hello this is bbc news with me, shaun ley. the headlines: tests for front line nhs staff begin in england this weekend, ten days after wales started theirs, following heavy criticism over a lack of testing this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk for health workers. and around the world. tests for front line nhs staff begin the three men spearheading the uk's fight against covid—19 self—isolate — in england this weekend — two of them test postive 10 days after wales started theirs — for the virus and the third following heavy criticism over a lack of testing thinks he may have it. for health workers. the english cities of birmingham and manchester join london the three men spearheading with plans to open more temporary the uk's fight against hospitals to help cope covid—19 self—isolate — with the pandemic in the uk. two of them test postive for the virus and the third thinks he may have it. japan warns against complacency, after a new virus hotspot emerges in its capital, the english cities of birmingham and manchester join london tokyo. another 832 people have died with plans to open more temporary of the virus in spain in the past 24 hours — hospitals to help cope that's the highest number with the pandemic in the uk. the country has recorded in a single japan warns against complacency — day since the start of the pandemic. after a new virus hotspot emerges in its capital tokyo. china loosens the lockdown in wuhan, as officials say all new cases were brought into the country. translation: whilst it happens then the speed of the infection will be uncontrollable.

another 832 people have died of the virus in spain in the past 2a hours — that's the highest number the country has recorded in a single day since the start of the pandemic. china loosens the lockdown in wuhan — as officials say all new cases were brought into the country. hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. we're covering all the latest coronavirus developments here in britain and globally. more than 600,000 cases have now been confirmed worldwide. in england, the government begins testing front line nhs staff this weekend. it's following days of criticism that health workers with symptoms have been unable to treat patients.

wales began testing critical healthworkers last week. three new temporary hospitals in birmingham, manchesterand cardiff will be set up to help cope with the coronavirus crisis. another hospital is being set up in london's excel centre will be available for use next week. the city where the coronavirus pandemic began, wuhan in china, has partially re—opened — after more than two months of isolation. people are being allowed to enter but not leave. but injapan, pm shinzo abe says his country is just barely able to avoid declaring an emergency as the number of those infected climbs above1,400. in spain, health authorities report a new record of virus fatalities in the country. more than 800 people have passed away in the past 2a—hours. and finally in germany, the number of those infected rose by more than 6000 overnight. the country now is among those with the largest number

of infected people in europe. we'll have more on all of those developments — but we start with this report from our correspondent andy moore. they're the three men spearheading the national fight against covid—i9 and all three are now self—isolating because they have or think they have the virus. i've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus, that's to say a temperature and a persistent cough. the prime minister is in self quarantine in this flat above 11 downing street, but says he remains firmly in charge. be in no doubt that i can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus. on wednesday, the prime minister was in the house of commons, with his health minister sitting close by. matt hancock has also now tested positive. i'll be continuing to do everything

i can to get our carers the support that they need and i'll be doing that from here, but with no less gusto. the government's chief medical 0fficer hasn't tested positive, but professor chris witty said he had symptoms compatible with covid—i9. the nhs is already treating over 6,000 coronavirus patients and thousands more are expected in the coming weeks at new hospitals like this one at the excel centre in london. drive—in testing centres for front line nhs staff have already opened up. this is in nottingham. more are coming on stream this weekend. if somebody falls ill, they can come into one of the drive—in centres that we have set up as boots and get tested, so that the very next day they will have a result to know if they do or don't have the coronavirus. and if they don't it's often safer than to go back to work.

health workers have also been calling repeatedly for better personal protection equipment. the government has changed its guidance to recommend the wearing of equipment for high—risk procedures that might generate droplets. but the hospital doctors union says it doesn't go far enough. they want all staff and patients in hospitals to have access to surgical masks whether they have the virus or not. in london, many streets are nearly empty. the capital is dealing with more coronavirus cases than any other part of the country. the stay—at—home message is getting through, but will it be enough to stop the nhs being overwhelmed? andy moore, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent helen catt. evidence from another world leader that the prime minister has been as good as his word and is carrying on trying to run the country. boris johnson has said he is very much in charge of leading the uk's government response to coronavirus,

intends to continue working using video links and other cabinet ministers can deputise for him when required. he has been making phone calls to other world leaders. he spoke to president donald trump last night. we are told by downing street that they agreed to work together closely along with the g7, the g20 and other international partners to defeat the coronavirus pandemic. you is what trump had to say about the call. i said hello today, i called him a wonderful guy, borisjohnson. as you know, he tested positive. before he even said lowy said we need ventilators. i said while, that isa need ventilators. i said while, that is a big statement. —— before he even said hello. and hopefully he's going to be in good shape. you'll make the issue of ventilators has become very important over the last couple of weeks, largely because they are such a vital part to compete they are such a vital part to co m pete low they are such a vital part to compete low that much ——

they are such a vital part to compete low that much -- vital for treating people. we know the government has come under fire for missing and deadline for an eu scene. there's been a huge boost for the government —— push for the government to make more ventilators. they say there are more than 8000 available to nhs patients, with another 8000 expected to come on strea m another 8000 expected to come on stream within the next few weeks. and something that you won't be aware of but i know you will be getting across, because it is literally hit the press association while you're speaking, the scottish secretary alisterjack has developed mild symptoms which may be coronavirus and as a precaution he is self isolating. an illustration of the problem the government will have to contend with, as the rest of us have to contend with, as the rest of us will have to contend with. yes it is and there are other cabinet members had not yet been tested for coronavirus because the policy was not to test them until they had developed, or unless, rather, they developed, or unless, rather, they develop symptoms. alistairjack was among those, so keep an eye then.

the first of several planned temporary hospitals is set to be up and running next week at the excel london exhibition centre with 500 of a planned 4,000 beds being made available. 0ur correspondent angus crawford is there. it's an extraordinary logistical operation that is taking place here. this is essentially an enormous empty barn and they are in the process of converting it into what might be the biggest hospital in the uk. next week they hope to have 500 intensive care unit beds. those are beds fully staffed, which will have ventilators and oxygen, 500 potentially available to middle of next week. they say that should it be necessary, both of those enormous halls, that's 100,000 square metres, you halls, that's100,000 square metres, you could fit the footprint of terminal five at heathrow and there, they say that should it be needed, they say that should it be needed, they could escalate up to 4000

intensive care beds. why is that now and why is that here? that's because in effect london has become the epicentre of the uk's coronavirus outbreak, with more than 30% of all of the cases, more than 4000 cases. there are real fears that the critical care capacity in london could be overwhelmed. 0ne doctor a couple of days ago spoke about what he saw as a tsunami of cases. that's angus crawford at the new nightingale hospital which is being built in london's excel centre. let's talk to mike adams from the royal college of nursing in england. thank you for being with those this afternoon on bbc news. the first big news of course is the introduction of testing for nhs workers. wales began it in a few days ago. england is beginning it during the course of this weekend and the coming week. how important is that for your members? it is vital. it is what we

have been calling for a while now to bring ratios to penalise that. there are currently less uncertain with what to do when they develop own symptoms. to keep ourfront line staff are strong throughout this whole crisis, the government has to do whatever it can to support them in feeling safe as possible. one of the things of course, quite understandably, there aren't tv cameras going into hospitals right 110w. cameras going into hospitals right now. what are your members telling you about the experience in hospitals at the moment? how are things developing? at the moment there is no doubt that the pressure is really beginning to develop on oui’ is really beginning to develop on our members, our nurses across all services. there is still a feeling this is the calm before the storm. but there is a lot of fear and anxiety around peoplemy own safety, about what will happen to them

moving forward and about the level of protection they receive and the equipment they receive across various settings, notjust hospital environments. i had a conversation with someone from the united states last night he was describing louisiana where they were getting so desperate to acquire protective equipment that people were ordering things on ebay and hoping they would come in time and even going into a stationers, buying plastic folders, cutting them up and turn them into face mask. thank goodness we are not in that situation. as we heard donald trump sing there, apparently the first thing boris johnson donald trump sing there, apparently the first thing borisjohnson said to him on the telephone last night was we want ventilators. we are on —— we are facing an unprecedented challenge. in my lifetime as a nurse i never thought we would see something like this. members are telling us, we are having lots of calls from members who are saying they have not got the equipment they need, they are taking to ordering things themselves, which isjust

need, they are taking to ordering things themselves, which is just not acceptable, really. there is a lot of confusion out there about the level of guidance that nurses are working under, whereby the guidance currently says equipment should be provided where the person they are caring for within a meeting is suspected of covid—19 or has symptoms, right now that is not reassuring and offer members, nurses and other front line staff, reassuring and offer members, nurses and otherfront line staff, where reassuring and offer members, nurses and other front line staff, where we know a fair proportion of the population will in some ways have beenin population will in some ways have been in contact with covid—19 and may be suffering from it without actually showing the signs yet. from your point of view, the advice related say, you should be waiting this protective equipment at all times, because you don't know whether someone at this stage it may not be exhibiting symptoms is actually carrying the abydos?” think ourfront line staff actually carrying the abydos?” think our front line staff would be much more comfortable with that

advice. when you consider the amount of the community nurses, mental health nurses in all different settings going into people's homes, they will know necessarily of people within that household have symptoms before they get there, even if they're trying to check my phone beforehand. you don't always get a clear picture before you enter that household, so it is something we feel would be useful to members and would hopefully reduce anxieties at a time when we really need are nursing staff to be able to focus on the roll in hand. what do you make of these new nightingale hospitals that are being set up in some of the major cities right now?|j that are being set up in some of the major cities right now? i think clearly the prediction that the demand is there that we need these extra resources . demand is there that we need these extra resources. it will be an incredible logistical piece of work. it will have an incredible demand on the staff involved in stopping them, but we have seen a fantastic

response from retired nurses, from retired medics. we know the public is behind nursing. the clapper caters the other night was a fantastic display of support. clapp for —— clapper caters. hopefully we can keep more of a lead on this infection, but we do need everyone to ta ke infection, but we do need everyone to take part in this. the editor of the lancer has been weathering in his criticism of the preparations for this crisis. do you think is right in saying that warnings were ignored and that has put the lives of some of your colleagues at risk? ithink... of some of your colleagues at risk? i think... what i can speak to is what our members are telling us now and we are in the full swing of a

pandemic and our members do not have the equipment they need in the moments they feel they need them right now. this is an infectious disease and our members do not feel safe. i think that speaks for itself. injapan, the number of cases appears to be rising again — with more than 50 new infections in a single day in tokyo. the governor of the city urged people to stay indoors and said the capital was now on the brink of an emergency. tokyo was due to host the olympic and paralympic games this year, but they have been postponed because of the outbreak. japan's prime minister, shinzo abe, warned people not to be complacent and to learn from what's happening in the west. translation: compared with western countries, the total number of infections is lower. what we are seeing over time, including

incubation period, is a reflection of infections which happened two weeks ago. expansion, if that is already happening, this is not something that we can discover right away, only in two weeks. it is to be affected numbers, and whilst it happens, then the speed of the infection be uncontrollable. in spain, the country's health ministry reports the country's death toll from the virus rose by more than 800 overnight. it brings the total of those struck down by the virus to more than 5600 people. the increase of 832 deaths exceeds yesterday's record breaking one—day figure for fatalities in the country. spain has now more than 72 thousand people infected with the virus. thousand people infected the headlines on bbc news... tests for front line nhs staff begin in england this weekend — 10 days after wales started theirs — following heavy criticism over a lack of testing for health workers. japan warns against complacency — after a new virus hotspot emerges in its capital tokyo.

as we just heard another 832 people have died of the virus in spain in the past 24 hours — that's the highest number the country has recorded in a single day since the start of the pandemic. in the chinese city of wuhan — where the global coronavirus emergency began — some transport services are resuming as hubei province gradually lifts its lockdown. the number of new cases there has slowed to a virtual stop in the last week — as james ransley reports. we an‘s train station, once an empty hop, is now busy with people with places to be. the city is slowly and steadily coming back to —— wuhan. translation: i think this is the result of the hard work of all chinese people who came together as one and repeated the epidemic. for us, the news about lifting the

lockdown is like the biggest recognition for us staying at home for more than two months. wuhan, a major engine of the chinese economy got its freight train service back up got its freight train service back up and running. it's carrying medical supplies and electronics to europe. the city boss mike banks opened earlier this week for business. and bosses are back on the road. —— the city's banks. but they are being advising is unnecessary travel. and those over 65 told not to ta ke travel. and those over 65 told not to take public transport altogether. people are allowed into wuhan, but restrictions on those wishing to leave will be lifted until april eight. translation: it's been a long time since we last saw wuhan. people from hubei who travelled out of the province by some discrimination. i hope people will not treat maxi people are a virus. the city in hubei province was placed on lockdown in january. hubei province was placed on lockdown injanuary. in hubei, more

than 50,000 people have been infected with the disease. more than 3000 have died. the partial reopening up wuhan signals a turning point in china's fight against the virus. translation: bean yesterday china's confirmed 34 new cases. there are three fatalities reported, all of in hubei. after months of total lockdown, light for the people of wuhan is forgetting to get back on track. —— life in wuhan is beginning to get back on track. in the united states —— president trump has signed the largest—ever financial spending package — worth two trilion dollars — to help support people through the coronavirus pandemic. more than 100,000 people have now tested positive for the virus in the united states, more than any other country. a record number of people have filed for unemployment benefits. president trump has ordered

general motors to make ventilators for patients, after he invoked the korean war—era defence production act, which allows a president to force companies to make products for national defence. earlier today, mr trump said the us would deliver over 100,000 additional ventilators in the next 100 days. 29,000 ventilators are distributed in the united states each year. in the next 100 days, first of all we have already delivered thousands of them, but within the next 100 days people either make or get in some form over 100,000 additional units. i guess to put it in other words, in the next 100 days we will receive over three times the number of ventilators made during a regular year in the united states and that doesn't include all of the thousands and thousands that we've given to the various states, a lot of them. so far, europe has seen the highest number of cases and deaths. health authorities in spain

reported their country's single largest increase in virus fatalities. it follows italy saying it has more than 9,000 total deaths from the virus. 0ur correspondent in berlin, damien mcguinness, has this update from germany where, there too, health authorities have witnessed a sharp rise in the number of infections. (tx germany has one of the highest rates of infection is in the world. it is now thought to be more than 50,000. interestingly though, the death toll, the death rate, is still relatively low. if you compare that with other countries, 9000 as you are saying earlier, in italy. a catastrophic death toll there. in germany the death toll is thought to be very low because testing is so widespread here. every week it is thought around half a million tests are being carried out. that number is going to increase. the reason why this means a lower death toll is because lots of people who don't show many signs of infections are being tested.

so that means, that indicates, that the actual real infection rate in other countries is a lot higher. now german ministers have said that the situation in germany is really the calm before the storm, those are the words they have used. so far here we have excess supply of care beds. some patients from italy and france are being flown into a german hospitals to help those other countries. the difficulty for germany is that once the infection rate rises still further, it is thought of the death toll will rise. what we have here really is a feeling of an eerie sense of calm. everyone is looking at the figures every day to see if the death toll rises. angela merkel has said of the current quite strict restrictions on social contact are going to be extended until at least the 20th of april, likely to be further. during that period the economy is effectively in a shut down. lots of questions and debates here in germany about how to keep

the economy going and how to keep the health care system going when that death toll possibly does rise. now, penguin will be releasing a book next week on leadership during a time of crisis, which couldn't be more appropriate for the times we are currently living in. the author of the book is louai al roumani who ran a bank in syria during the civil war. he is now sharing the lessons he learnt about what to do when disaster strikes. louai al roumani joins me now from central london. (0s) first of all, it is quite hard for people to grasp that banks were still operating in the middle of what was happening in syria. how close to where you were working was the fighting getting? just to let you know that i was based in central damascus, so we had mortar bombs

falling over our heads and we had some of our branches actually being rampaged by jihadists, such some of our branches actually being rampaged byjihadists, such as isis, so we very rampaged byjihadists, such as isis, so we very much felt the sheet of the war. we make banking services we re the war. we make banking services were still operating,... the idea of normal life continuing while the most abnormal things are happening around you. i suppose that is something people can drop in your experience when trying to cope with running things, running organisations, your family, all the things that involve leadership. what are the key things you would say are important when dealing with a crisis? ok, so the context is very clearly different from the war back then and right now, but what i can say is that the mindsets are approaching these types of

challenges might be similar. really it is about the mindset, not to let that feeling of an impending doom dominate, because it will be very tempting, the negatives will dominate at all times and it becomes very easy to get drawn into this very easy to get drawn into this very defeatist space where you feel that no good can come. we learned the hard way to always focus on the positives and to try and find opportunities no matter what. so if we we re opportunities no matter what. so if we were able to find the positives and the opportunities, with mortar bombs over our heads, i think people might take some inspiration from that. do you think you became more adaptable because of what was happening around you? did it anyway improve your leadership? very much so.

improve your leadership? very much so. the positive impacts of going through tough times, it really builds a very strong resilience. so you not only become very adaptable, but maybe also more passionate, where you are much more empathetic of other people's challenges sometimes. thank you very much for joining us. penguin is publishing the book next week, it will be cut perhaps many people will find it quite comforting —— people will perhaps find it quite comforting. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt. after a week that felt like late

spring, this week will be more like winter. set to turn much colder. a lot more clout around and some have seen lot more clout around and some have seen this week and it is that when that will be the notable feature, coming all the way around with high pressure in the arctic. it will be dropping temperatures uk wide. there is today and into tomorrow, one or two excited jurors. rain in wales. snow and sleet in scotland. sunshine for many, best approach in southern counties of england where it could hit around 30 degrees and the far north—east of scotland, but here just surround 3—5dc. as we go into tonight, the breeze will still be blowing, if anything it will strengthen. it won't stop temperatures dropping, because well it will be up and down to deny, the overall theme shown by the blue collars will be many central and western areas as well as: seeing temperatures below freezing. the clocks go forward tonight during the night, so tomorrow morning sunrise

will be that little bit later, an error lesson bed, the sunset will also be an hour later too. longer evening daylight hours. a little less sunshine around tomorrow, more cloud right from the start of the day. still the odd shower, the greatest chance of these. the cloud will break up to allow some sunshine, it is here will receive the wines are the strongest. could touch 40—50 mph in one or two spots. widely stronger winds that we have seen widely stronger winds that we have seen through today, and even though temperatures on the thermometers may read around 7—10dc, it is going to bea read around 7—10dc, it is going to be a substantially cold, particularly for england and wales. if you spot is getting closer to freezing. as we go into monday, after a chilly start, not as cold a day. still a chance with a view terrace, england and wales especially. less cold there are certain to topple around. still a fair bit of cloud, some sunny spells and temperatures are so into double figures. area of high pressure still

there through the week ahead, pushing its way by the sight word and will allow more of a north—westerly air flow, so there won't be quite a scholar, but it does mean at times some rain in the north, occasional breaks in the 00:29:12,637 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 cloud. —— it won't be quite as cold.