Covid index - August 2020 - October 2020
1 Sep 2020: Hong Kong has started mass Covid-19 testing - but critics say the programme is insufficient and could be misused for surveillance
Children in England are three months behind in their studies after lockdown, a teacher survey suggests
A UK travel industry leader has warned of "chaos and hardship" if Portugal is reintroduced to the quarantine list
New rules on the wearing of face masks in workplaces come into force in France
Hundreds of thousands of pupils in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began, are back in classes
Nearly 25.5 million cases have been confirmed globally with more than 850,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
2 Sep 2020: The US says it will not join an international search for a vaccine
It did not want to be "constrained" by the "corrupt World Health Organization and China"
The international effort is meant to speed up vaccine efforts and distribute it equally
Millions of pupils in England are returning to school after the unprecedented shutdown
Australia has plunged into its first recession in nearly 30 years as it suffers the economic fallout from the coronavirus
A rise in infections in the elderly in South Korea leads to a surge in critical Covid-19 cases
Antibody levels against the virus rose and then held steady for up to four months in recovered patients, a study finds
3 Sep 2020: The US Centers for Disease Control is asking states to get rid of red tape to allow distribution of a potential vaccine by 1 November
Under the scenario being planned for, a vaccine would be rolled out for certain groups days before the US election
India is coming closer to surpassing Brazil's total number of cases after another 83,883 were reported
England's testing system is struggling to keep up with demand as a growing number of people apply for swabs
Leading figures in UK aviation have expressed frustration that the government has still not backed testing at airports
Meanwhile, English holidaymakers wait to see which countries will be added to quarantine list later on Thursday
Globally, there have been more than 26m confirmed cases since the outbreak began and 863,000 deaths
4 Sep 2020: A man in his 50s is the first to die with coronavirus in New Zealand since May, health officials say
He was part of a cluster of cases in the city of Auckland, which has been under renewed lockdown rules
President Donald Trump again mocks Joe Biden, his rival in November's US election, for wearing a mask
India records a total of 3.94 million cases, closing in on Brazil as the world's second highest tally
Passengers returning to Wales from Portugal, Gibraltar and six Greek Islands now have to self-isolate for two weeks
Globally more than 23.6 million cases and 868,000 deaths have been confirmed, according to Johns Hopkins University
5 Sep 2020: Whitehall bosses have been urged by the government to "move quickly" to get more staff back into the office. Unions disagree.
Tests 'could be picking up dead virus', scientists have said, meaning there could be an over-estimate of the current scale of the pandemic.
Russian vaccine shows signs of immune response, report published in Lancet.
Schools 'no greater risk than home' for pupils and staff.
Portugal quarantine rules come into force.
6 Sep 2020: Melbourne coronavirus lockdown extended
MPs could be tested daily for coronavirus to allow them to safely fill the chamber of the House of Commons, the Speaker has suggested.
Coronavirus: Labour demands airport testing review to cut quarantine
Covid recovered patients volunteer in Israeli hospital to help those in isolation
Global cases 420,434
6,246,203 US
4,123,000 Brazil
4,113,811 India
1,022,228 Russia
683,702 Peru
658,456 Colombia
636,884 South Africa
629,409 Mexico
498,989 Spain
471,806 Argentina
420,434 Chile
384,666 Iran
347,267 France
346,516 United Kingdom
7 Sep 2020: India overtakes Brazil in the number of infections recorded, and is now second only to the US
India recorded more than 90,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours
Here in the UK, almost 3,000 people tested positive on Sunday - the highest daily total since May (and a thousand more than the day before)
Australia secures almost 85m doses of a vaccine to be rolled out next year if trials prove successful
Tokyo Olympics will go ahead next year "with or without Covid", the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee says
Globally more than 27 million cases and 883,000 deaths have been confirmed, according to Johns Hopkins University
8 Sep 2020: Health Secretary Matt Hancock says a "sharp rise" in cases in the UK in recent days is "concerning"
Japan says it will hold the Tokyo Games in 2021, even if the pandemic is still continuing
UK tax authorities admit about 5-10% of cash paid out on the furlough scheme was wrongly awarded
India records its highest daily deaths in more than a month - 1,133 people in 24 hours
US President Donald Trump and rival Joe Biden trade insults over their stances on a vaccine
9 Sep 2020: Self-isolation: apply to Greek islands (SI2020/959)
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to give a press conference at 16:00BST (introduces Rule of Six and Operation Moonshot)
Social gatherings over six are to be banned in England - he is expected to give more detail
Johnson questioned in PMQs about virus testing situation which Labour leader says is "frankly ridiculous"
Keir Starmer described how London woman was told the nearest place for test was Telford or Inverness, before being offered test in Swansea
England's Health Secretary earlier said "inappropriate" use of testing system was making it harder for people to get tests
A new legal limit will be enforced through a fine but will not apply to schools or workplaces
The Oxford University vaccine trial is paused after a participant falls ill
The trial in South Africa, Brazil and the US involves 30,000 people. Millions of doses have already been ordered
People are refusing to get tested in India's Punjab state as rumours fly about the coronavirus
10 Sep 2020: More than 900,000 deaths around the world have been linked to coronavirus, a tally from Johns Hopkins University says
US President Donald Trump said he "played down" the risk of the virus to avoid panic, according to a new book
UK medical experts have raised doubts over the PM's plan to have "millions" of coronavirus tests processed each day
Indonesia's capital will bring back restrictions, with the governor warning of an "emergency" situation as hospitals fill up
India has a record jump in daily Covid-19 infections, with 95,735 new cases detected in a single day
11 Sep 2020: French authorities are meeting on Friday to decide on toughening measures to combat the virus
France's confirmed cases jumped 9,843 on Thursday - the highest single-day count since the start of the outbreak
India has registered the world's highest-ever number of daily cases: 96,000
The UK economy grew by 6.6% in July, but the country's output remains far below pre-pandemic levels
British MPs are urging the government to extend its furlough scheme to support people unable to work
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has topped 28 million, with more than 900,000 deaths
12 Sep 2020: Self-isolation: apply to French Polynesia, Hungary, Portugal & Réunion; exempt The Azores, Madeira & Sweden (SI2020/980)
People across England have told BBC News they are struggling to access coronavirus tests.
R number between 1 and 1.2 for the first time since March.
Cases in UK above 3,500
Under 12s part of Rule of 6
Dentists 'firefighting' to deal with backlog
13 Sep 2020: Cases in France leap past 10,000 a day
Welsh Ministers said ambition for 30% of the workforce in Wales staying at or near home in the long term.
Disposable masks 'causing enormous plastic waste'
14 Sep 2020: Rule of Six limit introduced (SI2020/986)
A record one-day rise in the number of new coronavirus cases around the world has been recorded
The World Health Organization (WHO) says 307,930 confirmed infections were reported over 24 hours
Israel has become the first country to announce it will reimpose a second nationwide lockdown later this week
Restrictions banning social gatherings of more than six people have come into effect in England and Scotland
New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern says restrictions will be lifted across the country on 21 September - except for Auckland
Thousands of health workers took part in a protest in Brussels, urging the government to invest in the healthcare system
President Trump held his first fully indoor rally in months in Nevada, despite officials warning that it violated Covid restrictions
15 Sep 2020: Restrictions in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull (SI2020/988)
A report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says the pandemic has pushed global development back by more than 20 years
Tens of millions of people have been exposed to the threat of more poverty, inequality and disease, it says
In the UK, a lack of coronavirus tests for NHS staff is leading to staff absences and services being put at risk, hospital bosses warn
Addiction services in England could struggle to cope with "soaring" numbers of people misusing alcohol, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says
France introduces new restrictions in the areas around Marseille and Bordeaux
Globally there have been more than 29 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 928,000 deaths, Johns Hopkins University data shows
16 Sep 2020: Unions and school leaders are urging the UK government to ensure teachers in England and Wales are given priority access to coronavirus tests
The UK government will announce plans to prioritise the NHS and care homes for testing in the next few days
Manchester's mayor warns time is running out to fix the testing system
India passes 5m coronavirus cases amid a spike in infections as the government continues to lift restrictions
The virus appears to be spreading much faster in India than any other country, with more than 90,000 new cases a day
US President Donald Trump has denied that he downplayed the seriousness of Covid-19, despite admitting in a recorded interview having done that
Mr Trump repeated his claims that a vaccine could be ready "within weeks" despite scepticism from US health experts
17 Sep 2020: Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces new social restrictions for north-east England amid a spike of cases
The temporary measures include restrictions on households mixing and pubs closing earlier at night
Turnaround times to get test results back are getting longer in England, figures show
The World Health Organization warns of "a very serious situation unfolding" in Europe
US President Donald Trump contradicts the head of the main health agency over vaccines and masks
Mr Trump says a vaccine would be available "immediately" - and not as late as mid-2021
He also denied Centers for Disease Control director Dr Robert Redfield's suggestion that masks could be more important than a vaccine
There have been nearly 30m confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the world, as well as more than 939,000 deaths
18 Sep 2020: Restrictions in NE England (SI2020/1010)
New Covid-19 restrictions will cover large parts of England - North West, Midlands and West Yorkshire
Health Secretary Matt Hancock says UK faces "very serious situation" and does not rule out another lockdown
Other European countries, including France and Spain, are also taking action as cases surge
It comes as the WHO warns of "alarming rates of transmission" across Europe, with fears death rates will rise significantly
Israel is due to become the first country to start a second nationwide shutdown, with residents unable to stray far from their homes
Australia will now let in 6,000 citizens a week - some 24,000 stranded Australians have been waiting to return home
Confirmed cases worldwide pass 30 million, with more than 940,000 confirmed deaths of people who had Covid-19
19 Sep 2020: Self-isolation: apply to Guadeloupe & Slovenia; exempt Singapore & Thailand (SI2020/1013)
PM considering new restrictions amid second coronavirus wave
'Rule-breaking Bolton pub crawl' saw cases rise
Care home visitors to be supervised at all times
US health chiefs reverse advice on Covid-19 testing
From Monday, more than 850,000 people in the Madrid region will face limits on travel and sizes of groups.
20 Sep 2020: Government introduces £10,000 fines for people who fail to self-isolate
The prime minister is understood to be considering a ban on households mixing, and reducing opening hours for pubs.
Also a one-off £500 support payment for those on lower incomes, and a penalty for employers who punish those told to self-isolate.
PM should apologise for testing 'collapse' - Starmer
Australia coronavirus cases 'set to be lowest in months'
21 Sep 2020: The UK could be facing 50,000 new Covid-19 cases a day by mid-October, if the current infection rate is not halted
Prof Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser issued the warning
Numbers are increasing among all age groups with the epidemic doubling roughly every seven days, they said at a briefing
Four more south Wales counties go into lockdown from 18:00 BST on Tuesday, affecting 430,000 people
Parts of the Spanish capital Madrid are going into a tough new lockdown - more than 800,000 residents have been asked to stay at home
India's Taj Mahal reopens after six months, its longest ever shutdown
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern removes all coronavirus restrictions except in the largest city Auckland
The Emmy awards have been held virtually, with most winners dialling in to make speeches from home
There have been 31 million confirmed Covid-19 cases worldwide, with more than 960,000 deaths
22 Sep 2020: Redraw areas restricted; linked childcare households (SI2020/1019)
Boris Johnson is set to address MPs and the whole nation on further coronavirus restrictions for England
English pubs must close at 22:00 from Thursday, he is expected to say
And people in England should work from home if they can, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove says
It comes a day after top scientist warned urgent action was needed to stem a spike in infections
Cases in Mexico surpass 700,000 - Latin America is the worst hit region
Hollywood unions reach a deal with studios on resuming production
Over 31.2 million Covid-19 cases are confirmed worldwide, with more than 960,000 deaths
23 Sep 2020: Facemask rules extended to taxis (SI2020/1021)
UK PM Boris Johnson has urged people to observe the new coronavirus restrictions announced on Tuesday
The measures in England and Wales include a 22:00 curfew for pubs and, in Scotland, a ban on households mixing
The PM warned that the government would go further if the measures were ignored
Hundreds of students in Dundee have been told to self-isolate following a suspected outbreak in a halls of residence
US President Donald Trump has described the 200,000 US deaths from coronavirus as "a shame"
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, President Trump blamed China for the spread of Covid-19
The latest figures collated by Johns Hopkins University show there have been at least 970,000 deaths from the virus worldwide
24 Sep 2020: Facemask rules extended to theatres, restaurants and pubs (SI2020/1026)
10pm pub curfew
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will unveil a plan aimed at minimising further unemployment, as the furlough scheme comes to an end
There could also be an announcement on the VAT cut for the hospitality sector, which is due to end in January
The number of daily reported cases in the UK rose by a quarter to 6,178, according to the latest government figures
UK could become the first country to conduct "challenge trials" - where volunteers are immunised with a vaccine before being deliberately infected
About 2,500 students at a Swiss hospitality school have been placed in quarantine after a major outbreak following private parties
Canada has announced an ambitious plan to create jobs and invest billions on healthcare, housing and childcare following the fallout from Covid
Face masks are no longer mandatory on public transport in most of New Zealand as infections continue to drop
25 Sep 2020: Industries hit hard by the pandemic in the UK are facing further uncertainty with the government's new jobs scheme
Hospitality, events and retail workers and businesses have expressed concern over job losses
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said employees must be in "viable" jobs to benefit from the wage top-up scheme
This means people working in industries currently closed, such as nightclubs, may lose out
European health officials say further restrictions may be needed to curb a sharp rise in infections
New, stricter rules are due to come into force later as Israel enters its second week of lockdown
In hard-hit Brazil, the 2021 edition of the world-famous Rio carnival parade has been postponed indefinitely
More than 32 million virus cases have been confirmed globally with almost 983,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
26 Sep 2020: Self-isolation: apply to Curaçao, Denmark, Iceland & Slovakia (SI2020/1039)
Quarter of UK population under strict Covid rules
Up to 1,700 students locked down in halls
Children behind rising demand for tests in England
UK to donate £500m to global vaccine sharing scheme
Two million deaths 'very likely' even with vaccine, WHO warns
27 Sep 2020: Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defends students' university return
Cardiff and Swansea get ready for lockdown
Scotland: Sharp spike in infections among teenagers
David Lammy warns that people are 'bubbling out of pubs' due to curfew
28 Sep 2020: The world's coronavirus death toll nears one million, with the US, Brazil and India making up nearly half of the total
But the number is likely to be much higher as testing rates in many countries remain low, with virus-related deaths not being recorded
It comes nearly 10 months after news began to emerge about mysterious cases of viral pneumonia in Wuhan, China
More than 33 million cases have been confirmed around the world, Johns Hopkins says
The UK has seen nearly 42,000 deaths, and cases have been rising by an average of more than 5,500 a day
Nearly two-thirds of Wales' population will be under lockdown when new restrictions are imposed in three more areas from 18:00 BST
Greater Manchester mayor calls for an "urgent review" of the 22:00 curfew for pubs, saying it is "doing more harm than good"
Curbs on movement are extended in Madrid while new restrictions come into force in Paris and Brussels
About 40 universities report coronavirus cases
29 Sep 2020: The world's coronavirus death toll crosses one million, with the US, Brazil and India making up nearly half of the total
The UN secretary general calls it a "mind-numbing" figure and "an agonising milestone"
But the number is likely to be much higher as testing rates in many countries remain low, with virus-related deaths not being recorded
However, a World Health Organization spokeswoman said there was some good news - this virus was "suppressible"
The UK government reported 4,044 new cases on Monday, the third day in a row the daily total has fallen
Covid and the measures associated with it are putting the UK's health service under stress, its bosses warn
The WHO agrees a deal to provide a test that can diagnose Covid-19 in minutes to low- and middle-income countries
The Netherlands introduces new curbs, including working from home where possible, and limits on groups
30 Sep 2020: Restrictions in wider area of NW (SI2020/1057)
In an unusually emotional address, Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans to "continue acting patiently"
Germany has announced measures to limit the size of gatherings and fine those who break tracking rules
Belgium's coronavirus death toll passes 10,000, while over 117,000 people have been infected
Donald Trump and rival Joe Biden clash over vaccines and masks during a chaotic debate
New York City has announced it will fine people who refuse to wear face masks or coverings
UK PM Boris Johnson will lead a briefing later after the UK recorded the highest number of daily coronavirus cases
A group of senior MPs has warned Johnson it would be "unacceptable" to introduce further restrictions without Parliament's approval
The world has seen more than 33.6m coronavirus cases and 1m deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
Covid index - August 2020 - October 2020
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