Here are five things you need to know this Friday evening about the coronavirus outbreak. We'll have another update for you tomorrow morning.
1. PM warns over virus rules after beach crowds
Boris Johnson has warned that spikes in cases of coronavirus cases abroad should act as a warning to Britons who flout social distancing rules. The PM said crowded scenes on Bournemouth beach on Thursday suggested people needed to understand that too much mingling could set the UK back. Ministers have also warned that UK beaches could be closed if infections rise.
Meanwhile, Wales's first minister has warned that lockdown restrictions will not be eased if large parties and fights at beaches continue in Wales.
2. Mayor fears Covid-19 spike after Anfield gathering
Mr Johnson's warning comes as Liverpool's mayor, Joe Anderson, and Merseyside Police's Assistant Chief Constable Rob Carden expressed dismay at scenes of thousands of football fans gathering at Anfield stadium after Liverpool became Premier League champions on Thursday. The city would have to wait and see whether the gathering resulted in a spike of cases, Mr Anderson added.
3. England's PPE tsar says shortage crisis 'over'
Tackling shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and care workers in England was a job of "crisis management" during and immediately after the peak of coronavirus cases, the business leader brought in by the government to sort out the issue has told the BBC. Speaking to BBC health editor Hugh Pym, Lord Paul Deighton, one of the masterminds of the London 2012 Olympics, said supplies were now stable and had been secured for the rest of the year with 28 billion items on order.
4. Coronavirus death rate falling in hospitals
Coronavirus patients in hospital in England are dying at a slower rate now than they were at the peak of the epidemic, analysis by University of Oxford researchers has found. The proportion of coronavirus patients dying each day in England fell from 6% to 1.5% between April and June, they said. Improvements in treatments, changes in the patient population and seasonal effects could all be playing a role.
Covid death rate in hospitals
% of total hospitalised coronavirus patient population dying per day
5. Movies screen in Fortnite as cinemas stay closed
With cinemas still closed, could a virtual screening be the best way to get your movie fix? If so, tonight, Fortnite players are stowing away their guns and kicking back for a screening of three of Christopher Nolan's biggest films - The Dark Knight, Inception, and The Prestige. But why would anyone want to watch a film inside a video game? It's about being "able to watch things together with people", says Darshan Shankar, the founder of Bigscreen VR - a company that lets users watch films in cinemas created within virtual reality.
Don't forget...
...you can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get all the latest from our live page.
And with all the concern about large gatherings causing spikes in cases, we examine how local lockdowns might work.
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