Rt.Live uses current infection data to track the reproduction rate of the virus in each state over time. The site uses an Rt – or effective reproduction – metric, which shows the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person. The data indicates the virus will spread quickly if the Rt is … Read more
The Government was facing fresh questions over its coronavirus testing regime tonight as the number carried out fell by more than 40 per cent in just four days. Some 69,463 took place in the 24 hours to 9am today, according to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick. That figure is just 57 per cent of the 122,327 … Read more
Britain should have done mass coronavirus testing on the public at the beginning of the crisis and carried it on, the Government’s chief scientist has said. Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser to Downing Street, admitted yesterday that it ‘would have been beneficial’ to get a handle on testing faster. Today a senior minister … Read more
Gene test hope for critically ill babies as DNA testing on the NHS could speed up diagnosis and lead to quicker treatment Worried families used to have to wait three months on average for a diagnosis Now ‘whole-exome’ testing will provide an answer in about ten days The test could pick up rare diseases including … Read more
The Government is considering testing sewage to track the size of the coronavirus outbreak in Britain, it has been revealed. Defra confirmed it is conferring with scientists about whether wastewater can help trace the spread of the deadly infection. It could become part of the government’s next phase of the COVID-19 battle plan to test, track … Read more
The Stranglers’ keyboard player Dave Greenfield dies at 71 after testing positive for coronavirus Greenfield, originally from Brighton, died on the evening of May 3 with COVID-19 He contracted virus following a prolonged stay in hospital for heart problems The punk musician was well-known for his distinctive sound and playing style Penned the piece of music … Read more
Coronavirus contact tracing app will go into testing on Isle of Wight this week ahead of UK rollout this month NHSX app will be tested on the Isle of Wight this week, Grant Shapps revealed Smartphone app will be ‘completely confidential’ with data seen by NHS staff It will need to be downloaded by more … Read more
The government’s testing co-ordinator insisted people should not get ‘hung up on targets’ today as he argued the goal for 100,000 checks a day had been met. Prof John Newton brushed off a row over whether the numbers had been cooked, stressing the big picture was capacity had risen sharply and there would always be … Read more
A way to expand coronavirus testing? ‘Pooling’ samples from up to 30 people could help speed up screening and diagnoses, German scientists say Researchers in Germany are suggesting pooling portions of samples taken from multiple people to be tested for coronavirus together If they are all negative, each sample in the group could be ruled … Read more
Ministers have admitted they face missing Matt Hancock‘s coronavirus testing target today – as experts brand it a ‘red herring’ that has hampered the response. Amid criticism that the UK was lagging behind countries such as South Korea and Germany, the Health Secretary dramatically pledged on April 2 that 100,000 checks a day would be carried … Read more