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Delays in testing and giving people results are crippling Ireland’s response to coronavirus, fuelling fears of contagion despite social distancing measures.
The waiting time for a test is four to five days, with several more days for results, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE), meaning people who suspect they have the disease are left in the dark for around a week.
Around 40,000 people are waiting for a test, a backlog that hinders
contact tracing and leaves healthcare workers who are in self-isolation,
and potentially healthy, unable to work.
Simon Harris, the health minister, told RTE
on Monday that additional testing facilities were being opened across
the country and that healthcare workers and other groups may be given
priority testing until the backlog is cleared.
The minister also warned of potential further closures of public amenities after crowds gathered at parks over weekends.
The HSE confirmed 121 new cases on Sunday, raising Ireland’s total to
906. Northern Ireland reported 20 cases, bringing its total to 128.
A nursing home and a direct provision centre which hosts asylum
seekers have reported infections, fuelling fears of rapid contagion
among vulnerable people who cannot easily self-isolate.
A member of Ireland’s National Ambulance Service with
members of the defence forces on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in Dublin as
defence forces tents have been set up alongside a naval ship ahead of it
becoming operational as a testing centre for Covid-19. Photograph:
Brian Lawless/PA
Health authorities in Spain are distributing almost
650,000 rapid testing kits as the number of confirmed cases of the
coronavirus in the country approaches 30,000.
The first to receive the kits will be frontline hospital staff and
those in the regions most affected by the spread of the virusBy Sunday
evening, the health ministry had recorded 28,572 cases and 1,720 deaths.
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has called on the EU to
instigate a “Marshall Plan” to counter the economic effects of the
crisis, and also announced that the state of emergency will be extended
until 11 April.
Pedro Sánchez
(@sanchezcastejon)
Apostamos por un gran "plan Marshall" para impulsar un proceso de reconstrucción social y económica en la #UE con todas las herramientas a nuestro alcance. Seguiremos defendiendo los intereses de España y Europa, que frente al #COVID19 son los mismos.#EsteVirusLoParamosUnidospic.twitter.com/F25ygtaGSh
Despite the central government’s nationwide lockdown, some argue it is not doing enough to tackle the virus.
On Sunday, the regional government of the southeastern region of
Murcia announced “the total shutdown of the region, except for minimal
services”.
It was rebuked by the central government, which said such an order
could be given only by the health minister.”The Spanish government
continues to follow the WHO’s recommendations at all times and
reiterates that it has adopted the strictest measures on Europe and some of the strictest globally when it comes to beating the coronavirus,” the central government said in a statement.”
We once again appeal for unity between administrations and stress out
constant willingness to co-ordinate and collaborate with autonomous
regions in the fight against the pandemic.”
Afghanistan has reported six new Coronavirus cases, raising the total number to 40.
Three of the new cases are reported in the western province of Herat,
which raised the total number in the most affected part of Afghanistan
to 21.
Herat neighbours Iran and concerns are high in the war torn country as around 15 thousands Afghans come from Iran each day.
Wahidullah Mayar, spokesman for Afghanisatan’s health ministry, said
officials asked the government to quarantine Herat province but he added
that no steps have been taken so far.
In a press conference, Mayar showed pictures of empty streets of France, Italy and India and asked people to stay at home.
Last week was the new solar year eve and thousands of people in Herat
and across the country went out. Mayar warned that if things go on with
“current state of condition, we will have a catastrophe and in that
case heath ministry is not responsible”.
The country reported its first Coronavirus death yesterday.
An Afghan health worker measures the temperature of
Afghan passengers in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,
as they enter Kabul trough Kabul’s western entrance gate, in the
Paghman district of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, March 22, 2020. (AP
Photo/Rahmat Gul) Photograph: Rahmat Gul/AP
Strict rules on movement could be "in place soon" - UK health Sec
Rowena Mason
Britain’s health secretary has accused those
still socialising of putting the lives of NHS workers and others at
risk, as he promised the army would help deliver more protective
equipment for medical staff. Matt Hancock
said stricter rules such as curfews or constraints on movement could
come into place “very soon” and urged people still socialising or going
to holiday locations to “stop it, and if you don’t stop it then we’re
going to have to take more measures”.
He took a much tougher line than the prime minister on those defying
social distancing rules, saying people carrying on as usual were being
“incredibly unfair to go and socialise in the way we have seen”.
Anger and concern built up over the weekend as images and reports
were shared of large numbers congregating in some public places
Looking Cat
(@lookingcat)
Columbia Road flower market, East London a couple of hours ago. (photo by BBC newsperson @JJ_Bryant MT @dinosofos)
I don't even know what to say anymore. I think I'm actually going to cry. pic.twitter.com/iZa5GJ7ti9
On top of its ban on foreign arrivals and transits just announced a short time ago, Hong Kong has also declared its intention to stop bars and restaurants serving alcohol.
Why? From chief executive Carrie Lam: “People get intimate when they get drunk.”
Daniel Suen
(@suen_daniel)
#Breaking: Carrie Lam said govt will introduce an amendment to legislation banning licensed bars and restaurants from selling alcohol.
Her reason: "people get intimate when they get drunk". pic.twitter.com/zrfYf0lggO
It comes after Hong Kongers started to venture out again, only for a
second wave of infections as travellers came home. The nightlife
district of Lan Kwai Fung has now emerged as the source of an outbreak.
Aaron Mc Nicholas
(@aaronMCN)
The Hong Kong government is proposing that
all bars, clubs and restaurants covered by the Liquor Licensing Board
should stop serving alcohol
This has to be done by legislative amendment, so it remains a proposal unless and until it's passed by the Legislative Council pic.twitter.com/QFPOz8tVBq
The suspension of liquor licences for the 8,600 venues in question must be legislated so for the moment it’s only a proposal.
But further south, in large parts of Australia it became a reality today.
Under orders from the federal government, all registered and licensed
pubs, clubs, casinos and nightclubs are closed, costing thousands of
jobs.
Read more here
The British government is effectively nationalising the state’s railways for a temporary period, it has been announced.
Rail franchise agreements are to be suspended to avoid train companies collapsing due to the coronavirus, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.
Operators will be paid a small management fee to run services, with all revenue and cost risk transferred to the Government.
The emergency measures will be in place for an initial period of six
months. Rail timetables have been slashed because of Covid-19.
The DfT said passenger numbers have fallen by up to 70%, while ticket sales are down by two-thirds.
The move is coming as no surprise to critics of Britain’s highly privatised model, and many expect there will be no return.
Mark Gregory
(@MarkGregoryEY)
With rail franchises suspended, pretty clear the
privatisation/regulation/competition model in transport has failed. No
surprise for those of us involved at the start, inefficient and weak
structures created to try and create competition
I've just announced an Emergency Measures
Agreement to keep the railway running for key workers, plus fee-free
refunds for all advance tickets passengers. Find out more: https://t.co/OYAwZSwX2s
Among those who have died from coronavirus in the UK is a primary school teacher who was admitted to hospital with symptoms.
Wendy Jacobs, the headteacher of Roose Community Primary School was
being cared for at Furness General Hospital, according to local reports.
The school’s board of governors said in a statement: “This is
devastating news for our school and nursery community and all our
thoughts and sympathies are with her family.”
Hong Kong will ban the entry of all non-residents to Hong Kong from 11.59pm Tuesday, for 14 days.
Hong Kong airport will also stop all transit flights.Anyone entering from Macau or Taiwan must undergo 14 days quarantine.
Chief executive Carrie Lam said the epidemic in Hong Kong has become
more serious, and extra measures were needed.She warned people not to
break the law.”For people who breach the quarantine orders we will
tackle these cases severely,” she added.
Police have tracked down five people who absconded home quarantine. Another 36 are under investigation.
This compilation of Italian mayors laying down the
law in some particularly inimitable ways to those transgressing rules on
staying at home is worth a watch.
🌈
(@protectheflames)
"I stopped him and said, 'Look, this isn't a movie. You are not Will Smith in I Am Legend. Go home." This is the updated compilation of Italian Mayors losing it at people violating #Covid19 quarantine. Yes, subtitles are accurate. pic.twitter.com/60V4Csuonb
In Germany, the number of confirmed coronavirus
cases in Germany has risen to 22,672 and 86 people have died from the
disease, according to a tally released on Monday by the public health
agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
That compares with 18,610 cases and 55 deaths on Sunday, when RKI
warned that the actual number was likely higher as not all local health
authorities had submitted their figures over the weekend.
Also in eastern Europe, Poland has said today that it cannot rule out imposing further constraints on citizens to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Poland has shuttered schools, cinemas and theatres, while limiting
public gatherings to no more than 50 people. It has also closed its
borders to foreigners and introduced a “state of epidemic”, recommending
its citizens to stay at home.
But government spokesman Piotr Muller told public radio in Poland
today: “The government is considering various options regarding the
epidemic situation, including launching other limitations than up to
date.”
Hungary to consider bill that would let Orbán rule by decree
In developments to come this week in Europe, Hungary’s parliament will consider an emergency bill that would give prime minister Viktor Orbán sweeping powers to rule by decree, without a clear cut-off date.
The Guardian’s Shaun Walker reports that the bill seeks to extend the
state of emergency declared earlier this month over coronavirus, and
could also see people jailed for spreading information deemed to be fake
news.
The government has portrayed the move as a necessary response to the
unprecedented challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, but critics
immediately labelled the legislation as dangerously open-ended and
vulnerable to abuse.
Authorities in Hong Kong have said that they will ban all tourists to the city from Wednesday.
That’s breaking now on Reuters, which adds that people coming from Taiwan and Macau will also need to be quarantined.
A senior British doctor has warned that the rate of
increase in Covid-19 patients who will need critical care is at the
alarming end of the spectrum.
“The fear is that we are going to be working in very different ways
than we have been. We are used to working in a controlled environment,
with dedicated staff,” said Ganesh Suntharalingam, President of the
Intensive Care Society, which is the largest multi-professional critical
care membership organisation in the UK.
We will remain in control but we are going to have to expand to a
very high degree. this is more than just putting intensive care beds in
wards,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“This is about moving to a different order of magnitude where we will
have to provide essential care for as many people as possible using
every resources that we have.”
Britain was not yet in the position were decisions will have to be
made about who will get particular care and who will not due to limited
resources, he said, but a stage may come where a very broad discussion
will have to be made, involving society.
UK hospitals are in urgent need of ventilators and
are approaching full capacity because of the Covid-19 outbreak, which
will increasingly force doctors to make tough decisions about which
patients to treat, according to the trade union body for British doctors
and medical students.
The comments by British Medical Association spokesman and consultant
anaesthetist Tom Dolphin come as senior staff at a London hospital told
the Guardian they expect beds in its intensive care unit to be full by
30 March, with one source describing its A&E unit as “like a war
zone”.
A sign for an NHS coronavirus pod at University College hospital in London. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian
Dolphin, who works at Imperial College London, said some hospitals in London, such as Northwick Park, which was forced to declare a “critical incident” last week after running out of critical care beds, are already struggling with the number of patients.
“Like any epidemic, there are hotspots. Some hospitals have had to
transfer patients out to other intensive care units,” he told PA Media,
adding: “We’re going to get to the point where we are running out of
capacity and that transfer ability is going to be difficult to do anyway
because nowhere else will have anywhere either.”
Good morning from London. This is Ben Quinn picking up the live blog
In the UK, MPs will be asked today to endorse new
powers from the police and other authorities, including doctors. All 390
pages of the coronavirus bill are being rushed through.
The possibility of a much tougher lockdown in line with that of other
European states will also be considered today by the prime minister,
Boris Johnson, who will discuss this possible measures with ministers
and senior officials.
It comes after a weekend of anger in some quarters at the large
numbers of people who took to the streets and parks amid sunny weather,
as well as concern that Britain is already behind the curve in terms of
taking the action needed.
Updated
07:09
That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. I will now be leaving you in the washed and capable hands of colleague Ben Quinn.
People are venting their frustration after airline Emirates announced
it would suspend all flights for two weeks in response to the United
Arab Emirates’ decision to suspend all inbound and outbound passenger
flights and the transit of airline passengers.
Jo Walsh
(@jopswalsh)
@helenrsullivan
emirates suspending flights for 2 weeks from 25 March as UAE banning
passengers in transit. No indication of when flights will resume. In
Sydney with my NHS geriatrician consultant husband and 10 month old with
no way back to Glasgow!
@emirates
we have been trying to contact you around my parents flight back to the
UK from NZ. They are due to fly tomorrow but the flight shows as
suspended. We can’t get through to your contact centre. Can someone
please come back to me ASAP!?
