Coronavirus latest news: No Covid in Wuhan before December 2019, WHO officials say after investigation

• South African Covid variant 'not likely to become dominant'

• Britons vaccinated against virus could get QR codes to travel

• Care home visits 'must resume in March', say charities

• Q&A: Ask your questions on the South African variant and jabs at work

Covid-19 was not circulating in the Chinese city of Wuhan before December 2019, a Chinese official has said at a press conference to unveil the findings of the first phase of an international inquiry into the origins of the pandemic.

A team of WHO-appointed experts has been in China for the past few weeks investigating the origins of Sars-Cov-2 - the virus that causes Covid-19 - and has visited a range of locations in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged in late 2019 and early 2020.

Liang Wannian, the lead Chinese envoy who is working on the investigation, said after a review of mortality data, antibody tests of blood in blood banks in Wuhan, and genome sequences, there was “no indication of the transmission of the Sars-Cov-2 in the population in the period before December 2019."

Prof Liang said the disease may have got into the Huanan seafood market, where the first human cases appeared, via cold-chain goods.

He said there was inconclusive evidence about which animal was the intermediary host that transmitted the virus directly to humans.

It is thought the virus originally circulated in bats or pangolins.

“The high susceptibility of mink and cats to Sars-Cov-2 suggest there may be additional species of animals - for example dogs or felines - that act as potential reservoir,” he said.

Follow the latest updates below.

10:26 AM

WHO: Embarek confirms circulation outside of wet market in December 2019

Embarek then adds details about the early spread of the virus:

"The conclusion was that we did not find evidence of large outbreaks that could be related to cases of Covid-19 prior to December 2019 in Wuhan or elsewhere.

"We can also agree that we have found evidence of wider circulating of the virus in December, it was not just the cluster outbreak in the Huanan market, the virus also circulated outside of the market.

"The picture we see is a very classical picture of the start of an emerging outbreak where we start with few sporadic cases early on in the month of December, then we start to see small outbreaks where the disease starts to spread via clusters. We see that, among others, at the Huanan market."

10:23 AM

WHO: We did not dramatically change the picture we had beforehand

We now move on to an introduction from Peter Ben Embarek, the WHO's food safety and animal disease specialist and chairman of the investigation team.

He starts by thanking the press who have been “following us for long hours in the cold and rain… it has provided us with constant reminding of the importance of this work and the focus the whole world is putting on this work”.

He then addresses the overarching conclusions, warning: "Did we change dramatically the picture we had beforehand? I don’t think so. Did we improve our understanding and add details to that story? Absolutely."

10:20 AM

Chief exec of travel consultancy asks, 'what is the exit route out of this?'

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: "Mass traveller testing alone is to be welcomed as it enables Government to stay one step ahead of possible new variants, but adding several layers of complexity to travel will stall any economic recovery.

"The Government needs to signal that it is looking to loosen border restrictions again from April, when there will be much less pressure on the NHS and infection/mortality rates will be lower.

"What is the exit route out of this? Travel cannot work on the short-term whim of Government."

10:08 AM

WHO: Covid can survive a long time at low, even refrigerated temperatures

Prof Liang Wannian adds that the virus may have been introduced to the Huanan market via cold chain goods.

Studies have found the virus can survive a long time at low temperatures and refrigerated temperatures, indicating it can survive in cold chain products.

"Environmental sampling in Huanan market from the point of its closing, reviewed widespread contamination of the surfaces - compatible with introduction by people and animal products.

According to this research, all samples related to animal products or animals were all negative.

For the cold chain products and relevant testing, research ongoing Sars-Cov-2 can persist in positions found in frozen food, packaging and cold chain products.

In the Huanan market a substantial number of stores sell cold chain products but unclear how the initial cases can be mapped to stores with these products. We need further research in this area.

10:04 AM

WHO: transmission was also occurring outside Huanan Market

Many cases associated with Huanan market in Wuhan, meaning it is one of the early focus points on infection.

Nevertheless, infection was also taking place elsewhere across the city.

It is not possible on the basis of the current epidemiological population possible to identify how Sars-Cov-2 entered Huanan Market.

10:02 AM

WHO: Not enough evidence to indicate spread in Wuhan prior to December 2019

Professor Liang Wannian addresses whether the virus was circulating in Wuhan widely before it was detected.

He says that, after a review of mortality data, antibody tests of blood in blood banks in Wuhan, and available genome sequences, as well as people presenting to hospital with fever, pneumonia, or influenza-like symptoms of severe acute respiratory disease.

"There is not enough evidence either to determine if the Sars-Cov-2 infection had spread in Wuhan before December 2019."

He later adds: "Based on analysis of this and other surveillance data is is considered unlikely that any substantial transmission of Sars-Cov-2 infection was occurring in Wuhan in those two months [prior to discovery]."

Substantial transmission of Sars-Cov-2 infection occurred in the population in Wuhan in December 2019, with most in the second half of that month.

09:52 AM

WHO: Inconclusive evidence about which animals acted as intermediary hosts

Professor Liang Wannian continues by suggesting that there is inconclusive evidence to data about which animal was the intermediary host that transmitted Sars-Cov-2 directly to humans.

The experts believe the virus originally circulated in bats or pangolins, but it is not clear how Sars-Cov-2 then jumped to humans:

"Evidence from surveys and targeted studies so far shown that coronaviruses most highly related to Sars-cov-2 are found in bats and pangolins, suggesting these animals may be the reservoir.

" However the viruses identified so far from neither of these species are sufficiently similar to Sars-Cov-2 to serve as the direct progenerator of Sars-Cov-2.

"In addition to these findings, the high susceptibility of mink and cats to sars-cov-2 suggest there may be additional species of animals - for example dogs or felines - that act as potential reservoir.

"Comparative of the data show that these possible reservoirs are massively under sampled and research is not adequate enough."

09:39 AM

WHO press conference begins

A press conference unveiling the findings of a World Health Organization team investigating the origins of Sars-Cov-2 has kicked off in Wuhan.

Liang Wannian, head of the Chinese envoy working on the investigation, starts by outlining the methods used by the team - and emphasises that this is just phase one of the work.

"This part is the first part, the China part" of the work, he said.

"It sets the ground for origin tracing work elsewhere."

09:34 AM

Data on Oxford jab could affect confidence in jab, but no reason for alarm

Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, was asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if scrutiny of data on the Oxford jab could affect confidence in the UK.

He replied: "I think there's clearly a risk in confidence, in the way that people may perceive you."

He added: "I don't think that there is any reason for alarm. Today we have a variant spreading in the UK population that we can prevent with all of the vaccines.

"We also have some data which we discussed last week, which shows that the vaccine may indeed have an impact on that spread as well.

"It's really important that people get vaccinated and get protected against the virus that is here circulating today.

"There are definitely new questions about variants that we're going to be addressing, and one of those is do we need new vaccines? I think the jury's out on that at the moment.

"But all developers are preparing new vaccines, so, if we do need them, we'll have them available to be able to protect people."

09:29 AM

Vaccines 'still preventing severe disease and death'

Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said coronavirus vaccines are preventing "severe disease and death".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The really important point though is that all vaccines, everywhere in the world where they've been tested, are still preventing severe disease and death.

"And I think that is perhaps the clue to the future here, that we are going to see new variants arise and they will spread in the population, like most of the viruses that cause colds every winter.

"But, as long as we have enough immunity to prevent severe disease, hospitalisations and death, then we're going to be fine in the future in the pandemic."

09:24 AM

What 'should' be happening at the UK border?

Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Environment Secretary George Eustice outlines what 'should' be happening in arrivals at UK border after a Brit arrived from South Africa via Doha yesterday, and was not checked.

09:16 AM

Minimal protection of vaccine against South African variant was 'expected'

Research results suggesting that the Oxford coronavirus vaccine offers minimal protection against mild disease of the South Africa variant were "expected", one of the scientists behind the jab said.

Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, appearing on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, was asked for his view about the study's findings.

He said: "I think, in many ways, it's exactly what we would have expected, because the virus is introducing mutations, as we've discussed before, to allow it to still transmit in populations where there's some immunity.

"And we already knew in South Africa that the virus was able to cause mild infections in people who were infected earlier last year.

"So, in a way the study in South Africa absolutely confirms what we understand about the biology - that the virus has to transmit between people to survive. It has to mutate to do that. And it's done that in South Africa already. And that will affect mild disease in people who've been vaccinated."

09:10 AM

Officials 'confident' of securing necessary capacity for hotel quarantine next Monday

Environment Secretary George Eustice said officials are "confident" they will get the necessary capacity to introduce hotel quarantine next week.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "My understanding is that officials in the Department for Health are in discussion with a range of operators about procuring those hotels, and they are confident that they will get the capacity needed for the policy to start next week."

Asked if the plans are coming in too late, Mr Eustice said: "I don't really accept that. I think, ever since December when we started to see these other strains arriving, we have been incrementally strengthening our approach to the border."

09:06 AM

Manchester MP encourages constituents to take up tests in light of Kent mutation

Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell has encouraged people in her constituency to get a coronavirus test after a mutation of the more transmissible Kent variant was detected in the city.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said the surge in testing is "coming in very quickly" and that council officials will be going door to door to offer tests to residents on their doorstep.

Responding to Labour leader Keir Starmer's comments about the South African variant of coronavirus being the greatest threat to UK, she said: "These variants, especially the variants that are found to be resistant to the vaccines that we're currently rolling out, of course are a worry."

She said measures on protecting the border, such as hotel quarantine, are "only just coming into play now", adding: "These delays we can ill afford because that's how the new variant takes seize in this country from other countries."

09:00 AM

Reopening pubs without alcohol 'ridiculous', says Labour

Labour's shadow minister for business and consumers, Lucy Powell, described suggestions that pubs could reopen without serving alcohol as "ridiculous".

"They (businesses) need to know the economic support that will sit alongside the public health measures. At the moment they diverge quite considerably," she told BBC Breakfast.

"And we need to make sure for businesses that that route map to reopening allows businesses to open in a viable way.

"So we can't have ridiculous things that we've seen speculated about with pubs saying they can reopen but without serving alcohol, for example."

08:55 AM

WHO's Wuhan team to update the world

08:46 AM

Government still negotiating with quarantine hotels

Discussions have not yet concluded with hotels near ports and airports which will be used to quarantine travellers arriving from 'red list' countries, the Environment Secretary has said.

George Eustice told BBC Breakfast: "My understanding as of this morning is that officials in the Department for Health are in negotiation with a range of different operators around procuring that.

"Those discussions have not yet concluded but they are ongoing and they are confident that they will have the capacity we need in place for Monday."

Mr Eustice also said he cannot "rule anything out" when asked whether schools could extend the school day or term.

08:35 AM

WHO update delayed

We were expecting an update from the World Health Organisation (WHO) this morning (at around 8am).

The investigating team are in Wuhan looking at the origins of the coronavirus.

However, as of yet, we have heard nothing.

08:32 AM

Government urged to extend support for businesses

Shadow business minister Lucy Powell urged the Government to extend business support packages for as long as coronavirus restrictions are in place.

She said support for businesses will come to an end in "one big bombshell" at the beginning of April.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said: "That could lead to a huge number of businesses going bust, businesses insolvencies and job losses.

"We want the Government to extend business rate holiday for at least six months, to carry on with the cut in VAT for hospitality and extend the furlough scheme for as long as public health restrictions are in place.

"We supported businesses and jobs for the last 12 months, so it makes no economic sense to now cut off support at this final stage because then all that previous investment will have gone to waste."

08:25 AM

Borders 'cannot stop infectious diseases'

Borders "cannot stop infectious diseases", leading epidemiologist Professor David Heymann said.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, he said: "We know that borders cannot stop infectious diseases no matter how rigid your controls are, there will always be some that comes through."

He said most nations believe the best strategy is to deal with infections in-country, and to ensure there is a flow of travel and trade.

Asked if he believed closing borders would have an immediate impact, Prof Heymann said: "We've seen that countries that have closed their borders, such as New Zealand, have kept the virus out, but now their problem is what do they when they begin to open their borders?

"So I think the best way forward is to live understanding that viruses and bacteria, any infection, can cross borders and we have to have the defences in our own countries to deal with them."

08:16 AM

'Well thought out' testing strategies over border closures, says expert

Coronavirus testing strategies must be "well thought out", with tests sometimes used in not "the most appropriate manner", epidemiologist Professor David Heymann said.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Prof Heymann, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, was asked if restrictions such as testing for people arriving into the UK were useful.

He said: "Testing strategies are useful in identifying people who are infected, and those people can then isolate themselves or seek treatment, and it stops transmission. So they are effective. But they must be used in a testing strategy that's also well thought out and can actually identify people infected, and then follow up to be sure that they are isolating, either self-isolating or being managed in a health facility."

Asked if "we have that at the moment", Prof Heymann replied: "We have those tests, yes. We have many different tests, we have many tests, we have therapeutic agents, we have vaccines, but many times those tests have not been used in the most appropriate manner.

"But gradually, as people are understanding the value and the capacity of these tests, they are being used in travel and in many other instances as well."

08:14 AM

Watch: Catch up on Matt Hancock's press conference

If you missed the Health Secretary's press briefing yesterday, you can watch it again here.

08:13 AM

New vaccines to tackle mutations 'could take months'

Professor Adam Finn, an academic from the University of Bristol's School of Clinical Sciences, said that it could take months for new vaccines to be created to tackle new variants.

The member of the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisations told BBC Breakfast: "It will take some time, simply because although the new variants can be adjusted in the vaccines they then have to come through the regulators, and then have to be manufactured at scale in order to be available.

"So it's not a matter of a month or two, it's probably more than that.

"But we currently have vaccines that are effective against the strains that are predominating in the UK and and that should be clear in everybody's minds that we're not in a position where vaccines have suddenly stopped working entirely."

08:09 AM

Surge testing in Manchester over new Covid mutation

Thousands of people in Manchester will be tested for coronavirus after a mutation of the more transmissible Kent variant was detected there.

Some 10,000 extra tests will be rolled out in the region from Tuesday, after four people from two unconnected households were found to be infected with the E484K mutation, which is linked to the Kent strain, Manchester City Council said.

This follows similar surges in testing in Worcestershire, Sefton, Merseyside, and areas in Bristol and south Gloucestershire, after variants were found.

Extra testing sites will be set up to enable anyone aged over 16 who lives, works or studies in the affected areas - which includes postcodes in Hulme, Moss Side, Whalley Range and Fallowfield.

In the next few days volunteers will start knocking on people's doors to offer tests for anyone who cannot get to a site, and it will also be available for people who work in the area but do not live there.

08:01 AM

Next in line for vaccine to be announced

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will set out who they believe should be next in line for Covid-19 jabs in a few weeks time.

Asked who would be next to be vaccinated after the top nine priority groups, JCVI member professor Adam Finn, from the the University of Bristol's School of Clinical Sciences, told BBC Breakfast: "That discussion is ongoing at the moment and of course it goes beyond just medicine and public health as to who society values most and who they think are most important.

"In terms of the JCVI, we're very focused on the evidence of who's at the highest risk and at the moment the outstanding factors predicting that is still age.

"And of course you need a system that you can operationalise, so you can identify the people and quickly get the vaccine to them. So I can't give you an answer to exactly how that will look.

"But over the coming few weeks we're making those plans and I think they will have to be an announced by the end of February or early March so that we know what we're doing next."

08:00 AM

Covid around the world, in pictures

07:46 AM

'Disappointing' some NHS staff declining vaccine, says Cabinet minister

Mr Eustice said it was "disappointing" that some NHS staff have declined to take a coronavirus vaccine.

"I think it is always very difficult to require or mandate vaccination... it has always been the case that people have to choose to want it," the Environment Secretary told Sky News.

"Obviously it is disappointing if people working in our NHS, who themselves in very small numbers, have decided not to have the vaccine.

"We want to get maximum protection particularly for those vulnerable cohorts but also for those such as those working in the NHS who are particularly exposed, and the vast majority of them have taken up the vaccine."

07:40 AM

Coronavirus becoming an 'endemic' disease, says expert

Experts believe coronavirus is becoming an "endemic" disease, a leading epidemiologist has said.

Professor David Heymann, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, was asked on the BBC Radio 4's Today programme if people were going to have to "learn to live with" coronavirus circulating.

Prof Heymann replied: "It certainly seems like that in the shorter term, and probably in the long term as well.

"Most experts believe that this disease is now becoming endemic, but the good thing is that we have many tools including vaccines with which we can deal with this virus."

Drawing a comparison with the spread of HIV/Aids, he added: "We've learned to live with it, as we'll learn to live with this infection as well."

07:30 AM

Vaccines 'fully efficacious' against Kent variant, says minister

Vaccines are "fully efficacious" against the Kent variant of coronavirus, Environment Secretary George Eustice has said.

He told Sky News that the variant remains "our main challenge at the moment".

"(It is) highly infectious, spreads more quickly than some of the other variants, and dominates at the moment and is our primary challenge.

"And the vaccines are fully efficacious against that particular strain."

07:21 AM

Today's front page

Here is your Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, Feb 9.

06:30 AM

Vaccinated Britons could get QR codes to travel

People who have received their Covid jabs could be given scannable QR codes allowing them to leave the country in "passport" schemes being funded by the taxpayer.

Details of two ventures developing ways for Britons to confirm they have had vaccines were shared with The Telegraph on Monday.

Logifect, a firm handed £62,000 in grants by the agency InnovateUK, has designed a phone app, due to launch next month, that allows Britons to show confirmation of their vaccinations.

iProov and Mvine, two companies given a £75,000 grant for their joint drive, are working on digital "certificates" that would allow people to prove their immunity when asked.

Executives behind the first drive said they planned to reach out to Government officials in the hope their technologies can help with reopening after the lockdown.

Read more: Britons vaccinated against Covid could get QR codes to travel

05:56 AM

Charities demand resumption of care home visits in March

Care home visits must resume in March, charities demand, as they say the dangers of the virus must be balanced against the harm from loneliness.

Age UK said any more delays would mean many of the most vulnerable will have waited more than a year to see and touch their loved ones – a situation which its experts described as “unacceptable”.

The charity is among a number of groups urging ministers to commit to meaningful indoor visits to be restored by March 1.

In a joint statement, also signed by the National Care Forum, The Relatives & Residents Association and Rights for Residents, they call for urgent action to reopen care homes, as Covid cases fall.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Getting back to a position where everyone can receive meaningful indoor visits is a matter of safety, common decency, and fundamental human rights. As a first step towards a wider process of 'opening up', we believe that this must be in place for all residents and their essential caregivers by March 1.”

Read more: Care home visits must resume in March as loneliness having 'devastating impact' on residents

03:54 AM

Testing collapses in Myanmar after coup

Covid testing has collapsed in Myanmar after a military coup prompted a campaign of civil disobedience led by doctors and mass protests swept the country, official testing figures showed.

The number of daily tests reported late on Monday stood at 1,987, the lowest number since Dec 29, compared with more than 9,000 a week earlier and an average of more than 17,000 a day in the week before the Feb 1 coup. Since the coup, tests per day have averaged 9,350.

The number of cases found on Monday was just four - compared with an average of 420 a day in the last week of January.

A health ministry spokesman declined to comment. In a statement on Monday, the ministry appealed to health workers for help with a vaccination campaign that began late last month. It said all staff members "are strongly urged to return to their duties with taking the wellbeing of patients into consideration."

Read more: Myanmar coup: I'm protecting democracy, says military chief

03:36 AM

Buttigieg in quarantine

Former US presidential candidate and newly-appointed Transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, has gone into quarantine after a member of his security detail tested positive for coronavirus.

Mr Buttigieg, whose appointment was confirmed by the Senate last week, is the first member of the Biden cabinet to be forced into quarantine.

The agent was with Mr Buttigieg on Monday morning and his proximity meant he was considered a close contact.

Mr Buttigieg since tested negative for Covid-19 and has not been displaying any symptoms.

02:51 AM

UK arrivals must take two Covid tests

All travellers arriving in the UK will have to take two coronavirus tests in a fresh attempt to prevent mutant strains entering the country under new rules to be announced this week.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the move was designed to provide a "further level of protection" enabling the authorities to track new cases more effectively.

It is expected that people isolating at home will be told they must get a test two and eight days into their 10-day quarantine period.

It comes after it was confirmed last week that UK nationals returning from 33 "red list" countries would be required to quarantine in closely monitored government-designated hotels, where they would have to take two tests.

However, hotels have questioned ministers' plans to book 28,000 hotel rooms to quarantine travellers, a scheme under which the Government would have exclusive and "open-ended" use of rooms.

Read more: Hotels rebel over 'open-ended' quarantine into summer

02:35 AM

Today's top stories

• The deputy chief medical officer has urged people not to "panic" over the South African coronavirus variant, saying it is not likely to become the dominant strain in the near future

• The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine may be only 10 per cent effective against the new South African variant, it has emerged, as experts warn that 147 UK cases could be the "tip of the iceberg"

• Care home visits must resume in March, charities demand, as they say the dangers of the virus must be balanced against the harm from loneliness

• Hotels have rebelled over the Government's demand to use them for an "open-ended" quarantine into the summer as it emerged that not a single firm has yet agreed to sign a contract

• People who have received their Covid jabs could be given scannable QR codes allowing them to leave the country in "passport" schemes being funded by the taxpayer

• Kamala Harris, the US vice president, will take a leading role in the US government's efforts to persuade sceptical ethnic minority communities to get the coronavirus vaccine