THE NEW NORMAL GORILLAS TUCK IN TO TREATS FOR ZOO REOPENING AND SCOTS ARE IN TUNE TO PIPE UP

Every day in this column, The Daily Telegraph seeks out and reports snippets of comfort as the world fights coronavirus

♦ Sri Lanka staged a mock public vote yesterday to test measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus during a general election on Aug 5, including requiring voters to bring their own pens or pencils. “We were very pleased to see that all those who volunteered to take part in this exercise today wore face masks,” commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said.

♦ India’s federal government said yesterday that it would provide New Delhi with 500 railway coaches equipped for coronavirus patients, increasing the capital city’s capacity by 8,000 beds.

♦ Greece has reopened to tourists from around 30 countries today. Arrivals from countries considered low-risk will face random tests for Covid-19, while those from places deemed higher risk, including the UK and Belgium, will face compulsory testing and a period in quarantine after arriving in the country.

♦ Egypt will reopen its airports on July 1, the civil aviation minister said yesterday. “We will restart air traffic with countries that will reopen with us,” Mohamed Manar Anba said. He added that foreign tourism would be restricted to resorts in three coastal provinces.

♦ Gorillas at London Zoo were treated to nuts, leeks and broccoli to eat, and bunting in their treehouses last weekend as they prepared to go on view to visitors today for the first time in nearly three months. “The animals have been missing the visitors. The gorillas have really been looking out for people,” said Daniel Simmonds, team leader of primates at the zoo. Visitor numbers will be limited, and there will be one-way routes and markers to ensure social distancing in the grounds.

♦ Fans of bagpipe music will be relieved that Scotland’s national clinical director has told BBC Radio Scotland that playing in public is very unlikely to spread coronavirus, and will not be banned when lockdown ends. Prof Jason Leitch was responding to fears that the skirl of the pipes may be silenced indefinitely amid concerns that water droplets from the mouths of pipers could travel through the instrument and come into contact with people.