POLICE have today charged a sacked estate agent over a video that showed Chris Whitty being manhandled.
Lewis Hughes, 23, had taken part in an anti-lockdown rally when he approached England's Chief Medical Officer on Sunday and harassed him with friend Jonathan Chew.
Hughes has now been charged with common assault and will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 30.
It is not clear if his pal will be facing any police action.
Scotland Yard said: "Detectives investigating an incident that took place in St James's Park on Sunday, 27 June have charged a man. At approximately 19:20hrs on Sunday, 27 June officers in St James’s Park became aware of a man being accosted by a group of men.
"They spoke to the victim and checked his welfare. He had not suffered any injuries. Officers subsequently reviewed video footage which emerged after the incident and the matter was referred to the Public Order Crime Team. Enquiries continue."
Read our Coronavirus blog below for the latest news and updates...
- Joseph Gamp
UK CASES OF DELTA VARIANT OF COVID-19 HAVE RISEN ALMOST FOUR-FOLD, FIGURES SHOW
UK cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19 have risen almost four-fold in less than a month, new data shows.
Public Health England figures show a total of 161,981 confirmed and probable cases of Delta variant have now been identified in the UK – up by 50,824, or 46%, on the previous week.
Of the 161,981 cases, 148,538 have been in England, 10,185 in Scotland, 1,749 in Wales and 1,509 in Northern Ireland.
The Delta variant, which was first identified in India, continues to account for approximately 95% of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the UK.
On June 9, there were 42,323 confirmed and probable cases. The latest figure of 161,981, as of June 30, is nearly four times as high.
- Joseph Gamp
COVID CASES DOUBLE IN WEEK TO ‘UNSETTLING’ LEVELS BUT R-RATE FALLS
The rate at which the disease is spreading, the official R rate, has dropped.
Sage scientists, who report to the Government, said today the R rate for England was 1.1 to 1.3, and as high as 1.6 in the South West.
Last week Sage said the R rate was between 1.2 and 1.4.
The Government says the estimates are a better reflection of the situation three weeks ago because of a delay in gathering data.
More up-to-date figures show around one in 260 people had Covid in the week to June 26 – up from one in 440 in the previous week.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
US ADMINISTERS NEARLY 329 MILLION DOSES OF COVID-19 VACCINES
The United States had administered 328,809,470 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country as of Friday morning and distributed 382,636,520 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Those figures are up from the 328,152,304 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by July 1 out of 382,283,990 doses delivered.
The agency said 181,650,678 people had received at least one dose, while 156,255,896 people had been fully vaccinated as of Friday.
The CDC tally includes two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech , as well as Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday
- Joseph Gamp
BORIS JOHNSON'S REFUSAL TO BIN MATT HANCOCK AFTER SHOCK EXPOSE 'COST HIM BATLEY & SPEN BY ELECTION', CABINET MINISTER SAYS
Boris Johnson's refusal to sack Matt Hancock after The Sun's bombshell expose cost the Tories the Batley and Spen by-election, a Cabinet minister said today.
Sir Keir Starmer scraped a victory with Jo Cox's sister Kim Leadbeater in West Yorkshire last night – by just 300 votes.
But top Tories admitted the handling of the Health Sec's breaking of social distancing rules and affair with his aide was an issue in their loss.
Tory party chairman Amanda Milling admitted the former health sec's steamy affair was a doorstep talker.
She told Times Radio: "A whole range of issues came up on the doorstep. But you know, I've got to be honest, it did come up at the weekend."
Read the full story here
- Joseph Gamp
COVID-19 PATIENT DISCHARGED AFTER 151 DAYS IN HOSPITAL
A father who was treated for coronavirus for more than five months is looking forward to being reunited with his wife and two young children after being discharged back to his local hospital.
Royal Papworth Hospital Foundation Trust said Rajinder Singh, 38, had broken the record for time spent on an artificial lung at the hospital in Cambridge.
Staff lined the corridors of the hospital to clap for Mr Singh when he was discharged on Thursday after 151 days of care and treatment from hundreds of staff. He will continue his recovery at his local hospital in Essex, where he hopes to soon be reunited with his wife Sukhpal and two children, aged four and one, the hospital said.
Mr Singh praised the staff for being "kind, compassionate and helpful" and for giving his family regular updates on his condition – sometimes several times a day.
He added: "I'm not going home yet but I'll be a few miles from my home, so hopefully it will be easier for my wife to visit me more often. I can't wait to see my wife and children and give them a hug. I've missed them so much. I feel stronger every day and, when I can, I will get my Covid-19 vaccine as I've been in hospital during most of the time the vaccine has been rolled out."
- Joseph Gamp
ITALY RECORDS 28 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ON FRIDAY AND 794 NEW CASES
Italy reported 28 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday against 21 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections decreased to 794 from 882.
Italy has registered 127,615 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eight-highest in the world.
The country has reported 4.26 million cases to date.
- Joseph Gamp
ITALY RECORDS 28 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ON FRIDAY AND 794 NEW CASES
Italy reported 28 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday against 21 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections decreased to 794 from 882.
Italy has registered 127,615 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eight-highest in the world.
The country has reported 4.26 million cases to date.
- Joseph Gamp
ITALY RECORDS 28 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ON FRIDAY AND 794 NEW CASES
Italy reported 28 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday against 21 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections decreased to 794 from 882.
Italy has registered 127,615 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eight-highest in the world.
The country has reported 4.26 million cases to date.
- Joseph Gamp
IRELAND: NO NEW DEATHS FROM COVID BUT 512 POSITIVE CASES
The Department of Health has confirmed 512 more positive cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
The latest figures show there are 46 people in hospital with the virus, including 14 in intensive care.
No more deaths have been reported.
- Joseph Gamp
MAPPED: FIVE AREAS WHERE COVID CASES ARE RISING FASTEST
- Joseph Gamp
CHRIS WHITTY ‘ATTACKER’ CHARGED BY COPS
Police have today charged a sacked estate agent over a video that showed Chris Whitty being manhandled.
Lewis Hughes, 23, had taken part in an anti-lockdown rally when he approached England’s Chief Medical Officer on Sunday.
Footage showed him and a pal grabbing Professor Whitty and appearing to put him in a headlock as he tried to escape.
Hughes has now been charged with common assault and will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 30.
- Joseph Gamp
COVID CASES DOUBLE IN WEEK TO ‘UNSETTLING’ LEVELS BUT R-RATE FALLS
The rate at which the disease is spreading, the official R rate, has dropped.
Sage scientists, who report to the Government, said today the R rate for England was 1.1 to 1.3, and as high as 1.6 in the South West.
Last week Sage said the R rate was between 1.2 and 1.4.
The Government says the estimates are a better reflection of the situation three weeks ago because of a delay in gathering data.
More up-to-date figures show around one in 260 people had Covid in the week to June 26 – up from one in 440 in the previous week.
- Joseph Gamp
EUROPE RISKS NEW MUTANT COVID WAVE SPARKED BY ‘SUPER SPREADER’ EURO 2020
Europe faces a new wave of Covid infections as the WHO warns Euro 2020 fans could be super-spreaders of a new “Delta-plus” strain.
Top health officials in Russia warn spectators could be helping to spread the new variant after many tested positive on return from matches.
Covid-19 infections in Europe increased 10 per cent in one week, the World Health Organization says.
Russia witnessed its deadliest 72 hours in weeks, registering 672 deaths and 23,453 new cases on Thursday alone.
Euro 2020 host city St Petersburg recorded 115 deaths just hours before Spain and Switzerland were set to kick-off their group stage match at Gazprom Arena.
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WATCH: ANGELA MERKEL SAYS DOUBLE JABBED BRITS WILL BE ALLOWED INTO EUROPE
Angela Merkel U-turns over EU holiday ban threat in boost for foreign hols after jetting in for talks with PM
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TRAVELLING FOOTBALL FANS 'VERY CLEARLY' LINKED TO SPIKE IN COVID
The rise in positive coronavirus tests in Scotland is "very clearly" linked to Scotland fans travelling to London for the Euro 2020 match against England, a public health expert has said.
Martin McKee, professor of European public health was asked if the Euros tournament was "acting as some kind of super-spreader with the number of fans that have been travelling around the continent".
Prof McKee told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme on Friday: "I think you in Scotland know very clearly that that is the case.
"We can see very clearly in the Scottish data, because the increase coincides very much with what you would expect with the incubation period after the match but also the gender difference, because the cases, the increases seem much greater in men than in women."
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ANGELA MERKEL SAYS DOUBLE JABBED BRITS WILL BE ALLOWED INTO EUROPE AS SHE U-TURNS ON TRAVEL BAN
The German leader climbed down from demands for mandatory EU-wide quarantine having been snubbed by tourism hotspots.
Speaking at a press conference alongside the PM at Chequers, she said: "We are continuously reviewing our travel restrictions.
"In the foreseeable future those who have received double jabs will be able to travel again without having to go into quarantine.
She added: "We adopted certain protective measures when we were not as yet so familiar with a Delta variant.
"We now see the share of the delta variant in Germany is increasing very rapidly."
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MUM OF CHRIS WHITTY YOB ‘NOT OVERJOYED’ BY SON’S BEHAVIOUR AS SHE APOLOGISES
The mum of a yob filmed grabbing Chris Whitty has revealed she was not "overjoyed" by his behaviour but apologised on his behalf.
Jonathan Chew and pal Lewis Hughes, both 24, were branded "thugs" by the PM after they were filmed manhandling England’s chief medical officer.
Shocking footage then showed them putting Prof Whitty in a headlock as he desperately tried to get away.
Natasha, 49, told Mail Online: "First and foremost I would like to apologise for any distress that the incident may have caused Mr Whitty.
"My son and his friend had been enjoying their day, having a few social drinks together when they spotted Mr Whitty.
"Realising who he was, and understanding how important he is to our country at this very moment, they wanted to get a picture with him."
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PLANS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE ‘WILL SEE BRITS FACING FIVE WINTERS OF COVID RESTRICTIONS’
A draft blueprint created for ministers suggests a number of policies to help prevent future waves of infection from overwhelming the NHS.
Measures could include working from home temporarily or a limit on indoor gatherings, according to the Daily Mirror.
Officials reportedly believe that the plan could prevent another full lockdown after all adults have been double jabbed, and ministers will be able to pick and choose measures depending on the scale of pressure on hospitals.
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DELTA VARIANT (Continued…)
Responding to the latest figures on the Delta variant, Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Cases across the UK continue to rise and it is incredibly important that we do not forget to be careful.
“The best thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people we love is to get the vaccine if eligible, get tested twice a week and practise ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ at all times.
“Although cases are rising, we are not seeing a proportional rise in the number of people who are being admitted to hospital. The data suggest this is testament to the success of the vaccination programme so far and clearly demonstrates the importance of getting both doses of the vaccine.”
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DELTA VARIANT
A total of 161,981 confirmed and probable cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant have now been identified in the UK, according to the latest figures from Public Health England – up by 50,824, or 46%, on the previous week.
Of the 161,981 cases, 148,538 have been in England, 10,185 in Scotland, 1,749 in Wales and 1,509 in Northern Ireland.
The Delta variant continues to account for approximately 95% of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the UK.
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NEW SPAIN RULES
Only Brits which have been fully vaccinated, with the second jab at least two weeks prior to travelling, can avoid having the tests.
Spain was one of the only destinations which welcomed UK holidaymakers with no restrictions on arrival.
However, the new rules were announced earlier this week, in line with other European destinations, due to the threat of the Delta variant.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that any Brits entering the country would be like the "rest of European citizens".
Mr Sánchez said: "The cumulative incidence rate in the United Kingdom has been progressing negatively during these last few weeks. It is far above 150 cases [per 100,000 inhabitants] in 14 days, and that is why we have to take an additional precaution with respect to the arrival of British tourists to our country."
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EUROPE RISKS NEW MUTANT COVID WAVE SPARKED BY ‘SUPER SPREADER’ EURO 2020
Europe faces a new wave of Covid infections as the WHO warns Euro 2020 fans could be super-spreaders of a new "Delta-plus" strain.
Top health officials in Russia warn spectators could be helping to spread the new variant after many tested positive on return from matches.
Covid-19 infections in Europe increased 10 per cent in one week, the World Health Organization says.
Russia witnessed its deadliest 72 hours in weeks, registering 672 deaths and 23,453 new cases on Thursday alone.
Euro 2020 host city St Petersburg recorded 115 deaths just hours before Spain and Switzerland were set to kick-off their group stage match at Gazprom Arena.
- [email protected]
COVID CASES DOUBLE IN WEEK TO ‘UNSETTLING’ LEVELS BUT R-RATE FALLS
The rate at which the disease is spreading, the official R rate, has dropped.
Sage scientists, who report to the Government, said today the R rate for England was 1.1 to 1.3, and as high as 1.6 in the South West.
Last week Sage said the R rate was between 1.2 and 1.4.
The Government says the estimates are a better reflection of the situation three weeks ago because of a delay in gathering data.
More up-to-date figures show around one in 260 people had Covid in the week to June 26 – up from one in 440 in the previous week.
- [email protected]
ANGELA MERKEL TO CLIMBDOWN OVER EU HOLIDAY BAN THREAT
Angela Merkel is set to U-turn on her threat to ban Brits from holidaying in Europe after jetting in for talks with Boris Johnson today.
The German leader is on the cusp of climbing down from demands for mandatory EU-wide quarantine having been snubbed by tourism hotspots.
She is meeting the PM at his country house Chequers, with the pair set to hold a joint press conference at 3.30pm.
The visit is her 22nd to Britain and last as Chancellor after 16 years at the helm in Berlin.
Ahead of the talks both sides agreed to rebuild relations which have been strained by five years of Brexit tensions.
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