As the global tally of coronavirus cases soars past 2.7m, the UK government’s chief medical adviser this week warned that it is “wholly unrealistic” to expect life to return to normal soon.
Chris Whitty told a Downing Street briefing that some preventative measures would need to stay in place in Britain until a vaccine or treatment was developed, in order to prevent a second wave of infections.
The announcement came as other health experts called for a public inquiry into whether the decision to go ahead with the Cheltenham Festival caused a subsequent spike in coronavirus cases and deaths in the area. About 150,000 people attended the four-day event in March, which ended just ten days before lockdown measures began.
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On a global scale, the coronavirus crisis is causing a “hunger pandemic” that threatens a famine of “biblical” proportions, the chief of the UN’s food relief agency has warned.
A glimmer of hope in the battle against the worldwide outbreak is emerging, however. Scientists from Oxford University this week began coronavirus vaccine trials on humans, with researchers predicting an 80% chance of success.
To find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the pandemic, and other global events, put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
Need a reminder of some of the non-coronavirus-related headlines over the past seven days?
The Queen this week celebrated her 94th birthday, but requested that the traditional gun salute should not go ahead given current circumstances. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released a photograph of Prince Louis, in celebration of his second birthday.
In business-related news, US oil prices collapsed into negative figures amid falling global demand during lockdowns, and a shortage of storage space.
Meanwhile, tensions between the US and Iran are rising for the second time this year, with Donald Trump threatening to destroy Iranian gunboats that “harrass” American ships at sea. The president has also threatened to suspend all immigration to the US under an executive order.
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Back in the UK, new Labour leader Keir Starmer won plaudits for his first performance at the despatch box during the first virtual Prime Minister’s Questions.
In the world of sport, the Premier League is reportedly losing £9m a week as a result of the ongoing lockdown measures.
On a more light-hearted note, a new form of artificial intelligence has been developed that may be able to tell the difference between ancient human and dog poo.
