India’s coronavirus cases decline after last week’s record total

India reported more than 83,000 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, showing some decline after reaching a record a week earlier. The country has now confirmed more than 5.6 million cases.

The health ministry also reported 1,085 new fatalities, raising the death toll to 90,020. India is expected to become the world’s worst-hit country within weeks, surpassing the United States, where nearly 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus.

But the past week has seen some improvement in India, with the numbers dropping after a record 97,894 new cases were reported on September 16.

Balram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council for Medical Research, said on Tuesday that vaccines with at least 50 per cent efficacy will be approved for use against the coronavirus as that is the benchmark set by the World Health Organisation.

Good morning and welcome to today’s live updates on the Covid-19 pandemic

Boris Johnson’s speech in full

Science is the key to tackling Covid-19, Boris Johnson says

Science is the key to combating the pandemic, the Prime Minister has said.

With the coronavirus now spreading again exponentially, rises in infections and climbing hospital admissions, Boris Johnson has called on the nation to “take action” to help combat the virus.

In his Downing Street statement, he said there is the “hope” of a vaccine, perhaps after a potentially difficult winter, plus a quick and efficient mass testing system.

Mr Johnson described this as “the dream”, adding: “It’s hard, but it’s attainable, and we are working as hard as we can to get there.”

NI household restriction

Discussing the additional restrictions introduced in Northern Ireland limiting the number of people who can gather in homes, Mrs Foster said:

“This is a tough restriction in a country where we are known for our hospitality and despite all of our divisions in Northern Ireland, our doors have always been open.

“We are good neighbours, we are naturally hospitable to everyone. But it is no kindness to host or attend large gatherings in each other’s homes at the moment.

“We speak specifically about the house parties inside and outside. The only winner in the long term from such scenes will be Covid-19.”

She said the measures were not about stopping elderly parents from visiting your home and that they could “be part of your bubble, they can still provide childcare and you can still provide care to them” .

‘We are not out of the woods’

Speaking after the Prime Minister addressed the UK about further coronavirus measures, Northern Ireland’s First Minister said the virus had “crept into communities” in every county in the region.

Arlene Foster said: “We need to act but I do want to reassure you that despite all of the headlines this is not a second lockdown.

“This is a wake-up call, a reminder that we are not out of the woods.

“As an Executive, we have agreed that your school, your shop, your factory, your business, your college, your local hotel or restaurant will remain open because they have all taken steps to stop the spread of the virus.”

Welsh shadow health minister said hyperlocal lockdowns are needed

The Shadow health minister for the Welsh Conservatives, called for “hyperlocal lockdowns” in Wales.

Andrew RT Davies MS said measures taken to combat the spread of Covid-19 had to be “proportional to the risk and with time limits”.

He added: “However, it’s time to consider hyperlocal lockdowns based on the best available data – which means that the Test, Track, and Protect scheme must be equally hyper-accurate – so that as little of Wales and its economy as possible is closed, even temporarily.

“Safeguarding lives as well as livelihoods, and sheltering the economy, must remain the priorities.”

Plaid Cymru leader reacts to new restrictions in Wales

Adam Price MS said the new Welsh measures were “a square peg in a round hole”.

“It takes little account of local circumstances and measures announced tonight are arguably too strict for certain parts of the country and too lenient in others,” Mr Price said.

He called for the Welsh Government to “go further” than simply closing pubs at 10pm in areas subjected to local lockdown restrictions.

He added: “In those areas, we should also restrict the sales of alcohol from off licences at 6pm and either close pubs indoors completely or close pubs that don’t serve food like they’ve done in Ireland.

He also urged an “enforceable ban” on non-essential travel from lockdown areas in the rest of the UK into Wales, as well as “Covid-free areas” that would be exempt from nationwide changes.

Fines of up to £10,000

Mr Johnson announced tougher measures in England for the  “minority who may continue to flout the rules”. 

He said more police will be out on the streets and rules breakers will face penalties of up to £10,000.

Boris Johnson warns restrictions could go further and blames ‘too many’ breaches on new wave of measures

The new measures could be in place for six months, Mr Johnson warned.

He also explained that people who needed to shield at the beginning of lockdown do not need to do so now unless they are living in a local lockdown region 

Indoor sport changes

From Thursday sports played indoors with more than six people will be banned

There will be a limit on the number of people able to attend a wedding.

The maximum number will decrease from 30 to 15. 

However, the rules regarding funerals will not change and 30 people will be allowed to attend. 

‘The spirit of togetherness will carry us through’ 

The PM said although the fight against Covid is not over, there will be better days ahead.

However right now the nation needs to “summon the discipline, and the resolve, and the spirit of togetherness that will carry us through”.

The higher the ‘R’ the higer the restrictions

Mr Johnson warned that if R does not decrease below 1 in the next few weeks, then the nation will face more measures. 

A national lockdown would hurt more than just the economy, PM states

“If we were forced into a new national lockdown, that would threaten not just jobs and livelihoods but the loving human contact on which we all depend,” he said.

“It would mean renewed loneliness and confinement for the elderly and vulnerable, and ultimately it would threaten once again the education of our children. We must do all we can to avoid going down that road again.

“But if people don’t follow the rules we have set out, then we must reserve the right to go further.”

Hospitality businesses in Wales must only provide table service and have to close at 10pm from Thursday, First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed.

All off-licences, including supermarkets, will also have to stop selling alcohol at 10pm.

Mr Drakeford announced a £500 payment to assist people on low incomes who are asked to self-isolate and strengthened regulations to ensure employers support workers who need to self-isolate.

“In the weeks and months ahead of us, there is a very real possibility we could see coronavirus regain a foothold in our local communities, towns and cities. None of us wants to see that happen again,” Mr Drakeford said in a televised address.

“In some parts of South Wales, where we have seen the sharpest rises in cases, there are already even stricter local restrictions in place to protect people’s health. We now need to make that difference across Wales.”