Coronavirus latest: National and international news
A three-stage plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown has been drawn up, according to The Times.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to make an announcement to the nation on Sunday night regarding the future of the lockdown and how the country may be able to start to lift the measures.
According to The Times, the first phase involves small shops reopening alongside outdoor workplaces, while the second will involve large shopping centres reopening, with more people encouraged to go into work.
Pubs, restaurants, hotels and leisure centres will be among the last to open, according to reports, during the third phase.
Lifting lockdown in Germany has not so far led to an increase in cases, according to the latest data.
The country began lifting its lockdown measures two weeks ago, and the government-funded Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has announced that the rate of new Covid-19 cases has continued to fall.
And, it said, the ‘R’number, representing the number of people infected by each person with the disease, now stands at 0.71 – close to its lowest level since the outbreak.
Also in the country, it has been said that 10 times more people than previously thought may have already been infected with the coronavirus, and could have acquired immunity.
Scientists from Bonn said this week that their findings showed that 1.8 million people across Germany had already been infected and had recovered, most without knowing it.
In other news from the country, Germans may soon be able to have a summer holiday abroad, Federal Tourism Commissioner Thomas Bareiss told newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.
He said if the outbreak stayed under control foreign travel may soon be possible.
More than 100,000 people have died amid the coronavirus pandemic across Europe, but it is believed some of the worst-hit countries, including France, Italy and Spain, have now passed the worst of the outbreak.
More than 70 per cent of new virus cases in Spain this week have been among medical staff, the country’s health ministry has announced.
Spain’s epidemic peaked more than one month ago now and, following weeks of steady decline, the country has begun to ease out of its lockdown.
The figures confirm a trend in recent weeks that have shown medical staff are accounting for most new infections.
Spain has now counted more than 250,000 infections since the outbreak began, including those who have been shown to have had the infection through antibody tests.
More than four million Italians were allowed back to work on Monday, with cafes also opening in the country.
It marked the end of one of Europe’s most stringent lockdowns, with face masks now the norm in Italy.
The rules, although relaxed, remain similar to those which are in place in the UK.
The death toll from coronavirus in the US continues to rise, with 70, 115 deaths and 1,192,119 cases.
More than 187,000 have recovered, according to the latest data, with New York still the worst hit state, with more than 25,000 deaths and more than 321,000 infections, followed by neighbouring New Jersey.
Pictured top: Health Secretary Matt Hancock arrives in Downing Street this week (Picture: PA)
