Coronavirus news – live: Thousands join illegal ‘quarantine’ raves, risking virus spread, as UK records lowest daily death toll since lockdown began
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Thousands of people defied social-distancing rules to attend two illegal “quarantine raves” on Saturday night, prompting fears they will be spreading the coronavirus in the community.
About 4,000 people turned up for one event in Greater Manchester, where a 20-year-old man died from a suspected drug overdose, and a woman was raped at the other rave, which had 2,000 party-goers.
Police condemned the mass gatherings, and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said those who went were irresponsible and should be ashamed.
Another 36 deaths of people with the virus in the UK have been recorded, in the lowest daily rise since lockdown began on 24 March.
The fall in cases has given the government "more margin for manoeuvre" in easing the two-metre social-distancing rule, Boris Johnson has said.
However, in China, where a fresh outbreak has emerged, Beijing officials confirmed the country’s highest daily total of coronavirus cases in two months.
Rave man dies of suspected drug overdose
A 20-year-old man has died from a suspected drug overdose following a rave in Greater Manchester attended by around 4,000 people, police say. The man had attended a gathering in Droylsden, according to Greater Manchester Police.
'Probably' fewer than one in 1,000 has virus, says PM
Boris Johnson has said that "probably" fewer than one in a thousand people was now infected with coronavirus, allowing "more margin for manoeuvre" in easing the two-metre rule.
"As we get the numbers down, so it becomes one in a thousand, one in sixteen hundred, maybe fewer, your chances of being two metres, one metre or even a foot away from somebody who has the virus are obviously going down statistically, so you start to build some more margin for manoeuvre, and we'll be looking at that and keeping it under constant review," he said.
The prime minister also said people should be able to "shop with confidence" when non-essential stores reopen in England tomorrow.
On a visit to the Westfield shopping centre in east London, he said he hoped to see a "gradual" build-up in numbers of people returning to the high street.
"I am very optimistic about the opening up that is going to happen tomorrow," he said. "I think people should shop and shop with confidence, but they should of course observe the rules on social distancing and do it as safely as possible."
Rave-goers told they risked spreading infection
Rave-goers have been warned they are risking spreading the virus, as police chiefs urged people to take personal responsibility for their actions.
"These raves were illegal, and I condemn them taking place - they were clearly a breach of coronavirus legislation and guidelines, and have had tragic consequences," said Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes.
"Coronavirus is still a threat, and we will continue to engage with people to encourage them to take some personal responsibility and do the right thing.
"Ultimately we need the people of Greater Manchester to join together and demonstrate the spirit that they have previously shown in the face of hard times."
Mr Sykes added that violence towards police at the Carrington rave was "absolutely not acceptable and will not be tolerated".
Around 4,000 people attended one event in Droylsden, according to Greater Manchester Police.
Nearby, in Carrington, there were reports of three separate stabbings at a 2,000-strong party.
European countries lift border restrictions
Europe is taking a big step toward a new normality as many countries open borders to fellow Europeans after three months of lockdowns.
Spain will reopen its borders to visitors from Europe's passport-free Schengen travel area a week today, bringing forward the original date by 10 days, the prime minister has announced.
The country will also drop its requirement for people arriving from abroad to stay in quarantine for 14 days on arrival, Pedro Sanchez said.
However, the border between Spain and Portugal will remain closed to non-essential crossings until 1 July.
Spain's government had already announced that on Sunday it would end the nation's state of emergency.
Tourists to Europe from the US, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East will just have to wait for now.
Italy opened its borders on 3 June. Germany, like France and others, is also lifting remaining border checks tomorrow and scrapping a requirement that arrivals must prove they have a good reason to enter.
UK official death toll rises by 36 to 41,698
Another 36 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, government figures suggest.
It is the UK's lowest daily death toll since lockdown began.
The Department of Health and Social Care said that in all, 41,698 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community, as of 5pm on Saturday.
The real figure - taken by adding together separate official statistics from national authorities - is thought to be much higher.
Shop with confidence, PM urges
Boris Johnson said ministers were constantly looking at the evidence to see when it would be safe to ease the two-metre distancing rule.
Speaking during a visit to the Westfield shopping centre in east London to highlight the reopening of non-essential shops, he said people should be able to "shop with confidence" as they returned to the high street.
Iran's daily death toll hits two-month high
Daily deaths attributed to the pandemic spiked above 100 in Iran for the first time in two months amid signs of a resurgence of the contagion following an easing of lockdown measures. Borzou Daragahi reports.
Italy suffers 44 more deaths
Deaths from Covid-19 in Italy have risen by 44, the Civil Protection Agency said. It is the country's lowest daily rise since February.
Italy's total death toll now stands at 34,345, the agency said, the fourth highest in the world after those of the US, Brazil and the UK.
The number of confirmed cases in the country amounts to 236,989, the seventh highest global tally behind the US, Russia, Brazil, Spain, Britain and India.
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