a shocking no running, please. runners and cyclists banned from using a stretch of the thames as the easter weekend brings hot weather for many. and we all share a responsibility to tackle this virus, first and foremost by staying at home. the prime minister is said to be recovering and has been able to do short walks in hospital. in new york, a mass grave as the city tries to deal with the rapidly growing number of dead. queuing forfood in calais — we report on the migrants in camp there searching for supplies. # ave maria...# in paris,

a good friday service in notre dame cathedral almost a year it went up in flames. and bringing the outdoors indoors for lockdown — how charities are trying to connect people with nature using webcams to help mental health. in bbc news, the head of the managers association said football should not restart in england until all players have been tested for coronavirus. good evening. almost 9000 people in the uk have now lost their lives to coronavirus in the past five weeks. the latest daily death toll has risen by a record 980 hospital people. that's higher than spain and italy's worst daily death tolls. and that number does not include people who have died from coronavirus in care homes or in the community.

it brings the total number of deaths in hospital to 8,958 at the end of another week of tragic news for thousands of families across the country. today has been the third day in a row in which the government has announced close to 1000 deaths in a single day. meanwhile, despite fresh claims from frontline staff about a lack of peronal protecton equipement, the health secretary today insisted there is now enough for medical workers as long as it's used correctly. here's our health editor, hugh pym. he warned about the lack of protective equipment for nhs staff. soon after that, dr abdul mabud chowdhury contracted coronavirus. he died on wednesday. the warning came in a social media message to the prime minister, saying health workers had to protect themselves and their families. his son spoke to the bbc today. he was a courageous, brave man, and that is something that he's passed on to us. he saw that nhs workers didn't have enough ppe, and he made a call for that, he made an effort for that,

and maybe at the time it didn't get the attention it deserved, but now, for sure, we're giving it the attention it deserves, and we are not going to stop. we are getting this everywhere, we are making sure we're heard, that my father's voice is heard, and that my father's passing is not in vain. problems getting hold of the right masks, gowns and visors have been reported for several weeks. the government said there were enough supplies and distribution would be improved, but still, some feel anxious they can't obtain appropriate personal protective equipment, known as ppe. we're getting a lot of messages from doctors on the front line that the current situation is, in many parts of the country, inadequate. that people are feeling unprotected, that they feel scared when they're at work. they feel unable, in some places, to use the kit that they're able to bring in in from home because other members of the team haven't got it and that they don't feel confident in what's been provided. staff that one trust say they've had conflicting messages, with guidelines on whether to use an apron or gown changing twice in two hours.

a doctor told us... in a statement, the newcastle upon tyne hospital's trust said requirements from public health england had changed numerous times over recent weeks, but current advice was fully in line with those and staff could be assured there were sufficient supplies of protective equipment. today, the government announced a new plan to boost ppe supplies, including a plea to businesses to produce more. if you've got production facilities and you can meet our published technical specifications, we want to hear from you. so that we can make this kit here in britain that'll keep people safe. there will be a lot of scepticism, won't there, still, about another plan being published 7 what guarantees can you give that people will be made to feel safe with the right equipment? what i'd say is it is a constant

effort to get the ppe to the front line, a huge logistical effort. we acknowledge the challenges, of course we do, we face them every day and we are doing everything in power to get that ppe to the front line. and there was a sobering assessment of the latest data on the spread of the virus. we are in a dangerous phase still and i need to reinforce that again to you — that this is not over. scotland's first minister, who toured the new temporary hospital for coronavirus patients in glasgow, repeated the guidelines to the public on social distancing. the message remains exactly the same as it has been. people need to stay at home. i know how difficult that is, and i know how difficult that will be, particularly over this easter weekend. 0rdinarily, that is a time to see friends and family, it's a time to get out and about or even take a short break. none of that will be possible this year.

today some were enjoying the sunshine, keeping their distance and exercising in line with official advice, but there's still a long bank holiday weekend ahead. hugh pym, bbc news. our health editor hugh pym is with me. another terrible daily death toll here in the uk and it comes in a day where the global death toll has surpassed 100,000 people. is there any sign the situation here could be starting to ease? more shocking figures and it seems like the death toll will rise above 1000 in the uk, in terms of new cases each day. the experts look ahead at hospital data, particularly to see whether we are reaching something close to the peak of this epidemic. there was one chart shown today at the downing street briefing on critical care bed usage, patients in critical care, intensive care in the uk. you can see that london number in red is coming down a bit. the midlands has

flattened. scotland and wales are flattened. scotland and wales are flat as well. that is being seen as a little bit of a tentative sign that things at least are beginning to plateau butjonathan van tam, we heard him earlier saying that it was still a dangerous situation. of course, protective equipment is another issue that has cropped up today. matt hancock acknowledging it was a today. matt hancock acknowledging it wasa similar today. matt hancock acknowledging it was a similar problem is with ventilators and testing. it needed businesses to come in and help scale up businesses to come in and help scale up what was available to nhs staff. he hasn't said that before. i think it may need a bit of time for nhs front line staff to be convinced that that equipment really is being made available to them. hugh pym, thank you. temperatures are forecast to hit 26 degrees in some parts of the uk tomorrow. and the government has repeated again the need for people to stay at home unless they go out for the following reasons. you can leave home to exercise once

a day locally, alone or with members of your household. there is no set time limit on this. you can shop but only for basic necessities and as infrequently as possible. and you can go out for any medical need or to provide care for a vulnerable person. you can also travel to or from work, but only if you can't work from home. 0ur correspondent fiona trott reports from scarborough. a picture postcard, and that is because the crowds are missing. what would have been unusual is now the norm. you wouldn't be able to move down here, honest to god, you wouldn't, it'd be absolutely heaving, chock—a—block, beach, pathways, all the shops would be busy, everything. you know, we're not asking a lot, it's only for a short time, not forever. we both work at the hospital so in terms of people staying away, this is what we need. 0ur town and every town, certainly oi'i 0ur town and every town, certainly on the seaside. we need people to stay at home, keep away, keep themselves safe,

to keep us, the nhs safe, so we can say people's lives. and it was notjust scarborough that was deserted, other coastal towns we re was deserted, other coastal towns were empty as well, from southend—on—sea in essex to southwold in sussex. to serve gag nursing lincolnshire, where on a normal easter weekend it would be impossible to find a parking space. today, a different story. sir! no running! that's it. you can only walk on the river walk. in london, officials have been reminding people to keep a distance. sir, could you dismount, please? thank you. in birmingham, rangers have been patrolling the parks... if you're esitting on the bench... you're all right walking around, but staying stationary. are you from the same household or...? ..doing their bit to enforce the rules on social distancing. stay indoors because of covid—19. so you're saying i'm not allowed on my front garden? you cannot come

on yourfront garden. but in rotherham, police were accused of taking things a little too far. south yorkshire police have since apologised and described the incident as well—intentioned but ill—informed. messages like these in scotland have been seen across the uk's tourist spots. and they appear to have made a difference. keswick today — a ghost town. the message to stay at home being heard by all. right now, you have to remember there's still a lot of virus circulating, and if we keep ourselves away from other people, the only way you're going to get it is from an infected person, so staying apart from other people is the key to breaking the transmission chain. and it doesn't get more isolated than this. it's hoped the easter weekend will look exactly the same. fiona trott, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent ben wrightjoins me from westminster.

given the weekend ahead, the ministers are going to be worried about people adhering to these restrictions. very worried and as we heard from government scientists today, the virus continues to spread and they said it is premature to talk about a peak to this pandemic, which is why ministers are imploring people, everybody, to stay at home over the long easter weekend. matt hancock the health secretary said todayit hancock the health secretary said today it would test the nation's resolve but he said people's front door provided far better protection against this virus then any face masks word. these restrictions have beenin masks word. these restrictions have been in place for almost three weeks and they will be reviewed in a few daysin and they will be reviewed in a few days in whitehall but i think the chances of them being lifted sooner are slim. today, the deputy medical officerfor england are slim. today, the deputy medical officer for england said are slim. today, the deputy medical officerfor england said it are slim. today, the deputy medical officer for england said it was essential those social distancing measures continued. these are of course huge issues for the government and boris johnson course huge issues for the government and borisjohnson to grapple with. the prime minister himself continues to convalesce in st thomas' hospital just himself continues to convalesce in st thomas' hospitaljust over the

river, he left intensive care yesterday and is now on a ward. according to number 10 he has taken a couple of orcs and has been able to thank doctors and nurses looking after him. one of his spokesman said earlier the prime minister pass forts were with all of those affected by this terrible disease. thank you. pictures have emerged of a mass grave in new york as the death toll continues to rise. almost 800 more people have died in new york state alone. officials say burials are being increased at the site on hart island off the bronx. it has long been used for people with no next of kin or families who cannot afford a funeral. new york state alone now has more coronavirus cases than any single country in the world. here's our north america editor, jon sopel. it is somehow unimaginable, unbelievable, that in the most famous city of the richest country in the world they're digging mass graves for those who can't afford a funeral, and for those who died of coronavirus with no next of kin. this is hart island, just off the bronx in new york city.

nearly 8000 people have died in this state alone, and they're struggling to deal with all the burials. we are in total control of our destiny here. what we do will affect literally life and death for hundreds of people. and so many new york hospitals have had to bring these refrigerated lorries in to act as makeshift morgues. the whole health care system is creaking. there is an important glimmer of good news, though, and that is the number of people being admitted to hospital is falling sharply. and donald trump, at his briefing today, says he thinks america may be over the worst. the number of beds being used, we were just saying, are substantially reduced. that's usually the sign that it's heading in the downward curve. and he wants to reopen the country for business as soon as possible. i want to get it open as 50011 as we can, we have to get our country open,

jeff. can you say, sir, what metrics you will use to make that decision? the metrics right here, that's my metrics, that's all i can do. on a normal weekend, a tourist venue like the lincoln memorial would be packed with visitors. but america is closed. donald trump hopes to reopen the country on may 1st, but his medical experts are saying be very cautious. the virus kind of decides whether or not it's going to be appropriate to open or not, so even though we're in a holiday season, now is no time to back off. as i say so often, now is the time to actually put your foot on the accelerator, because we're going in the right direction, let's keep in that direction. lord, let us come out with a thriving economy... the president had originally wanted america to reopen for this weekend, with churches packed. but in the oval office today this was the reality — no crowded pews, just a blessing from a bishop. we bless them and america, injesus' name.

and for nearly all other christians, this unique easter will be online, virtual and socially distanced. but one church that will be open is the biggest anglican cathedral in the us — this new york landmark isn't going to be available for worshippers, though. it's being readied as an additional field hospital. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. jon joins me from the white house. trump says america is reaching its peak, which many will find hard to believe. well, donald trump says he is a cheerleader for america, well, donald trump says he is a cheerleaderfor america, and well, donald trump says he is a cheerleader for america, and he well, donald trump says he is a cheerleaderfor america, and he has a lwa ys cheerleaderfor america, and he has always been overoptimistic or, come to say, looking on the bright side of things throughout, but he faces the same dilemma, in a sense, that we had from ben wright that the british government is facing. when is it right to reopen the economy, what do you do about fighting this pandemic? the complicating factor, and it may sound trivial to talk

about it, sophie, is this a presidential election coming in november, and it will happen, because it is in the constitution that it will happen, so donald trump had calculated he would go into this election saying he had lowered unemployment and the stock market is at record highs, he didn't wanted to be the other way around. and so you have an election timetable that is rubbing up against the coronavirus. he wants to be able to say, i tackled the coronavirus and i have kept the economy strong — increasingly, his advisers are saying no, you will have to choose between one or the other, with the coronavirus that seems uniquely disinterested in the election timetable. jon sopel, thank you. doctors have expressed concern that sick children are not being seen early enough, because of the pandemic, and could become seriously ill. the royal college of paediatrics says parents may be reluctant to take a child to hospital fearing they could be infected. daniela relph has been talking to medical staff. if you're worried about the health of your child, please, please, it's absolutely vital that you continue to seek health advice.

some people are not seeking medical advice for their children when they normally would do. if you need medical help, you must seek it. they speak for many paediatricians who are seeing a fall in the number of children they're treating in accident and emergency across a range of common conditions. how have things been different in recent weeks? i'm speaking to people both locally and nationally. it's really, really obvious that we are seeing a huge decline in patient numbers attending. 0ur departments are really, really quiet. we're seeing very little footfall of any children presenting into the department at all. it's stunningly quiet at the moment. doctors believe a number of factors have led to parents avoiding a&e, including the risk of catching covid—19. others don't want to bother the already busy nhs. and then there is also the fear

of being separated from their child. this is now an area of considerable concern for paediatricians. their worry is that the caution of parents and carers is delaying children getting vital treatment. such is the level of unease that the royal college of paediatrics and healthcare will tomorrow issue this set of new guidelines, advising and reminding parents when they should seek medical help for their children. the concerns aren't confined to paediatricians. numbers in general a&e have also dipped, and midwives too have noticed a worrying change. we are finding here that we've got ladies that are actually not coming in. they are either delaying coming in or stopping themselves from contacting the hospital, just in case, because they are worried about covid. it's really, really important that if they have any changes or reduced movements for baby, so if their pattern of movement changes, it's very important

that they come and get checked. the message from medics is clear. yes, stay home, but please get help if you have serious concerns about your child. doctors want to see you. daniela relph, bbc news. many charities have had to stop their work and reduce support for large numbers of vulnerable people. the british red cross says there are thousands of refugees and asylum seekers living in poverty in the uk, although the government says it provides support for those who need it. in calais in france, many migrants remain in makeshift camps hoping to cross to the uk. the bbc‘s fergal keane reports on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting those who have fled persecution or poverty. they look like scenes from the world from before the coronavirus. but we filmed these crowds nearly three weeks into the french

government's lockdown. no social distance for the migrants of calais. good morning! bonjour. bonjour, salut — coffee! try to wash your hands sometimes! no hot food either. a sandwich given by the state — the sole meal of the day for hundreds. this camp is on the edge of an industrial estate about a mile from calais. it might as well be on another planet. and how difficult is it for you here? french volunteers help here every day. have some pity, have some... you wouldn't do this to a dog, would you?

so you're doing it to human beings who are fleeing the war. iam ashamed. i can't sleep at night. i'm... i'm sick of it, you see? these are people, and they've suffered. they're not criminals — they're the opposite. they've been raped, they've been assaulted, they've been ra nsomed, they've been tortured. everybody here wants to get to britain. even under lockdown, it seems a better prospect. i'm on a journey through migrant experiences in calais and in london, and for people who are already living on the margins, the arrival of the coronavirus has been nothing short of catastrophic. but suppose they do make it here — migrants will find an asylum system already backlogged and struggling with the impact of the virus. 0ne undocumented migrant from africa told us she'd survived on odd jobs

and help from friends. we've voiced her words to protect her identity. we're desperate, we have no way of paying rent, can't get anywhere. there are no places offering accommodation, no—one giving you money to buy groceries. foodbanks are closed. in calais now, there are many migrants — a lot of them from africa — who want to get here. what would you say to them? i would tell the migrants in calais not to think it gets easier, not to have that much hope. just because you're not in the camp doesn't mean that you're going to be treated human or... it's just the same circumstances, different setting. even if they can start the asylum process, new arrivals won't get more than about £5.40 a day to buy necessities. is there anything in there which you think they'd like more of that? a few foodbanks still operate.

this british red cross centre in north london opens twice a week for all who are hungry. abdul is an asylum seeker from north africa. i have a daughter and i have a wife, onced worked for restaurant. i'm struggling, that's why i'm coming here, you know? my family doesn't have food at home, that's the thing. this centre is a lifeline for those who are surviving with very few resources. and while this is a charity, the workers here do their level best to make it feel about sharing — living up to the larger rhetoric of unity, of compassion in these desperate times. the world is consumed with fear of sickness and economic crisis. hard times on the margins getting much harder. fergal keane, bbc news. in ireland, the taoiseach, leo varadkar, has said the current restrictions on movement, which were due to expire on sunday, will remain in place for at least another three weeks. but he said it was his fervent hope

to gradually ease them afterwards. in italy, 570 people were confirmed to have died from covid—19 in the past 2a hours, a0 fewer than the day before. the number of confirmed cases also slowed, from just over 4,200 to 3,951. and eu finance ministers have agreed a 500 billion euro rescue package for member states hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but the measures do not go as far as italy and france had demanded. good friday is one of the most signficant days in the christian calendar. but, of course, like everything

else, religious services have had to adapt, as our religion editor, martin bashir, reports. # ave maria...# almost a year since notre dame was devastated by fire, choristers' cassocks are now hidden beneath personal protection equipment during a short good friday service. just seven contributors, no congregation, and the crown of thorns that survived the inferno. christians in the german town of dusseldorf chose another way to worship, organising a drive—in service at a massive car park. the prayers and sermon transmitted to their car radios, in order to obey social distancing rules. while the majority of clergy led worship in isolation, the reverend mia hilborn

spent good friday close to the seriously ill. she's a chaplain at st thomas' hospital in london, where the prime minister is being treated and where florence nightingale established the first international school of nursing in the 19th century. one of the things that she said, florence nightingale, she said that outside are princes and paupers but in her hospital, she wants her nurses to treat every patient as if they were a prince. and i would hope that that is true, that everybody gets treated with the same level of decency, respect, honour and care. and so they should do, it doesn't matter who it is. prime minister or pauper. it doesn't matter. easter services are the best attended liturgies of the christian calendar, but tonight pope francis led worship in a deserted st peter's square.

0ffering words of consolation, he said the crucifixion of christ proved that god sympathised with our suffering because on the cross and in front of the world, he drank the cup of pain down to its dregs. martin bashir, bbc news. nature can have a positive impact on mental welfare, as a number of scientific studies have found. but, of course, the lockdown is making it harder for all of us to get much. so now charities are finding ways to help vulnerable people connect with nature while stuck indoors. 0ur environment correspondent claire marshall reports. if we just close our eyes and take in some shallow breaths. imagine we're walking at the edge of a field.

this is a visualisation — a virtual walk in the countryside, guided by a mental health charity volunteer. there are so many different plants and bushes and trees that come together. and then here... being out in nature can have a powerful impact. and it became a kind of lifeline, really. to feel like there was something i could do, and there was something valuable and beautiful to notice when i didn't feel there was anything. there are many scientific studies that show the health benefits of being in the natural world. so, when we're outside, our blood pressure comes down. 0ur heart rate variability goes up, that's a good thing, our heart rate comes down, and our cortisol levels are reduced, and these are all indicators of reductions in stress. so how to get this on lockdown? some of us don't have gardens... ironically, the therapy now involves

embracing screen time. live online, they share fragments of the natural world they can see from their balconies or gardens. my family and i have been in self—isolation for almost two weeks, because i've got a nasty cough, and it is tough, but we're lucky enough to have a garden. what about people who don't? i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. i work for the nhs in east london. and then, day by day, we started seeing the kind of reality of that, so you know, day by day, staff calling and saying they couldn't make it. vivienne is a nature lover. to cope, she'd normally go to the countryside, but now even the local parks are packed. and what else am i supposed to do to try and pick myself up? yeah, so itjust felt like there's just no point in trying. but people like emily are trying to help, by giving us an intimate glimpse of the private lives of some of our most loved animals. the wildlife trust has set up around 20 webcams across the country.

nationally, we've seen a 275% increase in the number of visitors who are watching it compared to this time last year. huge people are tuning in, and it's so important right now that people are getting that connection with nature, so they're doing it through digital platforms and online wildlife webcams. it may be some comfort to have a look and see that, as human society struggles to cope with the virus, the natural world carries on uninterrupted. claire marshall, bbc news. that's it. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good night.