US regulators have given full approval for the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat covid-19 patients in hospitals. Last week the WHO said remdesivir had little to no effect on patients' survival. bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-…
The number of covid-19 cases reported by Public Health England appears to have stabilised after seven weeks of rising numbers, although the number of people being admitted to hospital has increased. theguardian.com/world/2020/oct…
France extended curfews to around two thirds of its population, forcing 46 million people to stay at home from 9pm to 6am. Authorities reported a record 41,622 new cases yesterday. uk.reuters.com/article/uk-hea…
Transfusions of blood plasma from people who have recovered from the disease have no clinical benefit for covid-19 patients, according to a study published in the BMJ. news.sky.com/story/plasma-f…
A fossil dinosaur originally discovered in northwestern China is so exquisitely preserved that the shape of its cloaca – the opening used for excretion and mating – is visible for the first time. bit.ly/2FUh5dQ
Birds and reptiles have a cloaca – a single orifice used for excretion, urination, mating and laying eggs – so it has always been assumed that dinosaurs had them too, and now this is confirmed.
The cloaca on this fossil has a longitudinal opening like those of crocodiles, which have penises. By contrast, most birds – the living descendants of dinosaurs – do not: they mate cloaca to cloaca.
South Yorkshire will be subject to tier three coronavirus restrictions from Saturday after local leaders agreed a deal with the UK government. theguardian.com/world/2020/oct…
The US has counted almost 300,000 more deaths than would be expected in a typical year, two-thirds of them from covid-19 and the rest from other causes, the @CDCgov has reported. washingtonpost.com/health/coronav…
Studies in Germany and Norway, as well as two reviews focusing on education globally, suggest schools play a limited role in spreading covid-19 and a renewal of widespread school closures would have a limited effect on curbing the disease. ft.com/content/4842aa…
A London-based company has secured a UK government contract worth up to £10m to intentionally infect healthy young volunteers with covid-19 to hasten the development of a vaccine. theguardian.com/world/2020/oct…
Greater Manchester leaders have been given a deadline of midday to reach a deal with the government over moving to tier three covid-19 restrictions. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-546091…
Ireland has announced some of Europe’s toughest covid-19 constraints, shutting non-essential retail, limiting restaurants and pubs to take away service and telling people not to travel more than 5 kilometres from their home. uk.reuters.com/article/uk-hea…
Hospitals in Greater Manchester, UK, are running low on beds to treat coronavirus patients, Sky News reports. The region’s mayor and the UK government remain in negotiations over local restrictions and financial aid. news.sky.com/story/coronavi…
Italy has announced a new raft of measures to combat a surge in coronavirus cases. Mayors will get powers to close public areas after 9pm and the opening times of restaurants and the size of groups allowed will tighten. bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…
Switzerland has also announced tighter restrictions, including a requirement to wear masks in all indoor public places and a ban on gatherings of more than 15 people in public places. reuters.com/article/us-hea…
The UK government's scientific advisers called for a short lockdown in England to halt the spread of covid-19 last month, newly released documents show. bbc.com/news/uk-545180…
The head of the World Health Organization @DrTedros has warned against deliberately allowing coronavirus to spread in the hope of achieving so-called herd immunity, saying the idea is unethical. theguardian.com/world/2020/oct…
US drugmaker Johnson & Johnson has paused all trials of its experimental covid-19 vaccine after one of the participants developed an “adverse reaction”. ft.com/content/6ea4c5…
Boris Johnson will announce a three-tier lockdown system for England today, with Merseyside, Manchester and Newcastle expected to face the highest level of restrictions, including forced closures of pubs and bars. theguardian.com/world/2020/oct…
Councils are set to be given greater responsibility for contact tracing in England in an acknowledgement that local tracers have been far more effective than the national system. thetimes.co.uk/article/counci…
Italy is preparing fresh nationwide restrictions, including on private parties, in response to a recent spike in new coronavirus cases, Health Minister Roberto Speranza has said. reuters.com/article/us-hea…