the prime minister remains in intensive care in hospital, being treated for coronavirus. in the last few minutes downing street has said borisjohnson is few minutes downing street has said boris johnson is in few minutes downing street has said borisjohnson is in a stable condition, is responding to treatment, and remains in good spirits. he is comfortable, you stable, he is in good spirits. whilst he has had oxygen he has not been on a ventilator. we will have the latest from westminster. also this lunchtime, more than two weeks into the uk wide lockdown, the government says it is too early to think about easing restrictions. life in wuhan, the state chinese city of the pandemic originator sta rts city of the pandemic originator starts to return to normal, as some restrictions are lifted. the rising cost of keeping workers employed.

the government'sjob cost of keeping workers employed. the government's job retention scheme could cost £40 billion, triple the original estimate. from drug dealers to food delivery men, how gangs in south africa have called a truce to help people in need during coronavirus. applause celebrating recovery from coronavirus — we meet the man who received this guard of honour from intensive care staff as he left hospital. iam i am feeling really great. i'm appreciating every little thing as if it was the first time it had ever happened to me in my life. coming up, spurs are forced to remind players to stay at home, afterjose mourinho appears to stage a training session in a public park.

good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. downing street says the prime minister remains in intensive care this lunchtime suffering severe symptoms of coronavirus. number ten says that he remains in good spirits. the foreign secretary, dominic raab, who is deputising for mrjohnson, chaired the regular morning meeting to discuss the government's coronavirus strategy. ministers are insisting it's too early to start easing the lockdown restrictions which were put in place more two weeks ago. here's our political correspondent nick eardley. very little is normal around here just now. westminster would usually be buzzing with activity on a wednesday morning. instead, the streets, like so much of the country, are empty. behind closed

doors, ministers have diverted huge resources to fighting coronavirus. the prime minister remains here this afternoon, in intensive care, still fighting the virus. he is co mforta ble, fighting the virus. he is comfortable, he's a stable, he's in good spirits. whilst he's had oxygen he has not been on a ventilator, and i think that we are all, judging by the messages i'm getting from my constituents and others, and from across the political spectrum, eve ryo ne across the political spectrum, everyone is rooting for the prime minister to have a full and speedy recovery. mrjohnson is set to be in good spirits and can contact those that he needs from number ten. this afternoon downing street has said the rye minister is clinically sta ble the rye minister is clinically stable and is responding to treatment. so far that treatment has involve the use of oxygen, but not ofa involve the use of oxygen, but not of a ventilator, which would be far more invasive and serious. the foreign secretary dominic raab chaired this morning's strategy meeting again as he stands in for borisjohnson. the

meeting again as he stands in for boris johnson. the prime meeting again as he stands in for borisjohnson. the prime minister is just fine, he says. in the absence of mrjohnson, there are still decisions to be made and a strategy to implement. like when the restrictions on our lives might start to be eased. ministers have to review regulations every three weeks. the first review will be next week. with experts saying that we haven't necessarily reached the peak of the crisis, yesterday, dominic raab made clear the government still thinks there is work to be done. we will take any decision by the time is right based on facts and the scientific and medical advice and oui’ scientific and medical advice and our number one overriding focus right now is to remain absolutely focused on conveying the key message, which is, everyone needs to keep adhering to this guidance. here isa keep adhering to this guidance. here is a reminder of why. in scotland, new figures say coronavirus was mentioned on 354 death certificates, significantly higher than the figures published daily, which cover

deaths in hospitals. the number of deaths in hospitals. the number of deaths covered under this reporting system is therefore larger than under the daily system when you compare the two figures on the same date. it is also unfortunately almost certainly more accurate. in wales, this from the government. it is almost 2.5 weeks since we asked people to stay at home, to work from home where they can, and to stop making unnecessary journeys. these measures will stay in place next week. a few weeks ago seen -- scenes like this were almost unthinkable and now they are part of life, and could be, for a while yet. 0ur political correspondent helen catt is in downing street. we have had an update in the last few minutes? an official update on the state of the prime minister was mike health by his medical team at st thomas' hospital. they say he remains clinically stable. he is responding to treatment, and he continues to be cared for in the

intensive care unit. he has not been ona intensive care unit. he has not been on a ventilator, and he remains in good spirits. number ten also confirmed that he is not working. he has been in intensive care, so it is still dominic raab was deputising here for him as the work of government goes on and they have some important things to get done, for example, reaching that target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of this month. we have more news on that in the last few minutes. for 20,000 nhs staff and their families have been tested and there are 13 drive—through testing sites across the uk. a bit more on that question of whether lockdown restrictions would be lifted. the government is expected to review the restrictions next week, but it is not expected to change them unnecessarily, and the focus number ten said is on relentlessly stopping the transmission of this disease. thank you, helen catt. let's find out more

on the situation in scotland from oui’ on the situation in scotland from our scotland correspondent lorna gordon. explain more about this, lorna. there's been a big jump gordon. explain more about this, lorna. there's been a bigjump in the death numbers in scotland due to covid—19. new statistics show that 354 people have died after testing positive for covid—19, and that includes deaths where the virus was a probable contributing factor. it goes up to the period ending last sunday, so it is not directly comparable to those daily statistics we have been getting so far, but it is broader, it is more accurate, and the statistics do give more detail. we know where deaths are occurring, more than one third are in greater glasgow and clyde, there have been no covid—19 related deaths in 0rkney 01’ no covid—19 related deaths in 0rkney or the western isles. statistics show that older people are more likely to die from covid—19, but

that younger people are dying as well. they showed that four people in the age group of 15—44 have died of covid—19, here in scotland. so, they are not directly comparable to those daily statistics, but they are more accurate and give important details of how many people are dying with this disease, notjust in hospitals but in community settings, so in their homes and in care homes, as well. lorna gordon, thank you. with the long easter weekend coming up, the lockdown across the uk will be put to the test. new polling suggests there is broad public support for the way police are enforcing the rules, as our health correspondent catherine burns reports. this is not what lockdown is meant to look like. sunbathers on the beach, overflowing car parts, busy footpaths and pavements. but many people have been sticking to the rules. staying at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus. we are 16

days into lockdown, and now there is some very cautious optimism. days into lockdown, and now there is some very cautious optimismm days into lockdown, and now there is some very cautious optimism. it is possible that we are beginning to see the start of a change, where we might see numbers flattening. we won't be sure about that for a week orso, and we won't be sure about that for a week or so, and we need to keep looking at it, but it does begin to suggest that things might be moving in the right direction, in terms of numbers, and it is important that we carry on with the measures we have got in place, in order to make sure that this does go in the right direction. with a four day weekend where the weather is expected to stay warm for most of the uk, that message is being reinforced over and again. it is really important for us to follow the rules, exercise once a day, keep your distance from one another, you shouldn't be sunbathing and having picnics. those things lead to the virus spreading faster which puts more pressure on the nhs which puts more pressure on the nhs which will mean more people dying. poll suggests most people support how the rules are being enforced.

around three quarters question by yougov said they were comfortable with police giving out fines and even arresting people who refuse to go home, but others, around one in three, thought some officers had gone too far. 129—year—old nurse died at home in northumberland on saturday night was that she had been sick with coronavirus for two weeks. herfriend sarah sick with coronavirus for two weeks. her friend sarah had sick with coronavirus for two weeks. herfriend sarah had to phone around letting people know. it wasjust a really surreal day. and hearing people, they're really surreal day. and hearing people, they‘ re heartbreaking really surreal day. and hearing people, they're heartbreaking on the phone... is there anything else you wa nt to phone... is there anything else you want to add? i know that the longer this goes on the easier it might be for people to feel like the rules are relaxed, but please, just stay at home and please, please, please, tell your friends to stay at home, and tell people that you love them frequently, because you just don't

know. meanwhile, the new temporary nhs nightingale hospital in london has started to take in its first patients. we are not at the peak for this virus yet, and until we are past that, we can realistically expect more messages telling us to stay—at—home. china has placed a city on its northern border with russia under lockdown after a surge in the number of coronavirus cases there. it comes as many of the travel restrictions in wuhan, where the epidemic began, are lifted. 0ur correspondent stephen mcdonell is in beijing. tell us exactly what is going on, then. look at wuhan, the city where then. look at wuhan, the city where the global coronavirus emergency started. they have been cut off from the outside world, now, for more than ten weeks. imagine what the feeling is like to be able to start to leave the city or for people to return there, to their hometown. many return there, to their hometown.

ma ny a nalysts return there, to their hometown. many analysts are debating the extent to which we can trust china's official figures, but extent to which we can trust china's officialfigures, but observers would say, don't worry about the numbers, look at what the chinese government does. there is a feeling that the elite of the chinese communist party would not have re—established transport links with ryan, unless they were reasonably sure that they were bringing this emergency on control —— with wuhan. it doesn't mean the crisis not over. restau ra nts it doesn't mean the crisis not over. restaurants are capping numbers. you cannot get into a neighbourhood or apartment block unless you are a resident. you must wear a face mask to go into a building, but every little bit of opening gives people more hope, and i'm sure that overseas, people are watching china and taking a little bit of hope from that as well, and, either way, if it sta rts that as well, and, either way, if it starts to go wrong, like in the city bordering russia, they are able to just lock it down again, because chinese citizens coming across the border there, there is a threat of them reintroducing the virus, so the

lockdown there now in that small city is as strong as it was in wuhan, but nevertheless, a very positive day, when you consider that this city is where it all started. stephen mcdonnell in beijing, thank you. the european union's top scientist has resigned, saying he is frustrated by the bloc‘s response to coronavirus. eu talks about how to help some of the worst affected countries have stalled. 0ur europe correspondent gavin lee is in brussels. considerable problems within the eu, gavin. professor mauro ferrari, the top scientist of the eu, there are two very different accounts we are hearing. firstly this morning we had a 2—page letter from the professor saying that he put forward big brand projects to fight covid—19 with big resources but ultimately was working with the commission president and found it impossible, it was like a

political thunderstorm but in the past few minutes the european research to muscle and european commission have said there was a unanimous agreement before he resigned that he would be asked to step down and we have a list of reasons put forward, effectively four reasons he didn't participate in these meetings. he was putting forward different things to what his position reflected and that he didn't understand the very purpose of the scientific mission so there isa of the scientific mission so there is a very different account, and briefly as well, the sense that finance ministers for the eu have been trying to help the countries most in need financially, off the continuing pandemic. they met for four hours in a telly video conference, couldn't agree, the main sticking points between the dutch and the italians. there will be another meeting tomorrow. passengers on some london bus routes will only be able to board through the middle doors as part of efforts to protect drivers from infection. nine bus drivers have died in the capital

after contracting coronavirus. 0ur transport correspondent tom burridge reports. for the people keeping vital transport links open, the risk of contracting coronavirus is very real. this is him with his son. max was 36. a bus driverfor real. this is him with his son. max was 36. a bus driver for seven yea rs. was 36. a bus driver for seven years. he was treated in hospital for covid—19 and discharged. 0nce home, he fell very ill. i held his face with both of my hands and i said, look at me, look at me, talk to me. and... he said to me... i'm not going to... i am not going to make it. max was one of 14 public

transport workers in london who have died from covid—19 in recent days. most of them were bus drivers. it is extremely tough, knowing that his life was put at risk. transport for london says passengers should now only bored through the middle door, but this morning, not everyone had got the message. we are using antiviral disinfectant. we have also made sure there is a perspex barrier between the driver and passengers with a protective film to avoid droplets coming from peoples melts onto the driver. we have also made sure that... boarding only via the middle door might make it harderfor passengers to keep their distance from each other, but for now, it is just being trialled. elsewhere in the uk, screens to protect drivers and empty seats at the front should now be the norm. a bus driver in

bristol also died from covid—19 last month. in liverpool, the mayor wants more clarity on what measures should be taken to protect drivers. at the moment it seems to be a bit wishy—washy and we are getting confused messages, notjust on this issue but on a whole host of different issues from central government. the uk's boss industry said a thorough assessment of the risks facing drivers would be carried out, and further action would be taken, where necessary. more than 9 million workers are expected to be furloughed under the government'sjob expected to be furloughed under the government's job retention scheme. the think tank the resolution foundation has found nearly a fifth of small and medium—sized companies in the uk plan to put their entire staff on furlough. 0ur economics correspondent andy verity has more details. thejob retention scheme is meant to help firms hit by the shutdown stay in business and still pay staff. companies like those who are working

on this construction site near battersea power station in south london will keep staff on even if they're not working, putting them on furlough, meaning leave of absence, and the government has promised to reimburse 80% of their wages. the furlough scheme has been brilliant because what it's enabled us to do is keep the capacity within our business, and capability, so that when we come through this, we can then redeploy our people immediately so we can go back to work. 0livia webb has been furloughed in her job with a recruitment agency, but few employers are hiring right now, and she's not sure if there will be a role for her when the shutdown lifts. while i am grateful to have not been made redundant, it does feel like i am just waiting for the inevitable, because when these three months' grants are up, what is going to happen then? are businesses able to pay salaries again? are they going to bounce back? probably not. so, it does feel like a bit of a waiting game right now. the cost of paying four fifths of the wages of millions of private sector employees whose companies have been shutdown is so large, you can forget everything you've heard in the last ten years about getting government

spending under control or cutting the national debt. it's going to jump. it is manageable, as long as the shutdown only lasts for three months. but if it continues through the summer, the cost could soon start to spiral out of control. the latest figures released today by the british chambers of commerce find 37% of small— and medium—sized companies are furloughing at least three—quarters of their staff, and a fifth will furlough their entire workforce. if that pattern is repeated across the economy, the resolution foundation estimates at least a third of all private sector workers will be paid through the scheme, at a cost to government of £30 billion to £40 billion. businesses leaders say firms need money fast. if they don't receive some of the funding by the end of this month, many of them are going to have to take drastic steps. i'm afraid that we would see an increase in the rate of business failures and we'd see a lot of otherwise viable companies going to the wall. but there are holes in this giant safety net. saj devshi changed jobs just after the cut—off date at the end of february,

so his new employer can't help him. this arbitrary date that the chancellor has put in 20 days before the lockdown even occurred, we don't qualify forfurlough pay and, effectively, we don't qualify for any state support, either. there's tens of thousands of people in this position like myself. whatever the scheme's flaws, though, companies agree that without it, this economic emergency would be even worse. andy verity, bbc news. our top story this lunchtime... downing street says borisjohnson is ina downing street says borisjohnson is in a stable condition and is responding to treatment for coronavirus. the prime minister remains in intensive care. still to come — we hearfrom the remains in intensive care. still to come — we hear from the coronavirus patient given a guard of honour by nhs staff as he left hospital. coming up on bbc news — ben stokes is named the leading

cricketer in the world in the 2020 wisden almanac, becoming the first english player in 15 years to receive the honour. an unprecedented truce has broken out in the townships of cape town, whlie south africa tries to control the spread of coronavirus. gang leaders have halted their turf wars and turned their delivery networks usually used for drugs trafficking to get food to poor households instead. 0ur africa correspondent andrew harding reports. these are some of the most dangerous streets in south africa, and the world. poor communities, fought over relentlessly by rival drug gangs. but, today, a virus and a nationwide lockdown may have achieved what the police — even the army — have failed to do here. this is the american gang's turf. most of these men have been injail — some are killers. but today, instead of selling

drugs and robbing people, they're bagging up food supplies for hungry families. i got a phone call from two different gang leaders, both saying, "andy, i've never asked you for anything, but we're starving." and ijust thought, "hey, if these guys are starving, they're at the top of the food chain, then the rest of the community is going to be in serious, serious strife." to help, the gangs are drawing on their own particular skill set. the best distributors in the country, they know how to distribute things! they're used to distributing other white powders! but still, they're distributing things, and they know everybody. so, what does the community make of the criminals' sudden change of focus? there is relief here, for sure, that a gang ceasefire has taken hold during the lockdown. we live to help each other, even if it's gangsters. even if it's not gangsters. there's no such thing as gangsterism. in these times, all of us stand together. but it is hard to tell

what people here really think about the men who've terrorised their neighbourhoods for decades. the authorities are sceptical. i don't think it exonerates you when you've done so much evil — one good deed doesn't suddenly wipe it all away. maybe they can commit to slightly more long—term good. put down the firearms permanently and stop intimidating and robbing residents — then we're good. because of the lockdown, i'm not able to film with cameraman barnaby mitchell and producer karen schoonbee. i'm injohannesburg, not cape town. but two gang leaders agreed to talk over the phone. do you think south africa and your community will be changed by this experience? yes, maybe it will. it must be peace. and that's what's happening now, yes? yes. do you think this will last? maybe, maybe not, yes. so, once the virus is over, maybe the fighting will start again? maybe the fighting will start again. but i trust in god. god will make a way.

so, a temporary ceasefire, a temporary lockdown, and just the sliver of a chance that the virus will bring lasting change to some of the most dangerous streets in the world. andrew harding, bbc news, south africa. tesco says significant panic—buying in recent weeks cleared its supply chain of certain items. the supermarket chain says sales have jumped by 30% since the coronavirus outbreak began. the firm has recruited 45,000 extra workers in the past two weeks to try and cope with soaring demand. most children across the uk have been at home for nearly three weeks since schools closed. parents have been forced to become teachers, and deal with the challenges of home—schooling. so, as we head into easter weekend, how are parents getting on? and what other activities

are they coming up with to keep youngsters occupied over the holiday? with to keep youngsters occupied? frankie mccamley reports. 0h, hello, everybody! it's mrs sock here! both: we're bored! want to do some matchs, guys? yeah. no. we're going crazy! this morning i've been called a donut, a loser. tell me a tough time in your life. what's for tea? they're just basically rampaging round the house. mr edwards has taken leave. ..of his senses. # this isolation and this homeschooling is driving me crazy... sound familiar? when schools across the uk closed their doors, kitchens became the new classrooms. if you think that's incorrect, how do you spell it correctly, then? parents became the new teachers. do you think russsell can draw you a fraction? learning from home, the new norm. i love fractions! some are having more fun than others. trying to work from home, and homeschool, is, i would say, nearly impossible.

i'm not convinced that we're really achieving very much. children came home with textbooks and links to online learning. 0thers brought back practice papers for exams. parents, though, are finding each school's approach is different, as are their kids'. 0ne came back from school with a complete itinerary of what his school day is, from english, maths, science, minute by minute — it was fantastic. the other child tried to convince us that they'd done four hours of pe every day. so, it's life lessons today. with holidays cancelled and staycations on the cards, parents are being more imaginative. a field trip... are you having fun, boys? yeah. ..to the garden. a pe lesson and a music class. the advice is to do what you can and have fun. so, it's ten squared

minus two squared. exactly... like this family, posting videos online when the parents get it wrong. two is smaller, which means it's ten — you times that by... you times... ten... so... frankie mccamley, bbc news. many of us have been showing our thanks to health the tottenham hotspur manager jose mourinho has told the bbc that he accepts his actions were "not in line with government protocol" after he was photographed training with a player in a london park. let's speak to our sports correspondent natalie pirks. pictures emerged on social media yesterday ofjose mourinho taking a training session with a player on a common in north london. two other players were also caught on camera separately from jose mourinho,

jogging separately from jose mourinho, jogging together, not two metres apart. spurs again today reminded players of the need to respect social distancing when exercising outside. we've seenjose mourinho taking remote training sessions, using technology, but today, he reiterated to the bbc that his actions were not in line with government advice, and the press release said it is vital we all play our part to support the nhs and save lives. many of us have been showing our thanks to health workers across the country during this pandemic. but the roles were reversed when one patient left hospital. health workers applauded hylton murray—phillipson when he was discharged after nearly two weeks being treated for covid—19. phil mackie explains why. the heroes of the pandemic, cheering one of their successors. it is five days since he came home and he is loving every minute of it. i'm

feeling really great, i'm appreciating every little thing is if it's the first time that it's ever happened to me in my life. so, the twittering of birds, the daffodils you may see behind me, the blue sky. when i was in hospital, i was fantasising blue sky. when i was in hospital, i was fa ntasising about blue sky. when i was in hospital, i was fantasising about toast and mammalaid. all was fantasising about toast and mammal aid. all those little things which you take for granted normally, iam which you take for granted normally, i am never going to take for granted ever again. -- marmalade. he was on a ventilator being fed through a tube, and little by little, started to get better. to actually sit up in a chairfor three hours and not be flat on my back, basically, begging for mercy, felt fantastic. and so, it was step—by—step. and eventually, the liquid food, and then you can then have, my goodness, nhs leek and potato soup! i could be on it for the rest of my life, it was amazing. he paid tribute to the doctors and nurses at the leicester royal infirmary. and the entire corridor

was lined with all these really happy, cheerfulfaces, was lined with all these really happy, cheerful faces, many was lined with all these really happy, cheerfulfaces, many of whom i had felt incredibly close to after all the time that i had spent there. he lost 15% of his body weight and has had to learn to walk again. his great grandfather played cricket for england, which inspired this analogy. every little thing to me now is special. i'm just gobsmacked, really, to have been given a second chance, and i do feel like a cricketer, and i have been at the crease and the umpire is putting his fingerup, andi crease and the umpire is putting his finger up, and i walk in, but no, there has been a secret camera somewhere that says, no,, we need a little bit more time at the crease for hylton. it just little bit more time at the crease for hylton. itjust feels little bit more time at the crease for hylton. it just feels fantastic for hylton. it just feels fantastic for me. time for a look at the weather here's tomasz schafernaker. a very good afternoon to you. the

sun is shining outside and