Yahoo News Coronavirus: The 13 major developments that happened on Tuesday
Here’s what you need to know on 16 June. This article was updated at 5pm.
Deaths: The number of people in the UK who have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus has increased by 233 to 41,969, the Department of Health has announced. The figure, as of 5pm on Monday, does not include all deaths involving COVID-19 across the UK, which is thought to have passed 53,000. Read more here.
Economy: New data from the Treasury, published on Tuesday, showed that 9.1 million people had been been placed on furlough as of midnight on 14 June. It means 200,000 new workers have been furloughed across the UK in just the last week. Read more here.
Science: It will be “very surprising” if the UK manages to avoid a second wave of coronavirus, a leading scientist has warned. Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, said it is likely that COVID-19 cases will spike again as a result of lockdown restrictions easing. Read more here.
Coughing may degrade a mask’s ability to prevent the coronavirus from being passed on, research suggests. Scientists from the University of Nicosia in Cyprus ran a series of computer models and found coughing breaks down the filter that “contains” the coronavirus. Read more here.
People younger than 20 are around half as susceptible to coronavirus as those aged 20 and older, research suggests. The modelling study also estimates that clinical symptoms appear in 21% of infections among 10 to 19-year-olds, rising to 69% in adults over 70. Read more here.
Business: Greggs is to reopen 800 of its branches on Thursday but dozens of its branches will be closed for good. The chain announced it had successfully trialled social distancing measures, and would reopen hundreds of branches for takeaway-only food and drink. Read more here.
Sport: Royal Ascot has started behind closed doors as gatherings continue to be banned. Horse owners, including the Queen, will have access to a special feed inside the parade ring, and the races will be televised. Read more here.
WWE has confirmed it has suspended recording after one of its fighters tested positive for coronavirus. The wrestler had featured in an event last month. Read more here.
Royalty: Prince Charles and Camilla carried out their first in-person engagement since lockdown began as they visited a hospital in Gloucestershire. The couple maintained social distancing throughout the 30-minute visit to thank health staff. Read more here.
Read more about COVID-19
How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms
What you can and can’t do under lockdown rules
In pictures: How UK school classrooms could look in new normal
How public transport could look after lockdown
How our public spaces will change in the future
Rest of the world
New Zealand has recorded its first new coronavirus cases for 24 days after two women who travelled from the UK tested positive for COVID-19. The pair, from the same family, flew to Auckland from London to visit a dying parent, then drove almost 400 miles to Wellington. Read more here.
Spain has warned it could place quarantine restrictions on UK tourists when the Mediterranean country opens its borders next week. The UK’s decision to implement a quarantine has been criticised by airline operators and could now see tit-for-tat measures from other countries. Read more here.
Positive news
A £5 steroid which is already available in NHS hospitals cuts deaths of people on ventilators by one third and will be rolled out this week. Dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medication used to treat arthritis, severe allergies and asthma has been shown to save lives and this has been hailed as a major breakthrough. Read more here.
Holidays might be possible by the end of June as transport secretary Grant Shapps hinted that air bridges will be in place soon. It would mean Britons could go abroad without self-isolating when they return. Read more here.
