coverage in this program spans continents in bus robbie's in tehran chalons is in london trafalgar square but we start with there's life for us in hong kong so do mixed messages mixed news coming to us out of china. that's right peter he said there are 200 percent increase in imported cases this week in china for the longest time china had been battling the the outbreak within its borders and now it's having to fight cases that are coming into the country and many of these people that are coming into the country are students or other residents who had been abroad and are facing lockdowns in other parts of the world and are returning home china has warned about this and has taken very heavy steps to try and enforce screening in fact they've stopped allowing flights to come straight into beijing diverting many of them to smaller cities where the passengers will be screens and if they are seen as having passed the test they will then be sent to beijing and then put in quarantine centers china the government has been warning about this from the start saying that they can't control what happen

but aside from the shot and you can see just how desolate trafalgar square is at the moment this of course one of the most iconic parts of london one of the busiest squares in the world normally. see if they can find a bus they seem to have just disappeared at the moment and we can see how empty public transport is the moments the london mass of the car has been asking specifically for anyone who is not doing a critical job critical for the running of the country to stay off public transport to basically keep that resource is being restricted in its operation keep that resource free for the people who need to use it to keep the country running essentially we have had over the last 24 hours or so an announcement from the u.k. government that pubs are closing restaurants are closing schools shut for the last time yesterday in goodness knows how long i was one of many parents who went down to pick up their kids from school yesterday not knowing when they're going to be back doing normal lessons again this is a country that almost overnight has had a complete transformation in its social its c

in the united states but starting with her a challenge in trafalgar square in london rory. yes it's a much much quieter central london than usual as you would expect considering the measures that the governments of the u.k. has taken in the last 48 hours or so schools have shut down friday was the last day of any school kid or university student for the foreseeable future they don't know parents don't know when school kids and students will be going back to normal lessons to start again exams have been canceled and then also we have the government ordered to shut down gyms leisure centers restaurants cafes essentially there is nothing to go out for anymore the government is still not saying that it is going to ban or forbid people going out but it is taking away many of the reasons for doing so and that's why you see that this is a much quieter trafalgar square than usual essentially the government here is ordering public life and economic life in this country in order to try and tackle the corona virus outbreak it has not just stepped in to try to prop up businesses which

and on the front page of the guardian, an image of an empty trafalgar square.son is now forced to act on schools after virus spreads faster than anticipated.‘ the daily mail's headline reads ”schools out, exams axed' and questions whether ministers are now considering a total lockdown in london. and the front page of the financial times reports the pound is taking a hit as london may be forced to go into lockdown. let's did on the site, i'm still getting used to this new way of doing things, looking to the left another red. do you want to take us away first on the time stories on the schools? this is totally unprecedented, even on the second world war, british schools stayed open but on friday, the prime minister announced today that they are going to shut and he is also saying that exams in the summer are being cancelled, so you have all of these students and school veteran floods of tears because they were expecting to sit there a levels and now they're worried that if they don't get the right grades, assessed them, that they want get the necessities that the

from roundhay park in leeds, one of the biggest in europe, almost deserted, to trafalgar square in londonlly crowded, evidence of social distancing in action. but we won't know how well it's working for two to three weeks. in this critically important time, the prime minister, borisjohnson, himself infected, has been chairing meetings while in self—isolation. and he has written a letter to be sent to 30 million homes across the uk with a stark message. "it's important for me to level with you," he says. "we know things will get worse before they get better. but we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal." but that won't come soon. the daily briefing at number ten made that very clear. over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three week review. we will see where we are going. we need to keep that lid on and then gradually, we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal. so i think three weeks for revie

. >> we must act like any wartime government >> reporter: this is the world famous t trafalgar square and look how it's changed. an isolated spanish woman while her neighbors sing happy birthday kier simmons, nbc news, london >> as tom costello showed us a bit ago here in the u.s. hospitals pushed to their limit already. new york's governor sounded the alarm over a shortage of live saving ventilators here's nbc's cynthia mcfadden >> as we sit here today are there enough ventilators in this country? >> in a worst-case scenario ventilators would be one of the choke points if you will for an effective response >> reporter: dr. thomas freeman wud head of the cdc during the obama administration >> it's not clear we would have enough in any worst-case scenario that's one thing health care facilities need to get ready to surge. >> reporter: they're trying this little company in washington state, ventec life systems is on the receiving end of many of those calls. >> we're talking to federal, state and local authorities from cdc to hhs as well as other states around the country. we're talking

pretty much lockdown but starting with chalons well there's a few people behind you there in trafalgar square in london rory but nothing like it would usually be on a saturday afternoon. yeah it's quiet it's not empty but it is it is quiet many many fewer people than would be normally here this obviously iconic square famous throughout the world a huge tourist attraction and one of the main kind of parts of the city and yet today is oddly anyone here on my way to this place this morning that the most people i saw with those who accused up outside supermarkets whiting for those shops to open the government's prime minister has spoken out against panic buying over the last couple of days but it doesn't seem to stop people getting down there as early as they could to try and stock up on. nor perishable goods things that they can start. for the tough times that they believe coming in the last few days we've seen schools shut down for goodness knows how long we don't know when they're going to be opening again colleges universities to shut down as well the government announced on friday the cafes

this lockdown goes on very testing isn't it thank you rory chalons in london for us there in trafalgar square now china i want to look at now which as we mentioned has seen an increasing number of imported coronavirus cases it is sparking fears of perhaps a 2nd wave of infections just as the nation recovers from the initial outbreak in hong kong to view the pollen is reporting for us and says the government is stepping up its measures to stop the rise. for the longest time china had been battling the outbreak within its borders and now it's having to fight cases that are coming into the country and many of these people that are coming into the country are students or other residents who had been abroad and are facing lost sounds in other parts of the world and are returning home china has warned about this and has taken very heavy steps to try and for screening in fact that stopped allowing flights to come straight into beijing diverting many of them to smaller cities where the passengers will be screened and if they are seen as having passed the test they will then be sent to beijing and the

and now it looks like trafalgar square because everybody is going for country walks.r country walks. how does itjust get cut off? do you expect people to follow instructions given your so connected to the rest of europe? in the draft proposal, they have not talked about transport and about closing down apples for example. if you cannot leave lombardy presumably you cannot life but nothing in the proposal about that and they are talking about bringing in extra police and even the military to make sure the borders are kept separate. it is crazy, it is absolutely crazy. when you speak to people, your neighbours, your friends, is there any resentment about these potential instructions, people shrugging their shoulders and getting on with it? well, initially there were, initially, but now people are starting to take it more seriously, luckily, because i have to defend italy in this — italy has been slandered as the worst place, the place that spread it all over the world. but italy was the place that did most tests. so of course they found more victims because they were do

it's notjust the lack of people here in trafalgar square which is so eerie.re going to survive. in hackney, north east london, the bird cage pub is open, but there are no customers. the people are being told not to come, but the bars are not being told what to do. i work full time in a bar and it's myjob to be here. but what do i do, for example? or what does the premises do? do we shut? do we not shut? do we stay open to the public? there is no solution to it, for us. round the corner, this shop is busy. too busy for some. i think people are not in the right set of mind. many people are panic buying, they're scared, nervous on the possibilities of what's likely to come. so i guess the unknown is the most scary part. sarah normally runs a community food kitchen. that service is not available anymore, they will not be able to come to us for that vital meal, and people will go hungry. sarah hopes to be able to start delivering free meals to those who need them, but she needs donations and volunteers. in the capital, life has changed. the hope is that london can

and on the front page of the guardian, an image of an empty trafalgar square.nson is now forced to act on schools after virus spreads faster than anticipated.‘ the daily mail's headline reads ‘schools out, exams axed' and questions whether ministers are now considering a total lockdown in london. the daily telegraph's cover shows borisjohnson during wednesday's pmqs. it reports the prime minister's warning to london that he could not rule out legal re—strictions on travel or public gatherings in the city. and the front page of the financial times says that the pound is taking a hit as london may be forced to go into lockdown. so let's hear what our paper reviewers have to say about that. mihir, why don't you start. schools closed as virus to shut down. teachers and students were voting with their feet. absolutely, and we found that many teachers were not at school or pupils were staying away. i think the question here is, last thursday, if you remember, the prime minister was very clear that this is not the time to close schools because the problem was, who wou

from roundhay park in leeds, one of the biggest in europe, almost deserted, to trafalgar square in londonvidence of social distancing in action. but we won't know how well it's working for two to three weeks. in this critically important time, the prime minister, borisjohnson, himself infected, has been chairing meetings while in self—isolation. and he has written a letter to be sent to 30 million homes across the uk with a stark message. "it's important for me to level with you," he says. "we know things will get worse before they get better. but we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal." but that won't come soon. the daily briefing at number ten made that very clear. over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a 3—week review. we will see where we are going. we need to keep that lid on and then gradually, we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal. so i think three weeks for review, two or three mo

today was like trafalgar square. did you stay one metre away from everyone?he most connected places in europe. how does itjust get cut off? do you expect people to follow instructions given you are so to follow instructions given you are so connected with the rest of europe? well, in the d raft rest of europe? well, in the draft proposal, they haven't talked about transport, they haven't talked about closing down airports for example. if you can't leave lombardy, presumably you can't fly. there was nothing in the proposal about that. and they are talking about bringing in extra, even the military to make sure that the borders are kept safe. it is crazy! it is absolutely crazy. when you speak to people, your neighbours, yourfriends, speak to people, your neighbours, your friends, is there any resentment about these potential instructions, people shrugging their shoulders and getting on with it? initially there were, initially, but now people are starting to take it more seriously, luckily, because i have to defend italy in this. italy has been slandered as the

it's notjust the lack of people here in trafalgar square which is so eerie.nd how many businesses are going to survive. in hackney, north east london, the bird cage pub is open, but there are no customers. the people are being told not to come, but the bars are not being told what to do. i work full time in a bar and it's myjob to be here. but what do i do, for example? or what does the premises do? do we shut? do we not shut? do we stay open to the public? there is no solution to it, for us. round the corner, this shop is busy. too busy for some. i think people are not in the right set of mind. many people are panic buying, they're scared, nervous on the possibilities of what's likely to come. so i guess the unknown is the most scary part. in the capital, life has changed. the hope is that london can take it. tim muffett, bbc news. you can keep up to date with all the developments on coronavirus, and what the latest announcements mean for you, on the bbc news channel, on our app and on our website. and this evening, there's a bbc news special on the coronavi

you've seen this, trafalgar square, i've never seen anything like this in my life.d normally be crammed, would strhave to be shouting over the news of the traffic. 9:00 rush hour, a lot of cars on the road. one of the loopholes is boris johnson did say major shops were closed, you couldn't go out unless it was for exercise, food or medical care. if you had to go to work, it was essential, you still could. and everyone thinks their job is essential, they got to feed their families. there is a lot of traffic on the roads here. startling change. >> and tell us what it is like elsewhere in the uk. that's london, it is a city like new york, dense population, people listening to these orders, are they doing so in more rural areas? >> rural areas, easier to keep people social distancing. have seen a mixed response across the country. even this morning, major sports chains suggested that it in fact -- sporting goods it was selling was an essential service and they should be allowed to stay open. bits of construction workers cramming themselves into metro trains to get thems

so that's a positive. >> all right, keir, from trafalgar square thank you.irus pandemic, it's going to be anchored by lester holt. this thursday night at 10:00 eastern on nbc and on msnbc. >>> all right. we have the news covered and we're going to go overboard or on boost because we feel like people need them >> we need a booster we need a double booster i have one today people are finding all kinds of ways to lift people up during challenging times. some are being generous with their money, others with time and spirit in ohio, bars and restaurants ordered to shutdown sunday night. one customer did something really cool, left something extra with their final tab they left a $2,500 tip, with a note that said, please split this money evenly among the staff. the bill, by the way, was $29.75 >> chills from that beautiful, beautiful thing. all right. how about this this one will melt your heart. i love this lady a woman named charo, she's under house quarantine in spain. she had her 80th birthday. look what she saw, a surprise birthday cake and serenade ♪ >> othe

coronavirus, from this park in leeds, one of the biggest in europe, now almost deserted, to trafalgar squarent time, the prime minister borisjohnson, himself infected, has been chairing meetings whilst in sci—fi summation. he‘s written a letter to be sent to 30 million homes across the uk, in which there is a stark message: it‘s important for me to level with you, he says. we know things will get worse before they get better. but we are making the right preparations, he says, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal. but the signs are that won‘t come soon. the daily briefing at number ten made that very clear. 0ver at number ten made that very clear. over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three week review and see how it going. we need to keep that lid on and then hopefully we will be able to adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal. i think three weeks for review, two or three months to see if we have really squashed it, but about 3—6 months ideally, and lots

this is trafalgar square, and normally it would be mobbed, but as you can see, it's practically deserted. the infection is still spreading but for reasons nobody seems to understand it's italy that has, by far, the worst outbreak. doctors in northern italy are fighting around-the-clock battle to save lives, and they're losing. almost 800 patients died overnight from friday to saturday. and the bad news is there is no evidence the tide is turning. >> i never felt so stress in my life. >> reporter: as military trucks transported coffins to the local crematorium, epidemiologists warn that infection on this scale may engulf the whole of europe purpose spain, already hard hit with almost 400 new deaths overnight, is getting ready. health officials in madrid are setting up a vast temporary hospital in a conference center. here in britain, there was a last friday night hurrah at pubs before the government ordered them shut this weekend, along with restaurants. ♪ ♪ everywhere, along with the anxiety, is extraordinary compassion. when coronavirus meant that the body of bettyrian was driven to the

and just look at those pictures, trafalgar square almost emptyjust before the announcement yesterday.on a brave face, wearing that mask. inside the guardian, thisjust face, wearing that mask. inside the guardian, this just shows that every element of life is being affected at the moment. labour are asking the government to think about low income earners who are renting, who could be evicted from their property. they wa nt extra be evicted from their property. they want extra protection to protect people in those categories. i know jane is looking at this, but this is in the express this morning, a £5,000 care package for a shop owner who has decided in edinburgh to give older customers care packages, packing in paracetamol, toilet paper and hand wash. he says everyone is being selfish, thinking of themselves, but now is the time to stick together. we are seeing loads of exa m ples stick together. we are seeing loads of examples of the very best of human nature at the moment. and we are talking about that on breakfast as well, the kindness amid the coronavirus. fans are saying farewell

it's not just a lack of people in trafalgar square which is so eerie, it's the sense of uncertainty ascome, but the bars are not being told what to do. i work full—time in a barand told what to do. i work full—time in a bar and it's my told what to do. i work full—time in a barand it's myjob told what to do. i work full—time in a bar and it's myjob to be here, but what do i do, for example, or what does the premises do? shut, do we not shut? do we stay open to the public? there is no solution to it for us. around the corner, this shop is busy... too busy for some. i think people are not in the right set of mind, many people are panic buying, they are scared, nervous on the possibilities of what's likely to come. i guess the unknown is the most scary part. hey, drew, how are you doing...? downstairs, sarah normally runs a community food kitchen for the elderly. that service won't be available anymore, they won't be able to gather and come to us to that vital meal and people will go hungry. sarah hopes to start delivering free meals to those who need them, but she needs donations and vol