Dr Alfa Saadu, 68, was volunteering in Welwyn when he fell ill with coronavirusCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA retired hospital medical director has become the latest doctor to die from coronavirus in the UK.Dr Alfa Saadu, 68, was volunteering at the Queen’s Victoria memorial hospital, in Welwyn, Hertfordshire – one of the counties worst hit by the virus –...

Feline transmission to humans not shown but infected pet owners warned to be carefulCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCat owners may wish to be more cautious about contact with their pets as a study from China has revealed Covid-19 can be transmitted between cats.The team, at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China, found that cats are highly susceptible to...

Germany and Italy extend lockdowns; Spain cases pass 100,000; global cases near 900,000; record daily fatalities in UKUS coronavirus - latest updatesAt a glance: summary of key events Wimbledon cancelled due to coronavirus crisisBrazil state governors ignore Bolsonaro amid anger over handling of crisis See all our coronavirus coverage 7.00pm BST The Scottish government has significantly increased...

Strict standardisation of chemical brands and suppliers said to be a factor in delaysCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe introduction of mass testing for coronavirus is being hampered by health officials enforcing strict rules around what chemical brands and suppliers can be used to produce the tests, scientists warn.Procedures drawn up by the NHS describe the precise...

Experts say new evidence from Cretaceous period ‘shows us what carbon dioxide can do’Think of Antarctica and it is probably sweeping expanses of ice, and the odd penguin, that come to mind. But at the time of the dinosaurs the continent was covered in swampy rainforest.Now experts say they have found the most southerly evidence yet of this environment in plant material extracted from beneath...

Major review reports recovery of marine life but a redoubling of efforts is still needed The glory of the world’s oceans could be restored within a generation, according to a major new scientific review. It reports rebounding sea life, from humpback whales off Australia to elephant seals in the US and green turtles in Japan.Through rampant overfishing, pollution and coastal destruction, humanity...

Instead of endless mass isolation or just waiting for a cure, the UK needs a data-driven, targeted approach to coronavirus testing Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAfter squandering valuable time to prepare for the spread of Covid-19 in February and the first half of March, the government made a dramatic U-turn and put the country into lockdown two weeks ago. But amid...

No 10 urges hospitals to test as many staff as possible as data shows many in isolation may not be infectedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOnly 2,000 NHS frontline workers out of about half a million have been tested for coronavirus so far, despite up to one in four being off work with suspected symptoms in some areas of the country.Amid criticism of the UK’s low...

Cigarette maker says tobacco plants offer potential for faster and safer drug developmentCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBritish American Tobacco, the maker of brands including Lucky Strike, Dunhill, Rothmans and Benson & Hedges, has said it has a potential coronavirus vaccine in development using tobacco plants.BAT has turned the vast resources usually focused on...

Study finds fashionable hoppy brews lose their characteristic taste while sitting on the shelfIt will be music to the ears of Belgian beer enthusiasts: drink up.Scientists studying how well the fashionable hoppy-tasting beers of today keep in the cupboard have highlighted the particular propensity for them to lose their flavour over time. Continue...

As Elon Musk's Starlink and Jeff Bezos's Project Kuiper race to create high-speed internet using satellites orbiting Earth, there's a small problem that could get in the way: debris. From dead spacecraft that have been around since the dawn of the space age to flecks of paint smashing windows on the International Space Station, rubbish is clogging up our orbits. And with objects moving as fast as...

What are the symptoms caused by the Covid-19 virus, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?Find all our coronavirus coverage hereCoronavirus – latest updatesHow to protect yourself and others from infectionIt is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has transferred to humans from animals. The World Health...

Latest figures from public health authorities on the spread of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom. Find out how many cases have been reported near youCoronavirus - live news updatesFind all our coronavirus coverage hereHow to protect yourself from infectionPlease note: these are government figures on numbers of confirmed cases - some people who report symptoms are not being tested, and are not...

Pursuing a controversial herd immunity strategy put the government on the back foot. Now it’s struggling to catch upCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTo stop a virus, you need to test for it. So why is it taking so long for the UK to increase its testing capacity? Although Public Health England is now aiming to conduct 10,000 tests per day, the UK’s response still...

Respiratory physician John Wilson explains the range of Covid-19 impacts, from no symptoms to severe illness featuring pneumoniaCoronavirus – latest global updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWhat became known as Covid-19, or the coronavirus, started in late 2019 as a cluster of pneumonia cases with an unknown cause. The cause of the pneumonia was found to be a new virus – severe acute...