Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NIGHTMARE
140 stranded on cruise off US over spread fears
come up with a plan to help combat the spread of the virus among homeless people who find it harder to follow government advice to wash hands regularly and self-isolate if ill.
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran has written to Matt Hancock and Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick asking how health checks are going to be carried out for those sleeping on our streets.
Matthew Downie of homeless charity Crisis said: “People sleeping rough are particularly vulnerable.”
A Government spokesman said: “We are already working closely with local authorities to support vulnerable groups including homeless people. We will publish further guidance shortly.”
More than 20,000 Brits have now been tested for the virus. Around one in 100 who get it is expected to die.
Early evidence suggests the risk rises to one in 50 for those with serious conditions. For those aged over 80 the death rate is thought to be one in 33.
Ozzy Osbourne, 71, has cancelled plans to appear at the SXSW media conference in Austin, Texas, as he continues his fight against Parkinson’s.
Global stockmarkets suffered a £1trillion slump yesterday, with over £60billion wiped off the FTSE 100, hitting the lowest level since the Brexit referendum in 2016.
MORE than 140 UK nationals are stranded on board cruise ship the Grand Princess off the coast of California over coronavirus fears.
The liner has been banned from docking in the US following the deaths of two guests after they left.
The ship was on a two-week trip from San Francisco to Hawaii and was scheduled to return today. But its voyage was suspended when it emerged the first person to die of the virus in California had been on board.
The Grand Princess is carrying 121 British passengers and 21 UK crew.
They are among the 3,533 people on board from 54 different countries.
The ship has been ordered to remain at sea while guests and crew are checked for the virus.
The California Air National Guard dropped off test kits by helicopter.
Operator Carnival Corp said there have so far been no confirmed cases on board and that fewer than 100 people had been identified for testing.
It added: “Public health officials have advised that no guests will be permitted to disembark until all results have been received. Out of an abundance of caution, all guests who have been identified for testing have been asked to remain in their rooms.”
Results were due to be returned yesterday. The captain asked guests to stay six feet from each other.
Passengers have seen a gradual shutdown on board the ship, starting with the food buffet. The gym, bar, casino and boutiques were closed.
Passenger Kathleen Reid, 67, from Texas, said: “My first reaction was, ‘We’re going to get sick’.
“We don’t know what’s happening, so we’re just kind of in limbo, waiting.”
The ship made a round trip from San Francisco to Mexico last month.
A 71-year-old man died two weeks after his return home to California, health officials said. He had underlying health conditions.
A man of 72 also died after leaving the ship, though it has not been confirmed if he had the virus.
US Vice President Mike Pence was seen greeting a woman by touching arms, not hands, at Washington’s Emergency Operations Center.
There are 220 coronavirus cases in America so far, with 12 deaths.