News
Fears for ‘second wave’ of coronavirus after resurgence in Europe
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There have been reports of a ‘second wave’ of coronavirus in Europe, due to spikes in Spain and France.
Matt Hancock has said he is ‘worried’ about a ‘second wave starting to roll across Europe’ and that the UK must ‘do everything to prevent it reaching these shores’.
The news comes after the Belgian government has warned the country could be put back into a ‘complete lockdown’ due to significant spike in infections.
Similarly, Catalonia in Spain may also reintroduce lockdown if the outbreaks are not controlled within 10 days.
The health minister in France has called for greater vigilance due to a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in young people, while Germany’s public health body has said it is ‘deeply concerned’ about the rise over the past few weeks.
However, experts are divided about whether this actually is a second wave of infections and what the term ‘second wave’ actually means.
Scientists in the field actively avoid using the term ‘second wave’ as it is ill-defined and instead opt for ‘resurgence’, according to COVID expert at Norwich Medical School, Professor Paul Hunter.
The World Health Organisation has made it clear that it is, in fact, ‘one big wave’ spreading across the globe and for a second wave to exist, the virus would need to have gone completely away.
Similarly, ‘second wave’ also assumes that COVID-19 will act the way flu acts with seasonal peaks and troughs and rapid mutations, however ‘we don’t know that’, according to Dr Tom Frieden, who served as director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for eight years under Barack Obama.
Nevertheless, 36 countries in Europe are seeing an increase in infections, based on a seven-day rolling average. And while it has been six months since the WHO declared the highest possible alert under international law, global health emergency, cases are still acceleration.
There have been a total of 16 million cases detected worldwide but the overall figure has doubled in the last six weeks, according to the Telegraph.
Between July 17th and July 23rd, Belgium saw a 71% increase on the seven-day average of infection number.
The regional president of Catalonia, Quim Torra, has confirmed the current resurgence is a situation similar to that before the national lockdown was introduced in March.
Mr Torra said: “We’re in the 10 most important days of the summer and during that time, we’ll see whether we’re capable of sorting out the situation through solidarity, cooperation and a collective effort.
“But the situation is critical and if we don’t manage to, then we will have to go backwards.”
According to the ministry, six people have died from coronavirus in the past seven days. At its peak, Spain had 9,222 new infections in a single day. On Monday, the Spanish health ministry reported 855 new cases in 24 hours.
Many people in Barcelona have ignored advice to stay home and flocked to beaches instead and many young people have been holding ‘drinking parties’ in the streets.
French health minister, Olivier Véran said at the weekend: “When we carry out mass testing we are seeing a lot of young patients … more youngsters than during the previous wave.
“This is particularly the case in the Île-de-France [Paris] region where we are seeing young people who are infected without knowing how it happened. Clearly, older people are still being very careful, while young people are paying less attention.”
Germany is seeing outbreaks in urban areas and among holidaymakers. But abattoir and harvest workers have demonstrated how quickly the virus can flare up again.
While Spain makes headlines due to a resurgence in cases and the government’s response to introduce quarantine for travellers returning to the UK from Spain, other parts of Europe are also on a worrying trajectory.
Dr Kluge (WHO’s regional director for Europe) warned against complacency: “We consider about a three to four week lag time between case incidence and severe cases and mortality. We also know that the epi-curve is never linear, but rather exponential.
“So in that sense, we absolutely need to be vigilant as these raising numbers could, could, prefigure a return to community transmission in many countries.”
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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