welcome to bbc news. where focusing on the very latest coronavirus developments nationally and globally. new figures showed the united states has suffered largest one day death toll. according to numbers compiled byjohn hopkins university, 2,108 people died in the past 2a hours. united states has the highest number of cases in the world at nearly half a million. it's also suffered the highest number of deaths. —— almost,

just behind italy. the state has more confirmed cases than any single country in the world. pictures have now emerged of a mass grave being used in new york city as the death toll there continues to rise. 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 8,000 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 numbers 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 soon 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 1 may, 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, in jesus' 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 won't be available for worshippers, though. it's being readied as an additional field hospital. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. let's bring you some more

coronavirus news 110w let's bring you some more coronavirus news now from around the world. france has recorded almost a thousand deaths in the past 2a hours. it brings the total death toll there to more than 13,000. the authorities save almost a third of those who died were nursing homes and in other care facilities. meanwhile, in italy, 570 people have now died from covid—19 in the past 2a hours. but that is a0 fewer than the day before. the number of confirmed cases also slowed from just over a200, two 3591. italy has of course been one of the countries hardest hit by the countries hardest hit by the pandemic with over 18,000 confirmed deaths. and in ireland, leo the radtke has said the current restrictions on movement will remain in place for at least another three weeks but has said that it was his fervent hope to ease them gradually after that

point. you can find out more about the pandemic on our website. including the latest on the british prime minister and how president trump plans to support coronavirus hotspots in the us. now, the uk has recorded its highest daily increase in deaths in hospitals due to the coronavirus and friday was the third day in a row in which trish health authority said almost a thousand people died from covid—19. that takes the total number of deaths in the uk to almost 9000. the prime minister borisjohnson uk to almost 9000. the prime minister boris johnson is uk to almost 9000. the prime minister borisjohnson is out of intensive care and continues to improve in hospital where he has thanked the whole clinical tea m has thanked the whole clinical team treating him for the care he has received. he says his thoughts are with all of those who have been affected by this terrible disease. he warned about the lack of protective equipment for nhs staff. soon after that, dr abdull 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 at one trust say they've had conflicting messages, with guidelines on whether to use an apron 01’ 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, that 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 that 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 our 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 hospitalfor 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. now, doctors have expressed concern that six children are not being seen early enough because of the pandemic and have become seriously ill. the royal college of paediatrics as pa rents royal college of paediatrics as parents may be reluctant to ta ke parents may be reluctant to take a child to hospital fearing they could be infected will stop if you're worried about the health of your child,

please, please, it's absolutely vital that you continue to seek help and advice was worth some people are not seeking medical advice for their children. when they normally would do. three if you need medical help, you must seek it. tastes big for many paediatricians who are seeing a fall in the number of children they are seeing in accident and emergency across a range of conditions. how have things been different in recent weeks? i'm speaking to people late lee and nationally, it is really, really obvious that we are seeing a huge decline in patient numbers attending our departments. they are really, really quiet and we are seeing very little instances of children presenting into departments at all. it is 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. 0thers 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 the child. this is now an area of considerable concern or paediatricians. they are worried that the caution of pa rents are worried that the caution of parents and carers is delaying children getting vital treatment. such is the level of monies that the royal college of paediatrics and healthcare will tomorrow issue this set of new guidelines, advising and reminding parents of 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 are worrying change. we are finding here that we have got ladies that are actually not coming in. they arrive either delaying coming in or stopping themselves from contacting the hospital just themselves from contacting the hospitaljust in case... because they are worried about covid—19. it is really, really important that if they have any

changes or reduced movements of their baby, so if their pattern of movement changes, it is very important they come and get checked. the message from medics is clear, yes, stay at home but please get help if you have serious concerns about your child. doctors want to see you. daniella ralph, bbc news. it's becoming clear that widespread testing for coronavirus is going to be crucial as countries try to navigate their way out of the crisis but there is confusion about what that means and how it might be achieved. most scientists agree that testing is crucial. part of the way we can get out of lockdown and resume normal life. a simple message for all countries, test, test, test. there are two main types of test for coronavirus. at the moment, wheezing something called a pcr test. normally taken with a

swab, these are for genetic material related to the virus. are asking the question, does that person have the virus in their system at the time of the test? it detects a particular gene of the virus itself. pcr testing can help if someone currently has the virus, crucial for both patients and healthcare workers. but it needs to be analysed in a laboratory stop that takes time and is expensive. it needs skilled staff and chemicals called reagents which are in supply. short one reason why many countries have struggled to increase testing rates. some, like south korea, have moved much faster than others. testing, along with infection tracking, is partly how it's managed to keep deaths at a low level translation: we set this up level translation: we set this up as an alternative where many people can get tested in a short space of time. the second type of test looks for antibodies in blood. this is much faster. just needs prick of blood that can either be

sent off in the post or even analysed at home. the antibody testing reveals who's been exposed and who has mounted an immune response to the virus. so it is a pretty good guess as to whether a person may already be immune to the virus. antibody test is cheap and does not need a laboratory to process the results but does not work straightaway. it can ta ke not work straightaway. it can take weeks after infection to produce enough antibodies to measure and there are real questions about the accuracy of the test produced so far. if we can the test produced so far. if we ca n prove the test produced so far. if we can prove they work though, there are clear advantages. can prove they work though, there are clear advantagesm will allow us to test healthcare workers and their families to see if indeed they have had a covert infection. —— covid—19. and that would allow a lot of healthcare workers to return to the front line. another topic that has been discussed is the use of a covid—19 passport that says you had the infection and can now return to work more generally. the idea is an immunity passport might let someone

leave lockdown if tests show that eveready had the disease. but it is controversial. it's going to open up a lot of ethical issues about whether it will create a three tiered society with not being able to work on the other not. we've already been accused of in the media today of a sort of police states. there is an awful lot of societal ramifications about how this is going to be used. there is a third type of test which firms are developing. rapid antigen tests can detect and ongoing coronavirus infection. but rather than all this and serve lab work needed for a pcr test, there should be far cheaper and quicker based ona far cheaper and quicker based on a nasal swab or saliva sample. that could be critical in parts of the world that might not have advanced testing facilities. we might expect that some companies will be able to deliver a rapid test for a pound or two. that would really be a game changer, especially in health sectors where after ten minutes we could identify a large number

of people who have been affected. the next test is to prove whether these desk and worked effectively weekly. it's not one but the combination of all of these technologies that can perhaps keep it virus in check until a vaccine is developed. that was jim check until a vaccine is developed. that wasjim reed reporting there. this is bbc news, a reminder of the headlines. most burials have begun a new yorker over 2000 hours from coronavirus were recorded in the last 2a hours —— mass. over half a million covid—19 cases have been confirmed in the us. uk has confirmed its highest daily death told, almost a thousand people died in british hospitals injust thousand people died in british hospitals in just the thousand people died in british hospitals injust the past thousand people died in british hospitals in just the past 2a hours. —— toll. the british red cross as there are thousands of refugees and asylum—seekers living in poverty in the uk and in calais, in france, many migrants remain in makeshift camps hoping to cross to the united kingdom. fergal keane reports on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting those who have fled persecution or

poverty. they look like scenes from the world 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 a n asylu m system already backlogged and struggling with the the impact of the virus. one undocumented migrant from africa told us she'd survived on odd jobs and help from friends. we've voiced her words to protect their identity. we're desperate, we have no way of paying rent, can't get any where. 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.a0 a day

to buy necessities. is there anything in there that 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.

now, the spread of the pandemic has pushed people and technology to the limits. many health workers have voiced concerns about the lack of medical and protective equipment, but it has also inspired people to come up with new ideas and new solutions, as tim allman now explains. in the age of coronavirus help can come in all shapes and sizes. this is an isolation capsule, the brainchild of the peruvian air force. the idea is simple, you can transport people within a hospital, but you avoid any risk of spreading the virus. translation: patients often had to be moved from one place to another. they may be in intensive care and they may need some tests, such as a scan. that transfer can be done in this capsule. scientists in uruguay have developed a new type of ventilator. they say it is affordable, easy to make and, crucially, patent—free — that means any

person or company can build one, hopefully easing the strain on the country's health system. translation: we are definitely pleased with our work. it is really fulfilling to have contributed, even in a small way. we hope they will not be needed. if they are, we have made a positive contribution. there are new inventions but also new uses for existing technology. these vending machines popping up on the streets of poland, do not sell chocolate orfizzy drink. they provide facemasks, gloves and hand sanitiser — vital, necessary equipment in the world under lockdown. and here, in the glamorous french city of cannes, they are using drones to disinfect the streets. any advantages technology can bring is being embraced. tim allman, 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 of it. so now charities are finding ways to help vulnerable people connect with nature stuck indoors. 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. our 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, so 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'sjust 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.

well, that is just about it from me for now. you can follow me and some of the team on twitter. but first you can go to the weather. hello there. good friday brought temperatures of 25 degrees in parts of cornwall and in jersey. the warmest day of the year so far. i think saturday will be every bit as warm. high pressure not far away from the british isles, but also areas of low pressure and frontal systems encroaching from the north—west. as these fronts work in, they will be bringing areas of cloud and some splashes of rain. so rather a cloudy start for much of scotland and northern ireland. some showers here and there. we see this band of cloud getting down into northern england through the day. so for parts of scotland, for northern ireland, it should brighten up with some sunshine. for north of scotland likely to see cloud and patchy rain, with a brisk breeze as well. the further south you are across england and wales, long spells of sunshine lifting those temperatures. in one or two places, up to 25—26 degrees. and with that warmth, i think we will see

some quite isolated but potentially heavy downpours and thunderstorms breaking out, as we go through saturday evening, and into the early hours of sunday. another frontal system will bring cloud and patchy rain back in across scotland and northern ireland, on what will be, well, not a particularly cold night. temperatures typically between 6 and 10 degrees. so for easter sunday, its northern and western part of the uk that have the greatest chance of seeing some outbreaks of rain. this frontal system here making quite erratic progress in from the north—west. the further south and east you are across england and wales, still some sunshine. one or two showers again. some warmth to be had here, with temperatures up to around 23 degrees but, with a northerly wind developing across the northern half of the british isles, well, here feeling much, much cooler. and that cooler trend takes us into easter monday. this area of low pressure just slides away southwards. and high pressure builds

in from the north. while the wind flow around high pressure is in a clockwise direction and that will pull this much colder air down across the uk. with that, a fair amount of cloud feeding into northern and eastern parts of scotland, down the eastern side of england. the best of the sunshine where you get some shelter from the winds, towards the south—west of england, wales, perhaps parts of northern ireland as well. but that wind will be noticeable, especially for northern and eastern coasts so that's going to make it feel really chilly. seven degrees at best in newcastle and even for cardiff and plymouth, the top temperatures of just 13 degrees.

welcome to bbc news. new york starts to bury some of the deadin new york starts to bury some of the dead ina new york starts to bury some of the dead in a mass grave as the city tries to deal with the rapidly growing number of deceased. the

state has now recorded over 7000 deaths from coronavirus. across the us, over half a million covid—19 cases have been confirmed. has recorded its high list daily death toll so far with almost a thousand people have died. the british public us “— people have died. the british public us —— the british government asked the public to stay at home this weekend after fears the good weather at easter weekend will get people to go out. large charities are to reduce support population of honourable people. the british red cross is our thousands of refugees and asylum seekers living in living in poverty in the uk. in calais in france, many migrants remain in makeshift camps hoping to cross to the united kingdom. nearly £2 million have been lost in coronavirus —related fraud in the uk since the outbreak began. the bbc has learnt that most of it relates to bogus companies selling