chile to push ahead with coronavirus 'release certificates' despite WHO warning

Chile will push ahead with previously announced "release certificates" for recovered COVID-19 patients despite a World Health Organization warning that there was no evidence they are protected from a second coronavirus infection.

Paula Daza, sub-secretary of Chile's Health Ministry, told reporters on Sunday that while many uncertainties remain about the global pandemic, evidence points to a reduced risk after a first bout of coronavirus.

"One of the things we know is that a person who has...lived through the disease is less likely to become ill again," Daza said. She said certifying this status was the "goal of the COVID-19 card that is being prepared will soon be delivered" to patients.

The World Health Organization on Saturday warned governments against issuing "immunity passports" to people who have been infected as their accuracy could not be guaranteed.

The United Nations agency said issuing the certificates could inspire false confidence and increase the risk of spreading the virus. People who have recovered may ignore advice about taking precautions against the virus, the WHO said.

"There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection," it said.

06:07PM German labour minister wants to put right to home working in law

German Labour Minister Hubertus Heil is working on legislation to give employees the right to work from home even when the coronavirus crisis is over, he told a newspaper on Sunday.

"Everyone who wants to and whose workplace allows it should be able to work in a home office - even when the coronavirus pandemic is over," Heil told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

With schools closed and many companies encouraging their employees to work from home to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, about 25% of Germans are now estimated to be working from home, up from about 12% normally.

Heil, a Social Democrat (SPD), said he would present legislation later in the year to anchor a right to home working in law, with employees allowed to work from home the whole time or for one or two days a week.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, also from the SPD, supported the idea, telling the paper: "The past weeks have shown how much is possible in the home office - this is a real achievement that we should not just abandon."

However, the German Employers' Association rejected it, telling the Funke media group that the last thing the battered economy needed at this time was more rules.

05:58PM French PM to present strategy on ending virus lockdown on Tuesday

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will on Tuesday present the national strategy for emerging from the coronavirus lockdown, his office told AFP.

His announcement at the National Assembly will be followed by a debate and a vote. An app for tracing contacts of confirmed cases is also due to be unveiled Tuesday and Sunday received approval, albeit conditional, from the country's privacy watchdog.

Paris has identified 17 priorities for gradually bringing the country out of lockdown in a "controlled, progressive" manner from May 11.

These include reopening schools, companies returning to work, getting public transport back to normal, supplying masks and sanitiser, testing policy and support for the elderly.

However, the plans, drawn up by the government's scientific advisors, have been questioned in some quarters, notably by schoolteacher unions who expressed doubt as to whether measures such as keeping classes strictly apart were feasible.

A dozen ministers will on Monday consult with representatives of local authorities to discuss various options.

France has been in lockdown since March 17 and the government faces a delicate balancing act to revive the economy without triggering a resurgence in the epidemic.

05:48PM More flights for Brits stranded across South America

The Government has announced four new special charter flights from Argentina, Colombia and Honduras to bring home over 900 British nationals to the United Kingdom.

Foreign Office Minister for the Americas, Wendy Morton said:

"These special charter flights will provide a lifeline to hundreds of British travellers who have been stranded in South America. "We have already brought home over 1,200 British travellers from the region on charter flights and these will return over 900 more."

The flights form part of a £75m partnership between the Government and airlines to bring home British travellers stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic.

05:33PM Watch UK elite runners complete 2.6 mile relay challenge in place of London Marathon

British runner and NHS frontline doctor Eleanor Davis led a team of other elites on a relay challenge at a distance of 2.6 miles each to raise funds for Mind.

The women took part on Sunday as part of the #twopointsixchallenge, a campaign set up to raise money for the charities that were set to benefit from this year's London Marathon after the annual event was cancelled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

05:21PM Why didn't the Government initially include deaths in care homes?

Prof Powis said it was easier to count daily deaths in NHS hospitals.

“[In NHS trusts] there’s a system that already exists. That means that it’s very straightforward for those trusts to report those deaths on a daily basis. “In the care home sector there are, of course, many many thousands of homes, operated by many, many different organisations. So that sort of daily rhythm of reporting is just not something that occurs in care homes in the same way.”

There is a longer time for deaths in the community to be recorded and reported by the Office of National Statistics, he pointed out.

05:16PM What extra help can the government give to local councils on social care?

"The Government recognises that these are extraordinary times and that local authorities have indeed taken on additional burden," says Mr Eustice. "And it’s in recognition that [we] announced an additional package of financial support for local authorities.

"We estimate that that is the right approach to support them through this difficult time," he said.

05:13PM Are we beyond the peak of the epidemic?

Prof Powis says over the last few weeks that previously upward curves in infections and deaths had started to declining.

"But I should emphasis that those benefits have only occurred, not by luck, but because people have complied with the instructions that have been given," he said.

My fear is that the curves could go in an upward trend again, he said. "This is exactly the time to maintain [the measures]. This has been a tough four weeks and we don't want to miss the benefit of it."

05:09PM How will the government enforce quarantine measures for those going on holiday?

“No decisions have been taken in this space, yet," replies Mr Eustice.

"We’re taken a conscious decision as a country not to close our borders," he said. "It is important that we keep trade flowing and should there be medical advice at some point in the future that this is an area that should be looked at and considered then there is time to do that.”

05:04PM Are food shortages and increased prices part of the new normal?

“There isn’t any serious disruption to international trade flows, says Mr Eustice. However, he says, millions of furloughed workers might need to be recruited to help with the British summer time harvest in June.

“There are isolated cases of trade being disrupted, particularly in the cases of some goods coming from India. But certainly with our near neighbours [it is flowing] normally. “We’re also acutely aware that we’re about to start the British season in soft fruits and salads. We estimate that probably only about a third of the migrant labour that would normally come to the UK is here and was probably here before lockdown. We are working with industry to identify an approach that will encourage those millions of furloughed workers to consider taking a second job to help get the harvest in June. It’s not an issue at the moment, since the harvest has barely begun but we do anticipate that there will be a need to help recruit staff for those sectors in the month of June.”

Social distancing may have at times slowed the supermarket’s ability to restock shelves, but that is not to do with supply, he also noted.

04:54PM When will the PM set out a lockdown exit strategy?

We are delighted that the Prime Minister will be returning to the helm, says Mr Eustice. But the Government has already set out its approach a week ago.

“It is still too early to ease any of those social distancing measures. It will be reviewed in a couple of weeks time and that would be the right moment to consider the scientific evidence that we have, particularly the medical evidence. “It’s very important that we don’t risk a second peak. It’s very important that we see a downward trend and sustainable reduction in the number of infections. And that is our position. “But I’m sure that you will be hearing at some point in the week ahead from the Prime Minister.”

Powis the information needed to lift the lockdown was not available. He cited research about immunity to the virus. This is not going to be binary it is going to a continuing evolving approach.

04:50PM When will contact tracing come into play?

“Contact tracing, which is a very tried and tested way of managing outbreaks, is more difficult in an epidemic." says Prof Powis.

“It obviously takes a lot of resource, a lot of time, to trace effectively the person who has come into contact.

“It can be aided by technology and the development of a digital app will no doubt help.

But, he stresses, “the lower the number of cases in the UK population, the easier it is to do. Because it involves contacting less people over all.”

"If there are 4,000 cases a day and you have to contact trace, say 30, that’s a 130,000 people to contact trace. If it’s 2,000 it’s half that. So getting the infection rate as low as possible will put us in a position where contact tracing will be at its most effective," he adds.

The contact tracing app will therefore come into play once we have that infection rate down.

04:44PM How can the public trust Gov advice if full Sage committee members are not known?

"The important thing to note is that Sage is unusual in the way it operates as an expert advisory group," replies Mr Eustice. "It is convened in response to specific emergencies. Scientists that go on to that group will change in response to that emergency."

Mr Eustice said it is important that scientists can discuss free of influence, which is why their names are not published. However, their minutes are published.

Prof Powis says he is a member of Sage and that he has no problem with the names of the members of Sage being published if permission is given.

04:38PM When will care home patients be tested?

"We have been ramping up our capacity to do those tests," says Mr Eustice. "It currently stands at about 50,000 a day and we have been inviting people working in care homes to be tested and they have."

04:35PM Could schools open?

"Dominic Raab addressed this this morning," says Mr Eustice but gives no commitment.

He does however note that social distancing measures will need to continue if and when schools do open.

Powis said the R reproduction number needs to be below 1 before schools could be reopened.

It is highly likely that there will be a “combination of measures” to try to keep that number below 1. Testing is expanding at the moment. It is important that it continues to expand, Powis said.

04:31PM Number of deaths in hospitals is also starting to decline

And “this is absolutely because we as the British public have followed social distancing guidelines," says Prof Powis.

04:28PM Fall in hospital admissions

“We now have a very definite trend in the reduced amount of the number of people in hospitals,” Prof Powis points out.

There is an obvious drop in London hospital numbers and you can also see that in the Midlands and the beginnings of that elsewhere, he added.

The use of critical care beds has also fallen across the country.

04:25PM Social distancing is working

The "benefit of social distancing is beginning to be reflected in the number of new cases," says Prof Powis. “We're not seeing an increase in that. We are seeing a fairly steady number.”

He said that that in turn is down to an increased number of tests becoming available.

04:22PM Hint of increased used of motor vehicles

Analysing the data, Professor Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of NHS England noted that there seemed to "hint of an increase in motor vehicles" and that there seems to be a slight increase in the number of people searching for directions on Apple Maps.

But he warned: "We need to ensure that this does not mean that we are not beginning to comply with the Government social distancing measures.

04:14PM Further 413 die in lowest daily rise since the end of March

George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, said 413 people are reported to have died of coronavirus in UK hospital in the last 24 hours, taking the UK’s total to 20,732.

This is the lowest daily rise since the end of March.

Eustice said 29,058 tests were completed on Saturday - still way behind the target of 100,000. He said the number of hospital admissions had fallen to 15,953.

03:52PM Environment Secretary to lead Downing Street press conference

Today's Downing Street press conference will be led by George Eustice, the Environment Secretary at 4pm.

You can watch the live stream of the briefing at the top of this blog.

03:45PM The global coronavirus pandemic, in pictures

A worker maintains the 3D paintings on the ground at Longgang Scenic Area in Chongqing, China credit: VCG/Visual China Group

Two girls perform with their body painted for money fort purchasing food for breaking fasting in Bekasi, West Java credit: REZAS/AFP

People wearing face masks while using the recreation facilities at a scenic park credit: China News Service/China News Service

03:40PM What is the latest government advice on face masks and what difference do they make?

After months of being instructed not to trouble ourselves with wearing masks during the coronavirus outbreak, it has become a hot topic once again, writes Joe Shute.

Sir Patrick Vallance, Britain’s chief scientist, has admitted that the advice that people should not wear face masks in public is under review. His comments follow those made by Dr David Nabarro, a senior British scientist with the World Health Organisation (WHO) who has claimed people will have to get accustomed to a “new reality” of wearing a facial covering while out in public.

Until now the Department of Health and Public Health England (PHE) have refused issuing face masks to members of the public as a matter of orthodoxy. However, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has met twice this week to discuss the issue, and plan to release new advice to the Government shortly.

So how exactly do face masks prevent the spread of coronavirus and what are the most effective ones to wear?

Click here for our in-depth analysis.

03:27PM Gyms fall quiet as China battles second coronavirus wave

Barely weeks after re-opening, Beijing’s health clubs have been ordered to close following a spike in coronavirus infections.

Just when China thought it had got over the worst of the outbreak that first emerged in the city of Wuhan, it is now dealing with a dreaded second wave.

But while it initially exported the virus around the globe, the country is today having to stem the spread of new imported cases.

The authorities are having to re-impose strict quarantine periods on people returning from overseas in an attempt to prevent a renewed spike in the disease which has killed more than 4,600 of its citizens.

That has forced gyms, health clubs and swimming pools to shut up shop for the foreseeable future, with devastating consequences for the industry.

Read the full analysis from Patrick Sawer here.

03:05PM What is the 2.6 Challenge?

Today should have seen 40,000 runners take part in the London Marathon - but after it was cancelled due to coronavirus many people are now raising money by doing the 2.6 Challenge instead, writes Anita Singh.

The charity initiative has inspired people of all ages to come up with creative ideas, from swimming 2.6km in a glorified paddling pool to running 26 laps of the back garden and performing 26 backflips on a trampoline.

By lunchtime the fundraising total stood at close to £3.8 million and it continues to rise as people chart their efforts under the Twitter hashtag #TwoPointSixChallenge.

Read the full news story here.

02:55PM In pictures: Dozens of anti-lockdown protesters arrested in Berlin

German police arrested dozens of protesters in Berlin on Saturday for flouting the coronavirus lockdown measures they were demonstrating against.

About 1,000 people turned out for the rally, which has become a weekly event in the German capital. Saturday's protest attracted mainly far-left activists but there were also right-wing supporters and members of other fringe groups.

Some of the demonstrators wore T-shirts accusing German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "banning life" while others simply called for "freedom". Others brandished placards bearing slogans such as "Stop the pharmaceutical lobby".

The protest was unauthorised as a result of emergency rules in Berlin banning gatherings of more than 20 people. The protest organisers' website called for "an end to the state of emergency" and played down the threat posed by the virus.

Police officers detain a person with bandages around the face, during an illegal demonstration against restrictions and measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Berlin, Germany credit: Markus Schreiber/AP

A protester holds up a placard reading 'It's enough! Yes to Democracy. Resistance2020.de' during a demonstration against the lockdown' credit: CHRISTIAN MANG/REUTERS

Policemen take a protestor wearing V for Vendetta mask into custody during the demonstration credit: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu

02:42PM Coronavirus cases in Wales increase by 178

Public Health Wales said a further 178 people had tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 9,078.

Dr Giri Shankar, from Public Health Wales, said: "Based on the new case numbers there is emerging evidence suggesting a levelling-off in the number of new cases of Covid-19 in Wales, which may be an indication of the effectiveness of lockdown measures.

"However, it is still too early to tell for sure, and it is too soon to end the current social distancing rules.

02:38PM Covid-19 deaths in Scotland rise by 18

A total of 1,249 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, a rise of 18 from 1,231 on Saturday, the Scottish Government has confirmed.

The number of people who have tested positive for the virus north of the border is 10,324, up 273 from Saturday's figure of 10,051.

The figures published on the Scottish Government's website confirmed 1,735 patients are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, down 13 from 1,748 the previous day.

Of these, 133 were in intensive care, a fall of seven.

02:32PM Gates Foundation to focus on coronavirus

Bill Gates has said that his charity foundation - the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - will focus its resources on the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the announcement, the foundation had already directly donated $250m to the outbreak.

02:14PM Breaking: Covid-19 hospital deaths in England rise by 336

NHS England said a further 336 people have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total hospital deaths in England to 18,420.

The patients were aged between 28 and 100 and 22 of the 336 patients (aged between 41 and 94 years old) had no known underlying health condition.

According to the regional breakdown, 66 people died in the North East and Yorkshire, while 64 died in London and 57 in the Midlands

The figures published by NHS England show April 8 continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 857.

02:11PM Government continues to be 'guided by the science' says Dominic Raab

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab says the government continues to be "guided by the science", relaying that experts have advised easing lockdown measures in the UK right now would be "dangerous" and "irresponsible".

02:07PM Why a second coronavirus wave is on the horizon

In a press conference beamed across the nation on March 12, a bullish Boris Johnson announced that the Government's coronavirus strategy was to "flatten the peak" of cases – or, in the Prime Minister's more flamboyant words – to "squash the sombrero".

The goal, Mr Johnson explained, was not to suppress the virus entirely, but to keep infections at a lowish level to avoid overwhelming health services and prevent a deadly second wave.

At that point, just eight people had died in Britain from the virus out of the 590 who had tested positive.

Lockdown was more than 10 days away, and the Government was still hoping herd immunity could be achieved. A day after the press conference, Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, gave a television interview suggesting 60 per cent of people would need to become infected to protect the population.

Yet after Imperial College modelling suggested such a "mitigation" strategy could result in 250,000 deaths, the Government made a rapid volte face, imposing strict social distancing measures and closing businesses and schools on March 23.

The impact of such extreme suppression means a second peak, far higher than the first, is now a near certainty – and that has major implications for how Britain must exit the lockdown if such a catastrophe is to be avoided.

Our science editor, Sarah Knapton and our senior news reporter Patrick Sawer have the full analysis here.

01:51PM Public increasingly turning to Google to answer key lockdown questions

View more!

01:40PM Afternoon summary

Good afternoon,

If you're just joining us, here's a round up of today's happenings:

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has rejected fresh calls for an early easing of the coronavirus lockdown, saying that the outbreak was still at a ‘delicate and dangerous stage’

Dominic Raab has rejected fresh calls for an early easing of the coronavirus lockdown, saying that the outbreak was still at a ‘delicate and dangerous stage’ Dominic Raab has also warned that a coronavirus vaccine is 'not likely to come to fruition this year'

is 'not likely to come to fruition this year' Sir Ed Davey , leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called on the government to hold a full public inquiry into the UK’s handling of coronavirus

, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called on the government to hold a full public inquiry into the UK’s handling of coronavirus Andy Burnham , Mayor of Greater Manchester, has called for a 'standards-led' approach to removing the lockdown, whereby businesses that can prove they can work while maintaining social distancing would be allowed to reopen.

, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has called for a 'standards-led' approach to removing the lockdown, whereby businesses that can prove they can work while maintaining social distancing would be allowed to reopen. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that she would diverge from elsewhere in the UK in lifting lockdown measures if necessary, but stressed this decision was 'not political in any way, shape or form'.

said that she would diverge from elsewhere in the UK in lifting lockdown measures if necessary, but stressed this decision was 'not political in any way, shape or form'. The military is to begin operating mobile coronavirus testing units which will travel to care homes, police stations and prisons across the UK.

is to begin operating which will travel to care homes, police stations and prisons across the UK. A contact tracing app that could prevent one Covid-19 infection for every one to two users who download it, could be released "within weeks" according to Professor Christophe Fraser, from Oxford University's Big Data Institute who is working on the project

that could prevent one Covid-19 infection for every one to two users who download it, could be according to Professor Christophe Fraser, from Oxford University's Big Data Institute who is working on the project Wearing masks is 'not a substitute' for proper social distancing and hand washing, warns BMA, following calls that the public should be wearing face masks

for proper social distancing and hand washing, warns BMA, following calls that the public should be wearing face masks Beijing has banned 'uncivilised' behaviour such as not covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, the city government has said

has banned 'uncivilised' behaviour such as not covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, the city government has said Russia has reported 6,361 new Covid-19 cases within the past 24 hours, meanwhile coronavirus cases in Spain have risen to 207,634 up from 205,905 on Saturday

01:17PM Australian Government launches Covid-19 tracing app

Australia's COVIDSafe app is based on Singapore's app, TraceTogether credit: CATHERINE LAI/AFP

The Australian Government launched a tracing app on Sunday it says will help combat the spread of Covid-19, amidst concerns about privacy implications and whether the app will work.

The “COVIDSafe” app is based on Singapore's Tracetogether software, which records the Bluetooth connections a phone makes with others.

The contact will be recorded if a user gets within 1.5m of another person with the app open and the contact lasts for 15 minutes or more.

The app will use data from people's phones to tell health authorities who has been in close contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case, and who may need to be tested.

If someone is infected the app will be used to notify those with whom they have been in contact. The app does not trace location, only proximity.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said that the app will be voluntary but requires 40 per cent participation to be effective.

Veteran Australian IT writer and digital privacy expert Stilgherrian told The Telegraph that while the concept of tracing was sound, there were problems that needed to be addressed.

“One problem is the sense of false security people may get, which could lead to more risky behaviour… Another is, the Australian Government does not have a lot of trust when it comes to digital technology,” he said. “In Singapore, where the society is broadly compliant with laws and trusting of their government… the uptake was only 20 per cent.”

Stilgherrian said that there were also “technical challenges”.

“For an Apple phone you would need to have Bluetooth running in the foreground all the time, and have your phone unlocked,” he said.

He said that being in close contact with someone in excess of a certain time threshold didn’t necessarily mean transmission of Covid-19, and that, combined with false positives from testing, could lead to people being sent alerts several times when they were not in fact at risk, which in turn could fuel a “boy who cried wolf” situation.

The Australian Government has said the app, if effective, could lead to an early easing of social-distancing restrictions, which are particularly stringent in New South Wales and Victoria.

Giovanni Torre reports from Perth, Australia.

01:07PM Wearing masks is 'not a substitute' for proper social distancing and hand washing, warns BMA

Speaking to Sky News this afternoon, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, Chair of the British Medical Association Council called on the government not to equivocate on their decision to mandate mask wearing among the public.

He said: "With regards to the public at large, this is something that the government needs to make a decision about."

In recent days the BMA has called for all essential workers, including shopkeepers, to be given protective masks. In a significant intervention in the public debate on masks, the BMA cited "emerging evidence" that covering mouths and noses "may help" to control the spread of Covid-19 and therefore save lives.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul told Sky News: “If the public were to be wearing cloth masks it is vital that this is not seen as a substitute for proper social distancing and hand washing - those measures must continue."

"And what we would not want is for the public to have a false sense of security and start to mix more readily rather than socially distance."

He stressed that ensuring that health care workers are properly protected remained the union’s highest priority.

"The biggest priority for us as a medical profession is to make sure that proper face masks are prioritised and provided to all health care workers because that is where the priority must be as we look after ill patients."

"So nothing we are saying should detract from the urgent need for proper provision of protective equipment for health care workers."

12:41PM ‘Communication with the public needs to be clearer’, warns Labour leader

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer argued that a "significant step-change" in the Government’s coronavirus response was needed.

He wrote: "Other nations in the UK and countries across the world are publishing exit strategies and having honest conversations with the public about what new arrangements might look like."

"The UK Government is behind the curve on this. I fear we are failing behind the rest of the world. That is why we need to see a significant step-change in the Government’s response to this pandemic. Decisions need to be taken quicker and communication with the public needs to be clearer."

12:24PM How have other countries used contact tracing and could it really help ease UK lockdown?

Contact tracing is a method of preventing the spread of a disease. Health workers interview people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus and work out who they might have recently been in contact with.

They put together a timeline and network of contacts, telling other people who might have been exposed to the infected person to quarantine themselves.

From teams of 'corona detectives' to Army cadets making thousands of calls a day, here is a breakdown of how countries across the world are tracking the spread of Covid-19.

Irish public servants are making more than 2,000 calls a day to monitor and trace the spread of the coronavirus.

public servants are making more than 2,000 calls a day to monitor and trace the spread of the coronavirus. Belgium will hire 2,000 “corona detectives” to trace the contacts of individuals with Covid-19.

will hire 2,000 “corona detectives” to trace the contacts of individuals with Covid-19. Under Germany's contact tracing policy, every person who has come into contact with an infected patient in the last two weeks is tracked down and tested.

contact tracing policy, every person who has come into contact with an infected patient in the last two weeks is tracked down and tested. The United States currently has 2,200 disease investigation specialists, known as contact tracers, according to a report by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

currently has 2,200 disease investigation specialists, known as contact tracers, according to a report by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). In France mobile teams will be used to trace the contacts of those infected with the coronavirus, French health authorities have said.

Our reporter Lizzie Roberts has the full analysis here.

12:10PM Contact tracing app could be unveiled within 'weeks'

A contact tracing app could prevent one Covid-19 infection for every one to two users who download it, according to an expert advising the Government.

Professor Christophe Fraser, from Oxford University's Big Data Institute, said that the traditional way of contact tracing is not quick enough because of how rapidly the virus is passed on.

Academics from the university are advising NHSX, the health service's digital innovation unit developing the app, which would alert users if they had come into contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid-19.

Prof Fraser told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show that around 60% of the population would need to download the app - which could be released "within weeks" - to prevent a resurgence of the outbreak.

"We found that when we projected over the next three months, for every one to two users who download the app and who adhere to instructions, you'll prevent one infection," he said.

"For this intervention alone to stop resurgence of the epidemic, about 60% of the population would have to use the app.

12:05PM How Latvia has led the world against coronavirus pandemic

Latvia has been held up as an exemplar among nations attempting to tackle Covid-19. And, according to Krisjanis Karins, Latvia's prime minister, a key reason for the Baltic state's relative success in halting the spread of the virus so far, were the "very many" early steps taken by the government - before the first death from coronavirus in the country.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Karins sets out how he has kept many shops and other businesses open as part of a balance struck between "keeping people healthy" and "doing the least amount of damage possible" to the economy.

Read the full report by Edward Malnick, The Sunday Telegraph's Political Editor, here.

11:52AM 'We need a phased plan out of lockdown', says Liam Fox

The former Secretary of State for International Trade writes in the Telegraph:

It is almost an inevitability that as the peak of Covid passes, and the perceived threat to human life recedes, it will be replaced about fears for the country’s economic health. While the government signals that any talk of unwinding the lockdown would send the wrong messages to the public the debate has already moved on. The British people, the vast majority of whom have behaved with remarkable patience and restraint, know that the current situation will not be open-ended and are looking for some hope and optimism to sustain them. The big question facing the government is how to get the economy moving again with minimal threat to public health. It is a difficult ethical question but then governments are elected to take the decisions that most people would rather not have to.

11:48AM It is 'inconceivable' that schools will open as normal, warns Dominic Raab

The Foreign Secretary has said it is "inconceivable" that schools will open as normal after the lockdown, with the Government considering various measures to maintain social distancing effectively in the second phase of its coronavirus response.

Dominic Raab is deputising for Boris Johnson, who will return to work on Monday and has assured advisors he is "raring to go" after recovering from Covid-19 at Chequers.

Mr Raab is understood to be waiting for the Prime Minister's return before setting out a full exit strategy from lockdown, which is expected to begin in the next month.

But speaking on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Mr Rabb hinted that schools would be placed under special guidelines when they do reopen, warning it is "inconceivable" that they will be allowed to operate as normal.

Read the full analysis from our reporter Tony Diver here.

11:37AM Foreign Office to bring back more than 1,250 Brits from Bangladesh

The Foreign Office has organised five more repatriation flights from Bangladesh to bring more than 1,250 UK citizens back to Britain.

Flights from Dhaka to London will take place between April 29 and May 7 and bring the total number of flights from Bangladesh organised by the Government to nine.

11:26AM Government could face legal action if it fails to disclose findings from a 2016 pandemic drill

The Government could face legal action if it does not publish the findings from a 2016 pandemic drill, lawyers have said.

NHS doctor and campaigner Dr Moosa Qureshi is demanding the results, which have not been made public, of the three-day exercise, codenamed Cygnus, that tested the country's ability to handle an influenza outbreak.

Law firm Leigh Day, which represents Dr Qureshi, said an urgent pre-action letter has been sent to Health Secretary Matt Hancock asking for a response by 4pm on Monday.

He will seek a judicial review if Mr Hancock does not disclose the Cygnus findings or give "adequate reasons" for the refusal, his lawyers said.

Dr Qureshi said: "There is no persuasive argument for secrecy when managing a healthcare crisis.

11:22AM Macron disregarded scientific advisors’ recommendation to keep schools closed

Emmanuel Macron talks to farmers as he visits the Roue farm in Cleder during the COVID-19 outbreak in Brittany credit: Stephane Mahe/REUTERS

President Emmanuel Macron appears to have ignored his scientific advisors’ recommendation to keep schools closed until September when he ordered them to reopen gradually from May 11, it emerged on Sunday.

The advice by his government’s Scientific Council is summarised in a memo published this weekend on the Health Ministry website. It is the first time the recommendation by the government-appointed council has been made public.

“The risk of transmission [of Covid-19] is high in places where masses of people gather such as schools and universities, with barrier measures particularly difficult to implement among the youngest,” according to the memo. It said the council “proposes to maintain nurseries, primary and secondary schools, and universities closed until September”.

It was at the urging of the council, formed on March 12 to advise the government on the Coronavirus crisis, that Mr Macron ordered schools to close as part of France’s lockdown, which began on March 17. His April 13 announcement that schools would reopen from May 11 surprised the public.

Some schools have indicated that they will refuse to reopen and many parents are worried about the risk of sending their children back to school. Some have told French media they will not do so.

Edouard Philippe, the prime minister, is to present details of the government’s plan to ease lockdown restrictions to parliament on Tuesday. MPs will vote on the plan.

Given that schools are to reopen, the Scientific Council is now recommending stringent measures to contain infection. Desks are to be separated by at least a metre and pupils may be required to wear face-masks. Instead of having lunch in school canteens, pupils may be required to eat at their desks.

France should ditch its 35-hour working week, cut taxes and slash its “obese” public sector to help its economy recover from the coronavirus crisis, according to the head of the conservative Republicans’ group in the Senate.

Bruno Retailleau said France was ensnared in inefficient bureaucracy. French public expenditure accounts for 10 pc more of national wealth than in Germany, he told Le Parisien newspaper, but Germany has more than three times the number of intensive care beds. Unlike France, it has not suffered PPE shortages.

“The [French] State is obese, omnipresent and yet impotent,” Mr Retailleau said.

David Chazan in Paris.

11:14AM Coronavirus cases around the world

Some of the latest figures from around the world:

Malaysia has reported 38 new cases bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 5,780

has reported 38 new cases bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 5,780 Spain's coronavirus cases rise to 207,634 up from 205,905 on Saturday

coronavirus cases rise to 207,634 up from 205,905 on Saturday Russia has reported 6,361 new Covid-19 cases within the past 24 hours

has reported 6,361 new Covid-19 cases within the past 24 hours The Philippines has reported 7 more coronavirus deaths and 285 new cases

has reported 7 more coronavirus deaths and 285 new cases Iran's coronavirus death toll has now reached 5,710

Track cases from around the world using our interactive live tracker.

11:03AM Military to operate mobile coronavirus testing units

The military is to begin operating mobile coronavirus testing units which will travel to care homes, police stations and prisons across the UK.

The new units will test essential workers and vulnerable people in areas where there is "significant" demand, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.

The mobile facilities can be set up in less than 20 minutes and allow for hundreds of people to be tested each day.

Specially-trained members of the armed forces will collect swabs at the mobile sites before they are sent to "mega-labs" for processing, with results available within 48 hours, the DHSC said.

10:57AM Between '3 and 10 per cent of the population' could have had coronavirus, warns Oxford professor

Professor Christophe Fraser from the University of Oxford told the Andrew Marr Show that between three and 10 per cent of the population could now have had coronavirus.

The professor, who is leading the team developing the contact tracing app, said: "There's uncertainty around this but I would say nationally, somewhere between sort of three and maybe up to 10 per cent of the population, would have had coronavirus by this stage," he told The Andrew Marr Show.

"We're still waiting for the definitive studies based on immunological assays, but this is based on our understanding base of the spread of coronavirus."

Asked if it could be "several million people, up to six million", he replied: "That kind of figure - probably a bit less."

10:43AM Nicola Sturgeon willing to diverge from UK lockdown measures 'if necessary'

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that she would diverge from elsewhere in the UK in lifting lockdown measures if necessary, but stressed this decision is "not political in any way, shape or form". She said:

"If, and it is an if, I'm not saying that we're likely to get in to this territory, the UK Government took decisions that I thought were premature in terms of coming out of the lockdown then clearly I would want to make sure that Scotland did what I judged was best to protect the population."

10:33AM Coronavirus lockdowns start to ease as infection rates fall

For weeks they have been in a state of suspension, their people forced to retreat indoors and their economies brought to a standstill by a malignant threat which has killed thousands.

Now several countries that implemented lock down measures in an attempt to stem the spread of coronavirus face a nerve wracking week as they begin a gradual reopening of society.

From Monday some across Europe and the rest of the world will begin lifting the strict social distancing imposed when Covid-19 began to sweep through their towns and cities.

The moves come after scientists in countries where lockdowns were first imposed judged that the peak of the virus has passed and rates of infection have dropped substantially.

In Spain , which had some of the strictest measures in Europe, children will be allowed outside with their parents for short walks for the first time this week.

, which had some of the strictest measures in Europe, children will be allowed outside with their parents for short walks for the first time this week. Primary school pupils in Norway will return to school on Monday after a month of restrictions.The ban on hairdressers and beauticians, as well as on the use of mountain cabins, will also be lifted

will return to school on Monday after a month of restrictions.The ban on hairdressers and beauticians, as well as on the use of mountain cabins, will also be lifted For New Zealanders tomorrow will see the gradual lifting of a strict lockdown regime. Businesses involved in takeaways and food deliveries and the construction and forestry sector will reopen, along with some schools, while rules on local travel will be relaxed.

Some public services in Greece will open tomorrow as will firms in Switzerland providing personal services, such as hairdressers and physiotherapists.

From Wednesday, Dutch children and top athletes will be allowed to resume outdoor training and exercise, provided that they maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from others.

Our senior reporter Patrick Sawer has the full analysis here.

10:18AM Will Sweden's coronavirus gamble pay off?

Sweden has one of the world’s most controversial – and closely watched – coronavirus strategies. Instead of ordering people to stay at home and shutting down all non-essential businesses, the Swedish government has simply asked people to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

It's a gamble on behalf of the Swedish Public Health Agency which is attracting both praise and criticism. But will it pay off?

10:16AM Boris Johnson 'on good spirits' and looking forward to returning to work, says Raab

Dominic Raab has said that the Prime Minister is "on good spirits" and is looking forward to returning to work tomorrow.

"He's taken the time and taken the doctors' advice to build his strength. He's going to be back, at work, full time, properly, at the helm on Monday, as you can imagine with the Prime Minister, he's raring to go".

Mr Raab, who is deputising for Mr Johnson, said he had spoken to him "every day this week" and ministers had a meeting at Chequers with the Chancellor "and various members of the top team".

Asked about his reaction when he was given Mr Johnson's duties, Dominic Raab said: "My first instinct was to be worried for the Prime Minister but I knew he was in great hands at St Thomas's.

"Frankly, with the country going through this crisis on its knees, and the Prime Minister stricken with a deadly virus, the only thing I was focussed on was stepping up to the plate, not letting my Prime Minister down, and trying not to let my country down.

"The last two weeks have been a challenge, but it has been a great team effort in Cabinet."

10:09AM Government considering airport checks as part of the second phase of lockdown

The Foreign Secretary has confirmed this morning's Sunday Telegraph main story that the Government will consider measures to protect the UK from infected people travelling to the country as we move into the second phase of lockdown.

"In relation to measures at the border in terms of people coming into the country, the advice so far has been it will make almost no effect on the transmission of the virus because of the decrease in the number of people travelling, and the fact that the transmission rate in the UK is high," Dominic Raab said.

"But we have continually throughout tested this with the scientists and the chief medical officer to make sure that as the evidence changes, or as we move to the second phase we take any measures that are necessary.

"So that's something we will be looking at, and it could include the testing for people coming in, it could include social distancing measures."

10:02AM Government on track to meet 100,000 testing target, says Dominic Raab

Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sky News, Dominic Raab said that the government would be able to meet its 100,000 testing target.

"There are two things that have happened that give us confidence that we are going to meet the target. Firstly, with the NHS portal, we're making sure people can access the tests, either through home kits, any one of the 31 drive-thru centres, and increasingly with mobile testing labs. The military are helping disseminate them across the country. "The second thing is we focussed initially on NHS workers, then on care workers, we've now broadened it to include all essential workers. So I think we're going to see a big surge in the last week, and we're on track to hit that target. "Testing is really important."

09:56AM Vaccine 'not likely to come to fruition this year' warns Dominic Raab

09:42AM Government 'doing its homework' on how to relax the lockdown, says Dominic Raab

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has rejected fresh calls for an early easing of the coronavirus lockdown, saying the outbreak was still at a "delicate and dangerous" stage.

The Government is coming under intense pressure from senior Tories to relax the strict social-distancing measures, amid concern at the damage they are doing to the economy.

But Mr Raab, who has been standing in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he recovers from the disease, said the Government would proceed "cautiously" in order to avoid a second peak in the outbreak.

"We are at a delicate and dangerous stage," he told Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme.

"We need to make sure that the next steps are sure-footed, which is why we are proceeding very cautiously and we are sticking to the scientific advice with the social-distancing measures at this time, whilst doing all the homework to make sure that we are prepared in due course for the next phase."

Mr Raab brushed off a call from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for the Government to set out an "exit strategy" explaining how the lockdown could eventually be lifted.

"Until we can be confident, based on the scientific advice, that we are making sure-footed steps going forward that protect life, but also preserve our way of life, frankly it is not responsible to start speculating about the individual measures," he said.

09:37AM How will the UK implement the 'test, track and trace' strategy?

Professor Stefano Merigliano, who helped to lead contact tracing in Italy, said there are "two possibilities" for the UK Government to implement the "test, track and trace" strategy - electronically track the population, or isolate everyone in contact with a positive case.

Speaking to Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday show, he said: "When you have people sick, you have to identify the first ring, the second ring of the contacts. You have to test these people so you can close the contact.

"You have exactly the identification of the sick people and the isolation of the people that have been, or could be, in contact with this man or this woman."

He added: "The most important thing is to test all the people. To test the people that are sick, to test the people that live in the neighbours, or in the same flat, in the same house, people where they go every day.

"It's not necessary to test and to check all the population, but it is important to check and to test the people where you are in contact."

09:34AM Let businesses prove they can work safely, says Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said there were issues with both the "regional" and "sectoral" approaches mooted for the end of lockdown, Tony Diver reports.

He called for a "standards-led" approach, where businesses that can prove they can work while maintaining social distancing would be allowed to reopen.

"It would allow businesses in all parts of the economy to innovate, perhaps to change the way they work, limit the number of employees they have in work, but at least it would give them a route back," he said.

Mr Burnham said a sectoral approach would disproportionately hurt northern cities like Manchester and Blackpool, and called for a national council of regional voices to advise Downing Street on lockdown measures.

A regional approach would be "unworkable", he said.

09:28AM Former health secretary says Jeremy Hunt has 'questions to answer' on pandemic planning

Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester and former health secretary, said Jeremy Hunt had "some questions to answer" over coronavirus.

"There was a lot of pandemic planning in the Government that I was in and we dealt with one: swine flu," he told Sky's Sophy Ridge.

"The official inquiry into that was highly satisfactory. I think in time we're going to see an inquiry to say that things could and should have been done better.

"I have been quite supportive of some of the way the health secretary has handled things, but I think his predecessor, the former health secretary, has some questions to answer.

"I don't believe the plans that were put in place were robust as they needed to be."

Mr Burnham argued the Government needs to be more honest about how the lockdown would be lifted.

"People are losing hope, and they can't see where they are going," he said.

"They need to see that light at the end of the tunnel, even if it is some time away. At least you're being honest with people going forward.

"There is a risk of that. If they answer that question a bit more fully about when this would happen...people would have a sense of when it was going to change at a certain point and they would have a bit more discipline."

09:16AM Leader of the Liberal Democrats calls for a public inquiry into the UK's handling of coronavirus

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the Government should hold a full public inquiry into why the UK had handled coronavirus "less well than others", Tony Diver reports.

"When I asked Dominic Raab this at the first virtual PMQs, I was surprised that he refused to commit," he told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme.

"I thought it would be a very easy question for him, because it would be absurd if we did not have an independent public inquiry into this, so we can learn the lessons, get to the truth and see why we appear to handle this less well than other countries.

"If we are going to have a progressive society and a fairer society, we need to treat care workers and people like that, front line workers, far better than we have been doing.

"Why have the care sector been treated almost as second class? Care workers haven't had the correct equipment, or been tested."

09:07AM Lockdown will be lifted slowly, says former deputy CMO

Professor Gina Radford, former deputy Chief Medical Officer, said she expected to lift the lockdown slowly, with small businesses being the first to re-open.

"Whatever happens, I anticipate the lockdown will be lifted in stages, it's not going to be suddenly back to normal," she said.

"They'll be looking at what is going on in the rest of Europe and in the rest of the world who are ahead of us on the epidemic curve. We've seen for example that what tends to happen is things like small businesses being opened first, if they can safely socially distance.

"Whether we would look at different types of business, or different parts of the country."

Prof Radford said school classes could take turns attending schools to maintain social distancing in the classroom.

08:58AM COVID-19 vaccine may not be ready until 'well into next year', says former deputy CMO

Gina Radford, the former deputy Chief Medical Officer, said the public needed to be "realistic" about producing a vaccine.

"We haven't at the moment got a vaccine so we're having to start from scratch. And we don't have a hugely good track record with vaccines for this virus or family of viruses.

"Having said that, everything is being thrown at it," she said.

"There are researchers all over the world trying to identify vaccines, so we've never seen anything like the effort being put in to discover this vaccine."

Professor Radford said the vaccine must be tested to make sure it is safe, so it does not cause more harm than the virus.

Most experts believe there will not be a vaccine until "well into next year," she said, but with research from Oxford University being sped up, "you never know".

08:46AM 'We did enter into lockdown too late', says Dr Rosena Allin-Khan

Speaking on Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Labour’s Shadow Mental Health Minister, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said: “I understand that this is a global pandemic, and it would have been impossible to save all of the lives that we have lost - but we did enter into lockdown too late.”

“We did not deliver PPE to the frontline when it was needed. We did not follow global advice on self isolation and we haven’t rolled out mass testing and contact tracing."

The MP for Tooting, who has been doing shifts at the Nightingale Hospital in London said: “The staff there are absolutely incredible and are a committed team and this week on my shift, I was working with the family support liaison team and it really gave me the insight to see how this virus has been stripping families of their ability to grieve.”

Dr Allin-Khan said that it was "heartbreaking" that funerals could not take place as usual under lockdown.

"People have been robbed of the opportunity to say goodbye in a humane way, and NHS workers haven't been able to comfort people in the way they would normally".

She also urged people with chest pain or other illnesses to go to A&E.

"We don't want to see a rise in deaths come out of people who were too afraid to go to hospital because they were worried about contracting Covid-19," she added.

Ms Allin Khan called on the Government to publish its lockdown exit strategy, but did not offer any thoughts on what the strategy should be.

08:34AM Construction sites to open at night and weekends to kickstart recovery

Construction sites will be allowed to temporarily extend their hours to operate during evenings and at weekends, under a change in the law being planned by ministers.

The Government is preparing to override restrictions preventing builders from carrying out loud work outside the typical working day, or on Sundays.

The move is intended to allow construction firms to "catch up" on work as they begin returning to sites following an initial hiatus during the first weeks of the national lockdown.

It comes as officials draw up modelling to show how further extensions of the current restrictions would be likely to affect GDP, unemployment, and cash flows into businesses.

Read the full report by Edward Malnick, The Sunday Telegraph's Political Editor, here.

05:41AM Beijing bans "uncivilised" behaviour

Beijing has banned "uncivilised" behaviour such as not covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, the city government has said, in a new set of regulations to improve public hygiene amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The laws aim to promote "civilised behaviour" and relate to combating the pandemic which has infected more than 82,000 in China alone, AFP reports.

Rulebreakers will be slapped with fines for offences including not wearing a mask in public when ill, the municipal government said on its website.

People wearing face masks in Beijing, China

The laws also require public places to set up one metre distance markers and to provide communal chopsticks and serving spoons for shared meals.

Citizens must also "dress neatly" in public and not go shirtless - an apparent reference to the so-called "Beijing bikini" practice where men roll T-shirts up to expose their stomachs in hot weather.

The state-run Global Times said the rule equalled a "total ban" of the practice in public places.

Read here to find out how China is battling a second coronavirus wave.

04:51AM Coronavirus test for anyone traced to a known carrier

Everyone who comes into contact with a potential Covid-19 sufferer will be able to order home swab testing kits via a new NHS app as the Government eases lockdown, The Telegraph understands.

The technology should eventually allow symptomless workers to return to their jobs quicker because they will be able to identify whether the virus is present within days of being identified as a risk by contact tracing.

Advanced testing is being carried out on the "NHS CV19 app", which works by using Bluetooth signals to log when smartphone owners are close to each other, at a Royal Air Force base in North Yorkshire.

The technology, which is being overseen in part by Dr Simon Eccles, chief clinical information officer at NHS Digital, will be of particular help to employers when Covid-19 cases drop to manageable levels.

Read the full story here.

03:34AM Trump 'mulls firing HHS chief'

Donald Trump's administration is considering replacing its secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, because of early missteps in the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the Wall Street Journal and Politico are reporting.

A White House spokesman, Judd Deere, denied it and said the HHS under Azar continues to lead on a number of the president's priorities.

"Any speculation about personnel is irresponsible and a distraction from our whole-of-government response to Covid-19," Deere said.

Alex Azar speaks during a news briefing on the administration's response to the coronavirus in Washington credit: Reuters

The Journal, citing six people familiar with the discussions, said frustration with Azar was growing but the administration was reluctant to make big changes while the country was seeking to stop the virus, which has killed more than 53,000 people in the United States.

Politico said the short list of names to replace Azar included Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus coordinator; Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services chief Seema Verma and deputy HHS Secretary Eric Hargan.

Asked for a response, HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said: "Secretary Azar is busy responding to a global, public health crisis and doesn't have time for palace intrigue."

02:39AM Church of England launches new service

The Church of England has launched a free dial-in worship service to bring prayer to people's homes while churches are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Daily Hope, which is available from today, offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

The national line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the service has been primarily set up to support Britons, especially the elderly, who are unable to join online church services.

"With many in our country on lockdown, it's important that we support those who are feeling lonely and isolated, whatever age they are," he said.

01:43AM Liam Fox: We need a phased plan out of lockdown

In an article for the Sunday Telegraph, Liam Fox says as "the perceived threat to human life recedes, it will be replaced about fears for the country’s economic health".

While the government signals that any talk of unwinding the lockdown would send the wrong messages to the public the debate has already moved on. The British people, the vast majority of whom have behaved with remarkable patience and restraint, know that the current situation will not be open-ended and are looking for some hope and optimism to sustain them. The big question facing the government is how to get the economy moving again with minimal threat to public health. It is a difficult ethical question but then governments are elected to take the decisions that most people would rather not have to. In making these decisions it is worth examining what history tells us.

Read the full article.

12:47AM Trump: Briefings not worth the time and effort

Donald Trump says his daily coronavirus briefings are not worth his time, two days after sparking a furore by suggesting patients might be injected with disinfectant to kill an infection.

He appeared to confirm media reports that he was considering halting the briefings, which dominate early-evening cable television news for sometimes more than two hours, out of frustration with questions about his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Thursday the US leader stunned viewers by saying doctors might treat people infected with the coronavirus by shining ultraviolet light inside their bodies, or with injections of household disinfectant.

Mt Trump has insisted he was being “sarcastic”.

12:41AM Latest top stories

As the UK passes the grim milestone of 20,000 deaths, here are the latest top stories.