this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. an experimental drug developed to treat ebola is approved by us officials for emergency use on severely—ill coronavirus patients. a different approach in the uk, where doctors are to trial treating critically—ill patients with blood plasma from covid—19 survivors. could temperature checks be the key for commuters to get back on public transport? it's thought to be one post—lockdown option under consideration. adults flock outdoors to exercise in spain, as one of the countries worst affected by coronavirus further eases its strict lockdown rules. and smiling and smoking. north korea's kimjong—un reappears

in public after a three—week absence, putting an end to rumours about his health. hello. authorities in the united states have approved the use of an anti—viral drug which they believe may help treat coronavirus. the emergency authorisation by the food and drug administration means the medicine can now be used on patients in hospital with severe covid—19. a recent clinical trial claimed to show the drug helped shorten the recovery time for people who were seriously ill. experts have warned it should not be seen as a miracle cure for treating coronavirus. remdesivir is already used to treat

those suffering from ebola. here in the uk, more than 6,500 people have registered their interest to take part in a uk trial to see if blood plasma from coronavirus survivors can treat hospital patients with covid—19. as lockdown restrictions in certain corners of the world are further relaxed, commuters in the uk could be asked to take their temperature before leaving home, as part of proposals to make public transport safer. it's understood to be among measures being considered for when restrictions are lifted here. adults in spain are being allowed to exercise outdoors today, as one of europe's strictest lockdowns is further eased. the rules there have already been relaxed for children. and, according to north korean state media, the country's leader kimjong—un has appeared in public for the first time in nearly three weeks, ending an absence that prompted international rumours about his health. with all the developments from the united states, this report from our correspondent

david willis. could it prove a game changer? remdesivir is an antiviral drug that appears to help severely ill coronavirus patient recover. announcing that federal regulators had approved emergency use of the drug. president trump said it also had the backing of his advisers.” president trump said it also had the backing of his advisers. i spoke with the doctors about it, and it is really a promising situation. earlier this week, the government's infectious diseases expert showed

a clinical trail had show remdesivir could block the virus and help patients recover more quickly. the data shows that remdesivir has a clear—cut significant positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery. manufactured by the californian pharmaceutical company gilead, remdesivirfailed as a treatment for ebola, but shortened the infection time of coronavirus by more than 30%, on average about four days. nor a vaccination or a cure, it is so far the most promising treatment to date. large parts of this country are finally, tentatively starting to reopen. texas has reopened its beaches but restaurants and shopping centres have been ordered to limit their capacity to 25% for two more weeks at least. the united states remains the global epicentre of the coronavirus, a million cases and counting and more than 63,000 deaths. medical experts are warning that by reopening their economies too

quickly, some states could run the risk of sparking a second wave of the pandemic. president trump ended his 30 day white house lockdown by flying —— president trump ended his 32 day white house lockdown by flying to camp david for a weekend of talks with his advisers, or part of an attempt to kick—start the american economy ahead of elections later this year. meanwhile, the hunt for a cure for the virus goes on. david willis, bbc news. meanwhile, here in the uk, doctors are working on a very different potential treatment for coronavirus. a clinical trial would see patients treated with blood plasma from people who have had the virus, and since recovered. so far, donors have given enough plasma, which is the liquid part of the blood, to treat 150 people. here's more from our health correspondent, catherine burns. here is the hope. this golden liquid is blood plasma. the trial will ask if it could give critically ill people instant protection against the coronavirus

attacking their body. so far, there is no proven treatment for covid—i9. this study aims to change that. it doesn't involve new, expensive drugs though, but something freely given. zahid sarfaz is a hospital doctor, he has had the virus and has treated people with it as well. every step we are taking right now on government level, hospital level is to find a cure for this disease, which has affected billions of people around the globe. so i feel really privileged and excited that i'm actually playing some role in that. when zahid or anyone else was sick, his immune system would have made anti—bodies to attack the coronavirus. these build up over about a month and are found in blood plasma. donations are happening across the uk. 150 people in england have already donated and each one can give enough to treat another person. so far, 6,500 people in england have gone online to say they are interested in donating.

others who had the virus will get phone calls asking if they want to be involved. doctors are now looking for suitable patients to give the plasma to. what we are essentially giving is a rapid protection against the virus, and we are hoping that by clearing the virus quickly because of this rapid protection by the antibody, it'll help nations recover quickly. —— it'll help patients recover quickly. it's early days but if this works, the hope is we could have an effective treatment against coronavirus. catherine burns, bbc news. another uk the uk government has hit its testing target, providing more than 120,000 coronavirus tests in a day by the end of april.

i'm joined now by dr andrew preston, an infectious disease researcher from the university of bath. thank you forjoining us. let's talk about the hopes for a cure, what are your thoughts on remdesivir, blood plasma, are you hopeful?” your thoughts on remdesivir, blood plasma, are you hopeful? i think it isa plasma, are you hopeful? i think it is a combination therapies that are likely to be needed, treatments to individual patients. i think each time we get some sort of treatment available, even if it is not what sort of most people would consider a cure, that is going to certainly help. are there any out there, as you scan the horizon, that you think the audience should feel encouraged by? we have got large number of countries working on this, the chinese are couple of months ahead, given they had their first expense of the virus a couple of months ahead, have they got anything positive to offer? everything is being thrown out this. u nfortu nately, being thrown out this. unfortunately, drugs have a high

failure rate. remdesivir was actually developed really is a treatment for a bowler and despite showing high promise in laboratories studies, it actually felt to show any real effect when used in treating ebola. randazzo murray has had a lot of attention focused on —— remdesivir, if you scale up for day shortening of the hospital stay in showing symptoms, if you scale that up showing symptoms, if you scale that up against all that the clinical facilities, if you can shorten the duration by four days each covert mac patient, that has a significant effect on easing this strain on clinicalfacilities. —— effect on easing this strain on clinical facilities. —— mike effect on easing this strain on clinicalfacilities. —— mike each covid—i9 patient. blood plasma, is inoculated animals with early vaccines and then use

that plasma for treatment from anthrax to diphtheria. it has been trod a lot for other viral infection such as influenza, it has got a decent track record. each deceit as health is unique. we need to work out what is the best time for these different treatments, do we have to use them early on patients or can they be used once we know that a patient isn't looking as they are looking for severe disease and help to help that critical? we on the photos i have a very long and steep climb, it sounds like. absolutely. -- it climb, it sounds like. absolutely. —— it sounds like we are on the foothills. they come and have said they have reached their testing target of 100,000 test, you celebrating with them? 100,000 with pretty out of it she to be honest. i think it was a demonstration of our ability to ramp up demonstration of our ability to ramp up testing. it is not as if we are going to stop

110w. it is not as if we are going to stop now. it is not exactly the 100,000 means that coronavirus is going to go away anytime soon, i think the important thing is can we test the numbers of people that we need to add bonnie phase are that is going to change as we move through different phases of this pandemic andi different phases of this pandemic and i think is the government announced this week the plan for using lockdown, i think it will see a new chapter in our testing regime. the next question will be how many tests do we need to do, to maintain that sort of contact and tracing regime, and are we able to scale up to do that and do that within the timescale. the time when someone has requested attacks, from the time they get the result back, can we make that turnaround time sufficient to enable the easing lockdown restrictions work with mike you have pose some excellent questions. now could you please answer them. we are looking at this, trying to estimate based on different scenarios. it all depends on how

many cases start to show up when we start to ease lockdown. i don't think anyone can awesomely say we know what that might be. 0r think anyone can awesomely say we know what that might be. or we can do is raise different scenarios and then estimate the number of tests that might be required. all of this all depends on how well the tracing apparatus works, both the app that is going to be trialled, and how well people take to using that app and to report the symptoms. if people do not self—report that they are showing covid—19 symptoms and the whole system does not work. doctor preston, we are going to have to leave it there. it has been a fascinating talking to you. thank you. you are welcome. today is the first day in weeks that millions of spanish citizens have been allowed out of their homes, with people hitting the streets for exercise. it marks the beginning of a gradual and careful staged process of easing coronavirus restrictions in the country. 0ur europe correspondent damian grammaticas, who's in valencia, explained how

it will work. it's quiet right now, because we're at the point where the spanish government has said people have to change over and so what we've had is, in the morning, up until right now, adults allowed out to exercise. so we've had people out here on their bikes, outjogging, going for a walk, that's adults. at ten o'clock in the morning, the government said that has to change, they all go back inside and now we've got pensioners, the elderly, anyone over 70 is allowed out for two hours, between ten and midday and then in the afternoon, children will be allowed out. the idea behind this is that it keeps the age groups apart and tries to limit the risk of infection, particularly in the elderly and that vulnerable population. it's this sort of daily timetable we have now got, but it is only for an hour each and it is,

as you are pointing out, the first time in 48 days the people have been allowed outside. we are going to stay in spain. while the lockdown in spain might be easing, health care workers are still having to treat those people who become unwell and are warning about a lack of protective equipment, which puts them much more at risk when treating highly—infectious patients. dr elena klusova treats critically ill patients as a doctor with the mobile intensive care unit and helicopter emergency medical service. yes exactly, good morning. yes exactly, good morningm yes exactly, good morning. it is great to talk to you, tell us what work you do and what it involves and what kind of equipment you need. thank you very much for inviting me to your programme. it is very nice that you have given me the opportunity, a simple family doctor working in emergency, to speak from the first line of the wall with this

pandemic. to all of your programme listeners. my work is in intensive ca re listeners. my work is in intensive care mobile unit, and we also provide the helicopter transport service to the critical patients, we work in the islands. sometimes we have the necessity to transport the patient to barcelona and to valencia if the situation of the patient requires this. we are seeing some photographs of you in protective gear, but along with doctors in uk, germany, the united states, peru, india, etc, you are concerned that the ppe equipment, you're collating is not doing thejob. equipment, you're collating is not doing the job. —— equipment, you're collating is not doing thejob. —— your clothing.

that is partially true. i know that this pandemic was unprecedented tragedy, and i know that all the governments, all the systems and all of the world are overwhelmed with this. the efforts of all the countries with huge, still in spite of this it is quite understandable that when we face these enemies so unknown, a new enemy, in the first stages of the struggle with the pandemic, with covid—19, we were very badly prepared and our strategy was very insufficient. basically in the beginning of the pandemic here in spain, we suffered a real lack of equipment and even now, five weeks after, we continue having problems

with the quality of the equipment, with the quality of the equipment, with the quality of the equipment, with the protection equipment that we use, because of the fragility of them, because of the easiness of the break with a small effort, just the poor quality of the equipment means we are highly exposed to the contagion and we are highly exposed to the transmission of the virus, to the very vulnerable patients. on the exposure and vulnerability of medical care workers themselves, 27,000 or more spanish health care workers have been infected. i know you have had to take all kinds of measures to kind of steak with sticky tape your gloves to your sleeves, your beats to your trousers

and put black in bags around your feet, i know doctors in india have been making do with motorbike helmets and plastic raincoats. if you are talking to health care workers and others who are dealing with vulnerable people, what would be your advice to how they can, in the absence of good ppe equipment provided by the health authorities, how they can make or equip themselves themselves? it is complicated. to tell you the truth, it is not reliable quality, the ppe, and the facial masks, and the ppe, and the facial masks, and the gowns which we can manufacturer by ourselves because, really, the virus has very particular characteristics and the quality of the material cannot be just imitated

by the materials which are not enough. evidently, we have lots of videos which explain how the doctors, nurses, health workers are making their protective gear with bin bags, plasters, there is lots of help on behalf of the population making cloth maths for us, as well as protection screens, facial protection screens. still all these really is not enough to my mind, because if we are protesting now, it is because we need correct protection, which will protect us really from the infection and which

will protect our patients. doctor elena klusova, thank you so much for joining us. we salute you and other health care workers around the world who are doing their best to protect patients were not being adequately protected themselves. you are welcome. as governments around the world begin to look at ways to ease restrictions on public transport, in the uk commuters could be asked to check their temperature before leaving home, it's understood to be one of several options being looked at for when the coronavirus lockdown is eased. i'm joined now by our political correspondent, jonathan blake. what do we know about this plan of this proposal? the prime minister has promised a comprehensive plan to lift such certain lockdown measures in place and open up parts of the uk economy, which as we've seen over the last three weeks, have been severely restricted or shut down entirely and this has been reported

by the times this morning, as one pa rt by the times this morning, as one part of what could form part of that plan. although it is far from confirmed, we are to hold, but it is being looked at that the idea people could be asked to take the temperature before they use public transport, simply taking it at home using their own means. but you could see how it would work as potentially to allow people to feel safe and travel safely on trains and trains and buses and tube trains, which of course are going to see huge numbers of people, potentially, in the near or more distant future, travelling ina or more distant future, travelling in a confined space. as i say, it is not confirmed, the department for transport saying express icons looking at best practice around the world to the uk's response to coronavirus —— saying they are co nsta ntly coronavirus —— saying they are constantly looking. would you have to prove that your temperature is normal? no details of how this would work in practice, i think simply it is an idea that is being looked at. there is no

suggestion that there is going to be enforced temperature checking, and i think it would be something that people are asked to do, encouraged to do themselves and that people would do that of their own accord before using public transport. jonathan, thank you. now, a nonviolent story, or potentially at least. —— a non—virus story. the north korean leader kimjong—un has appeared in public for the first time in nearly three weeks, ending an absence that prompted international rumours about his health. we received these images in the past hour — courtesy of the country's official news agency — of kim jong—un opening a fertiliser plant near the capital pyongyang. 0ur correspondent, laura bicker, explained the significance of the new pictures. well, you can see kimjong—un clearly walking, talking, waving to crowds, cutting ribbons and laughing with officials, hundreds of people are present. the crowds are wearing masks,

but the officials around kim jong—un are not. he certainly looks very much alive and quite well. he's seen smoking throughout the pictures so that suggests perhaps there hasn't been any problems with his lungs, as some have suggested. now, this all came about because the north korean leader was last seen on april 11th and he didn't turn up for a key celebration on april 15th. it's the celebration of his grandfather, the founder of north korea, it's unprecedented for him not to turn up, so it raised a few eyebrows here in seoul. then a few days later came a report on a website called the daily nk, which is partly run by north korean defectors. it said that a source in north korea had said that the north korean leader had had a heart operation or some kind of heart procedure and was recovering. that then ballooned into international coverage and headlines that range from he was gravely ill, to he was in a coma. and also that perhaps he was indeed

hiding from covid—19. now, it seems that these headlines have either been disproved or we don't really know where he's been for the last two weeks. has he been ill? has he had some kind of procedure? it's very hard to tell. state media would never comment on the supreme leader's health. in fact, his true health will only be known to a handful of people. it's worth noting that officials here in seoul have said throughout that nothing unusual was noted in north korea. and today, the unification ministry has said that the last two weeks of speculation has come at a cost and says it shows the danger of using unconfirmed sources. laura, it's not the first time to the north korean leader has gone out of public sight for some time, is it? no, the last time he was missing for a0 days, he turned up kind of sporting a cane.

many people at the time, during his absence, had said there'd been a political coup. he turned up fine. at the time again, they did not comment on why he was carrying a cane. some people said he might have had an operation to remove a cyst. others said that he may have had gout. he's also not the first certainly north korean leader to go missing and be absent for long periods of time. other officials also go missing and are presumed dead, only to turn up later. itjust goes to show how difficult it is to report on a country that is closed off to the rest of the world. and within the last few months, it's been even more difficult because since january 30th, north korea closed its borders due to the covid—19 pandemic. it is difficult getting any kind of information and each source has to be checked carefully. and, as i said, officials here in seoul had tried to downplay rumours that anything was really wrong, that he was either gravely ill. however, now, it does appear and he certainly looks very much alive and well in those pictures

that we've seen today. laura bicker. you are watching bbc news. nhs england is urging parents not to avoid routine vaccination appointments for their children. there are fears that diseases like measles and mumps could make a return if immunisations fall because patients are scared of catching coronavirus when they visit a health centre or gp surgery. anna collinson reports. the idea has been likened to a fast—food drive through. you pull up, and you get yourjab. hello, beautiful. in this case, an mmr vaccine to protect 13—month—old safah from diseases like measles and mumps. well done. this drive—through may not be as fun, but doctors say

a few tears are worth it for essential vaccinations. three weeks ago, this surgery saw a big drop in vaccinations. patients said they were scared they would come into contact with coronavirus in the waiting rooms. hello. hello, daddy. back again. how are you? so they started vaccinating outside the surgery, and people can come on car or foot. perfect, thank you so much. so the first part where there would be a verbal explanation is done on the telephone and the nurse comes outjust to give you the injection, so the face—to—face contact is only two minutes, not 10 minutes, and goes back in and all the records are written up without the patient there. despite pressures from covid—19, medical officials in england, wales and scotland all agree essential vaccinations need to continue, unless a person is experiencing symptoms. they say it's essential in preventing outbreaks of diseases. if you are due a routine immunisation, so it's either your baby or child or if you are pregnant, please get in touch with your surgery and keep your appointment. there are going to be people watching, saying,

even though you've got this new set—up, coming to the doctors is just too risky because of coronavirus. what would you say to them? please come and protect your children. life is all about risks and benefits. the benefits of having your children vaccinated is so much greater. it would be a tragedy, and i feel i would have failed, if we saw measles or diphtheria make a comeback. thank you so much, daddy! 0k, see you! anna collinson, bbc news. the republic of ireland will begin a phased lifting of its lockdown restrictions in just over two weeks, the country's prime minister leo varadkar has announced. small social gatherings outside will be allowed from may the 18th, and larger shops will open. it's hoped cafes and restaurants will re—open by the end ofjune. museums and places of worship will follow in mid—july, and children will return to school in september. the indian government has made it compulsory for all public and private sector employees to use

a smartphone app designed to trace people who may have been infected with coronavirus. (the move comes as delhi starts to ease some of its lock down measures in lower—risk areas. the app, called bridge to healthcare, was launched last month. it alerts users who have come in contact with people later found to be positive for covid—19. privacy advocates are concerned about how the collected data might infringe people's privacy. there has been a signficant fall in the murder rate in el salvador, which is one of the world's most violent countries. according to official data, there were 4111 homicides in the first four months of the year — down 58% on the same period in 2019. el salvador has introduced strict quarantine rules to try to stop the spread coronavirus. the week, president bukele authorized the use of lethal force

against gang members. now while millions of indians have been told to stay at home, there are some beneficiaries of the lockdown. the less polluted air and cleaner water have attracted tens of thousands of flamingos to a lake in mumbai, turning it pink. the migration of the birds is an annual phenomenon but not usually on such a scale. flamingo numbers in the mumbai metropolitan region are reported to have topped 150,000 in the first week of april. some benefits. now it's time for a look at the weather with susan powell. hello, rather couple of showery days, good for the gardens. some beautiful images from our weather watchers. in terms of weather for going out in the garden and for exercising today, a lot of fine conditions found across the uk through the afternoon, a rushed view

shopper shows for the south east