Coronavirus update: Government to ramp up social care testing

Published by Ross Hindle on April 15th 2020, 3:03pm

Worldwide confirmed coronavirus cases have now passed two million, although experts anticipate the real number to be much higher.

One of the most contentious issues throughout the pandemic has been testing -- something that health secretary Matt Hancock discussed at the government press briefing today.

He said that he was "determined" to make sure that all those who needed tests had access to them. He also thanked people for staying at home, revealed that there were more than 2,500 "spare" NHS beds and said that lockdown would not be eased "until safe to do so".

In Northern Ireland, lockdown has been extended by a further three weeks to May 9th.

And the latest European country to lift lockdown measures is Denmark, which has allowed children up to the age of 11 to return to school.

And it has been revealed that President Donald Trump's name will be on some of the relief payments -- physical cheques, not electronic payments -- issued as part of the US government's $2 trillion stimulus bill approved last month.

Some have criticised this as a move to score political points. Earlier today, Mr Trump came under fire for pulling funding from the WHO.

The next Leaders Council update will follow tomorrow.

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Ross Hindle
Content Director
April 15th 2020, 3:03pm

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