Coronavirus news - live: UK R rate now above 1 and infections doubling each week in England, as Birmingham bans household mixing
Follow all the latest updates and statistics on the pandemic here
The R rate of coronavirus infections has risen above 1 across the UK, the government’s Office for Science said on Friday.
The announcement follows results from a major testing programme commissioned by the government which found coronavirus cases in England are doubling weekly.
Meanwhile, Birmingham announced a ban on household mixing after a sharp spike in cases. Other areas in England are being watched closely for further rises in infections.
Liverpool, Newcastle and Gateshead have all been added to Public Health England’s coronavirus watch list amid a spike in cases, with Sunderland and South Tyneside expected to follow.
Good morning, welcome to Friday’s coronavirus blog. We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates and statistics on the pandemic from around the world.
Mainland Portugal has been added to the UK’s travel quarantine list, meaning travellers will have to self-isolate for 14 days on return to Britain unless they arrive by 4am on Saturday morning. The islands of Madeira and the Azores remain exempt.
Our travel expert Simon Calder explains what this means for travellers:
Everything you need to know after Portugal added to no-go list
The UK economy grew by 6.6 per cent in July as lockdown restrictions were lifted, the latest official figures show.
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows the economy expanded for the third month in a row in July though the economy remains 11.7 per cent smaller than pre-pandemic levels.
Here’s Ben Chapman with more:
UK economy grows 6.6% as lockdown restrictions eased
The government has announced a “winter truce” on evictions in England and Wales over the Christmas period.
Bailiffs will be banned from enforcing evictions over the holiday except in the “most serious circumstances”, such as anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local government has announced.
Here’s Jon Sharman with more:
Bailiffs told they cannot evict people over Christmas in England and Wales
Boris Johnson's Operation Moonshot mass testing programme is “not feasible”, health experts and sources close to the project have warned.
The prime minister hopes to conduct up to 10 million coronavirus tests per day by 2021, leaked documents revealed yesterday.
Sources close to the government’s strategy spoke to Samuel Lovett here:
Operation Moonshot ‘not feasible’ and ‘massive gamble,’ health experts warn
Northeast hotspots to be added to Covid watchlist
Several areas in the northeast of England will be added to the government watchlist for “enhanced support” following a rise in coronavirus cases over the past week.
Newcastle and Gateshead councils confirmed they will be included on the updated list, which is due to be announced by Public Health England on Friday.
Sunderland and Tyneside are also expected to be included after spikes in cases.
Gateshead council said cases had more than trebled in the past week and warned new restrictions could be “imminent” if cases rose further.
Would ‘Operation Moonshot’ be good value for money?
Leaked documents revealed the government’s plan to test 10 million people a day by 2021, with result available in minutes, may cost £100bn.
Our economics editor Ben Chu examines whether the scheme would be worth all that funding:
Would the Government’s £100bn Covid testing ‘Moonshot’ be good value for money?
New restrictions expected in Birmingham
Tough coronavirus restrictions look set to implemented across Birmingham on Friday after a recent surge in cases.
Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said restrictions were “very, very likely” after meeting with central government officials in London in recent days.
NHS data shows the weekly case rate for Birmingham up to September 8 was 78.2 per 100,000 with 892 cases in the period - among the city’s highest since the peak in April.
Dr Justin Varney, director of health for Birmingham said the spike was “linked primarily to private household gatherings” towards the end of August, particularly over the bank holiday weekend.
The NHS contact-tracing app will be rolled out in England and Wales later in September after months of delays.
The Department for Health and Social Care said the app - made in partnership with Apple and Google - is ““highly effective when used alongside traditional contact tracing to identify contacts of those who have tested positive for coronavirus”.
Ahead of the launch businesses including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas are being urged to ensure they have NHS QR code posters visible on entry so customers can check in using the new app.
Trials for the project have been ongoing in the London Borough of Newham, on the Isle of Wight and with NHS volunteers ahead of the launch on 24 September.
NHS announces launch date for contact-tracing app
Liverpool added to coronavirus watch list
Liverpool city region has been included in the government's coronavirus watch list due to a “rapid increase” in cases, metropolitan mayor Steve Rotheram has said.
Mr Rotheram appealed for help from residents to prevent a local lockdown, saying: "We are not yet at the stage of having extra restrictions imposed on us - as other areas have - but if we continue on our current trajectory, it will become a case of when, not if this happens."
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