Coronavirus live news: WHO warns 2m could die before vaccine; London protesters urged to follow rules | World news

Russia has reported 7,523 new cases of coronavirus, the biggest daily increase since 22 June, according to the news agency Tass.

Russia also reported and 169 new deaths from the virus taking its death toll to 20,225.

Indonesia has reported 4,494 new infections, taking the total number of cases to 271,339, according to official data from its health ministry.

The South-east Asian country also reported 90 new deaths from the virus, taking the total number of fatalities to 10,308. 199,403 have recovered as of Saturday.

More than a quarter of the UK population will be living under extra coronavirus restrictions when new measures on socialising come into force in parts of the country, PA reports.

A ban on households mixing in each other’s homes came into effect at midnight in Wigan, Stockport, Blackpool and Leeds.

Residents in those areas are also advised not to meet people outside their household or bubble in any other settings including bars, shops or parks.

It comes as the UK recorded its highest single-day figure of coronavirus cases, with 6,874 lab-confirmed cases.

Restrictions are already in force across large swathes of north-west England, West Yorkshire, the north-east and the Midlands, as well as parts of west Scotland.

And a ban on households mixing indoors was extended across Northern Ireland earlier this week.

Cardiff and Swansea will go into local lockdown from 6pm on Sunday, the Welsh government has confirmed.

People will not be able to enter or leave the areas without a reasonable excuse. They will not be able to meet indoors with anyone they do not live with, with extended households suspended.

The total number of people set to be living under stricter rules will rise to 17 million.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there had been an

acceleration of Covid-19 cases across the country, especially in thenorth-west and the north-east.

Working alongside our scientific and public health experts and local leaders, we are prepared to take swift and decisive action to reduce transmission of the virus and protect communities.

I recognise the burden and impact these additional measures have on our daily lives but we must act collectively and quickly to bring down infections.

It comes as all London boroughs were added to the government’s list of areas of concern following a rise in cases in the city.

The new status means the capital could receive extra testing and other help such as engagement with high-risk groups as a result of rising Covid-19 cases.

Elsewhere:

• Manchester Metropolitan University students at two accommodation sites in the city have been instructed to self-isolate for 14 days following a spike in coronavirus cases.
• Boris Johnson will urge world leaders to overcome their differences and unite in the battle against coronavirus in a speech to the UN general assembly on Saturday.
• The Office for National Statistics infection survey suggested the number of coronavirus cases across England has jumped 60% in one week.
• The seven-day rolling average of cases in Blackpool has risen from 48.8 per 100,000 a week ago to 69.6 per 100,000 on Friday, the government’s coronavirus dashboard shows.
  
• The latest seven-day Covid-19 rate in Leeds was found to be 113.3 per 100,000 people, according to government figures, while Leeds director of public health Victoria Eaton said there was an 8.4% positive test rate.
  
• The dashboard also shows the seven-day Covid-19 rate in Wigan has risen to 122.6 per 100,000 people, while in Stockport it is up to 77.4 per 100,000 people.

The UK can expect 100 deaths a day from coronavirus within three to four weeks, according to one of the government’s scientific advisers.

Infectious disease modelling expert Prof Graham Medley, who attends the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said: “The treatments have improved, the way the virus is transmitting is going to be different, but nonetheless it is a dangerous virus and inevitably it will lead to some deaths.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he added:

Now whether it is as many – in February and March we were essentially assuming 1% of infections would lead to deaths. Now even if that is 0.8%, which I think would be a great success in terms of treatment, it still means that we are going to see deaths increase.

At a level of 10,000 (cases) we are seeing now, it means that in three or four weeks we are going to see 100 deaths a day.”

In order to stop that process increasing again, then we need to make sure that that transmission comes down now because that doubling time will carry on. The things that we do now will not stop 100 people dying a day but they will stop that progressing much higher.

Medley also said he had “never heard” the 10pm curfew for hospitality discussed during Sage meetings.

On Monday the government’s chief scientist, Sir Patrick Vallance, told a televised briefing that the UK could see 200 deaths every day if fast action was not taken to curb the spread of the disease.

Protesters planning to taking part in an anti-lockdown demonstration in London have been urged to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated, PA reports.

Saturday’s protest in Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park comes a week after a separate event which saw more than a dozen officers injured when a “small minority” targeted police and more than 32 arrests were made.

The Metropolitan police said it had been engaging with organisers throughout the week to remind them of their legal obligations and explaining the events could be in breach of coronavirus regulations.

While protests are exempt from the rule of six which is in force in England, organisers must submit a risk assessment and comply with social distancing.

Police said some organisers had done so but where this had not happened the Met will “increase their engagement and encourage attendees to disperse”.

They added that enforcement “remains a last resort but will be undertaken if required”.

Commander Ade Adelekan, who is leading the Met operation, said while there is “great frustration” at the regulations, a large midday protest could put the health of protesters and their contacts at risk.

He said:

By flagrantly gathering in large numbers and ignoring social distancing, you are putting your health and the health of your loved ones at risk.

Last weekend it was highly disappointing to see that a small minority of demonstrators targeted officers with violence. Some 15 officers were injured during this protest, with more than 32 arrests being made during the course of the day.

I will not tolerate a repeat of this behaviour this weekend and officers will respond quickly to any scenes of violence.

And with that, I’ll hand you over to my colleague Matthew Weaver in London. Thanks as always for reading.

Ukraine registered a record 3,833 cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, the national security council said on Saturday, up from a previous record of 3,584 new cases reported on 17 September.

The daily tally of Covid-19 infections spiked in September above 3,000, prompting the government to extend lockdown measures until the end of October. The council said a total of 195,504 cases were registered in Ukraine as of 26 September, with 3,903 deaths and 86,873 people recovering.

Covid-19 is driving Londoners to the country. Here, Sarah Marsh talks to some of them about what’s driving the decision.

Sally Yates, 44, from Hackney, lives in social housing in Highbury, and has never lived anywhere other than London – until now. She has just had an offer accepted on a property in Dorset.

“What I really want is to have space around me, some privacy and more living space. I live in a basement flat and coronavirus has been pretty intense as it has been me and my 22-year-old daughter shuffling around the flat,” he says.

“I have got a vulnerable family so I have to be very cautious. I want a nicer environment – more space and to be in a community that is small and supportive. I want to be near the sea.”

The Guardian’s UK political editor, Heather Stewart, has written about a difficult week for Boris Johnson as the country’s Covid-19 case numbers continue to soar.

Hi there,

Here is a breakdown of the latest Covid-19 statistics from Victoria:

• One death, taking the state’s toll to 782 and the national figure to 870
• The woman was aged in her 80s and the death is linked to aged care
• 12 new cases, five linked to known outbreaks and seven under investigation
• The 14-day rolling case average is 23.6 for Melbourne and 0.8 for regional Victoria
• Cases with an unknown source from 10 to 23 September are 31 for Melbourne and zero for regional Victoria
• There are 444 active cases in Victoria, including 10 in regional areas
• 53 people are in hospital, with nine in ICU including five on ventilators
• 72 active cases involve healthcare workers
• There are 231 active cases linked to aged care
• Four active cases are linked to disability accommodation, all are staff
• 4,270 cases have an unknown source, up two from Friday
• About 2.65m test results have been returned, an increase of 16,027 since Friday
• Victoria police issued 82 fines in the past 24 hours, including 26 for curfew breaches, eight for failing to wear a face covering and 10 at vehicle checkpoints

The premier has made it clear he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, but he is asked if his stance would remain the same if the hotel quarantine inquiry finds he was responsible in some ways for the failures in the program that led to the virus spreading from the hotels and into the community.

Andrews says:

I’m committed to the job that I’ve got, and it’s a very, very significant job. And I work hard every day to make sure I do the best I possibly can. That’s what I’m focused on. What I will do after the board of inquiry’s report has come down is I will take the action necessary to ensure these sorts of errors can never happen again. That’s the role I’ve got. I can’t presuppose what those recommendations will be, though, and I don’t think it’s appropriate to speculate on that, other than to say I think it’s almost certain there will be certain actions, things that need to happen, and I will make sure they do.

Earlier in the press conference Andrews flagged “good news” coming on Monday. He clarifies, though: “We’re not throwing the doors open tomorrow.

“The place is not opened up tomorrow and I’ve tried to be really clear about that. And people can be optimistic and really positive about the fact that these numbers are coming down.”

He said he would outline what October will look like for the state, implying some restrictions may lift a little earlier than intended then. But not this month, it seems.

After his health minister resigned today and after calls from the opposition for his resignation, Andrews makes it clear he is not going anywhere.

I don’t run from problems and challenges. I’ve got a very important job to do and that is to continue to get these case numbers down, and then to [announce] the biggest recovery project that our site has ever seen. So I don’t run from challenges.

I’ve got a very important job to do. And I’m going to get it done. We are going to have a situation where we can make announcements tomorrow. Next month we’ll be able to find that Covid-normal. And then we will hand down a budget this year that will have the biggest, most significant program of investment this state has ever seen. It will be truly unprecedented, both in its size, scale and nature. And that’s what’s needed.

This is a 1-in-100-year event. I have an enormous amount of work to get done. And I’m gonna get it done. Because that’s what I do.”

The soon-to-be new health minister, Martin Foley, is asked about being appinted to the role. Does he have faith in the department of health?

I have nothing but confidence in both the secretary and the department, and I look forward to continuing a very productive relationship with [them].”

Andrews is asked if a woman should replace Mikakos in parliament.

I think my record in relation to the advancement of women in our party and our government is well known. Ultimately it will be a matter for the national executive to determine who should fill that seat.

He’s asked about himself and ministers not being briefed about a range of issues including the offer from the commonwealth of Australian defence force personnel for the hotel quarantine program. It follows revelations from the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Chris Eccles, that he was “not aware” whether he passed on the commonwealth offer in early April.

Andrews says:

I wouldn’t read that to mean that he doesn’t brief me. Now that is out of character for him. He’s an outstanding public servant. And I don’t think it is fair to reflect upon all of the work he does that through that one incident.”

Andrews is asked why he first mentioned the use of private security in a March press conference when announcing the establishment of the hotel quarantine scheme, given he also has said he does not know who ordered private security be used instead of police or defence personnel.

Andrews told the hotel quarantine inquiry on Friday that he could not remember why he mentioned private security, but pointed out he also said at the time the details had not been finalised.

“I cannot give you a specific [reason] why it is I mentioned police, why I mentioned security, why I mentioned the public health team and didn’t add in a fourth or fifth or a sixth different group,” Andrews said.

“I think it is important, though, to acknowledge that just half a sentence later I made it very, very clear that these matters had not been settled and it was not until the next day that I came out and then made announcements about what had happened. I think that is relevant.”

Andrews is asked when he last had a conversation with Mikakos. He can’t give an exact answer. He said at least not in the past week, because they were both giving evidence before the hotel quarantine inquiry. It’s put to Andrews that it’s unusual different sections of the government had different lawyers working with ministers before the inquiry.

Andrews responds: “If you want to draw that conclusion, that’s fine, that’s a matter for you.”