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­­­­The UK has recorded 36,710 new COVID-19 cases and another 182 deaths in the last 24-hour period, with 7,588 people currently in hospital with the disease, according to the latest government figures­­.

The latest figures compare to 34,460 infections and 166 fatalities on Wednesday.

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This time last week, 26,911 cases and 158 deaths were reported, with 8,091 patients in hospital.

And on this day last year, there were 1,730 coronavirus patients in hospitals across the UK.

The number of patients on mechanical ventilation beds currently stands at 943.

Since the start of the pandemic, 135,803 people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test.

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Another 29,462 people were given their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, taking the total to 48,674,154 (89.6% of people aged over 16).

A further 44,065 people were given their second dose, meaning 44,600,070 are now fully inoculated (82.1%)

It comes as figures from Public Health England found the number of positive coronavirus cases in the country has dropped in all regions and in most age groups – except those aged five to 19, where there’s a rise in infections.

In the seven days up to 19 September, case rates in those aged five to nine rose to 483.5 per 100,000 – an increase of 24.1% on the previous week.

For ages 10 to 19, cases have risen by 25%, to 756.2 per 100,000.

It is the highest case rate in any age group, with the next highest seen in 40 to 49-year-olds at 293.4 per 100,000 – a fall of 8.6% on the previous week.

PHE’s weekly COVID-19 surveillance report also found while the overall number of reported acute respiratory incidents decreased compared to the previous week, there has been an increase in the number seen in educational settings.

It follows Professor Chris Whitty’s warning on Wednesday that any unvaccinated child “is likely” to get infected.

“The great majority of children who have not currently had COVID are going to get it at some point,” he told MPs.

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Professor Chris Whitty says almost half of all school kids have had COVID, with it now spreading fastest among young people.

Ahead of the latest figures, leading experts said COVID would soon be comparable to the common cold thanks to vaccination.

Professor Sir John Bell from Oxford University, said the virus could resemble the cold by spring next year, as immunity is boosted by vaccines and exposure.

He added the country “is over the worst” and things “should be fine” once winter has passed, adding that there was continued exposure to the virus even in people who are vaccinated.

Elsewhere, British Airways has scrapped plans to relaunch short-haul flights from Gatwick, after they were suspended at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

The carrier had planned to launch short-haul flights from the airport again, but it has failed to reach an agreement with Balpa, the pilots union.

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On Wednesday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government plans to scrap PCR tests for fully vaccinated international travellers and the business minister told Kay Burley earlier that it was “absolutely the aim” to move to lateral flow tests by October half-term.

“We’ve got to get the systems in place because we want to move to lateral flow tests to make it easier and cheaper for people to be able to enjoy those holidays at half-term,” he said.

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13-year-old girl charged with attempted murder after two teachers and pupil stabbed at Carmarthenshire school

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13-year-old girl charged with attempted murder after two teachers and pupil stabbed at Carmarthenshire school

A 13-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a school.

The three people were treated in hospital for stab wounds but have now been released.

Pupils at Amman Valley School, also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday following the attack at the end of morning break in Carmarthenshire.

Amman Valley School, which is in the town of Ammanford, is a comprehensive with around 1,500 students aged between 11 and 18.

In a statement on the school’s website, headteacher James Durbridge said on Wednesday it had been a “very difficult day” for the school.

“It goes without saying that my thoughts are with the three individuals and their families, who have been affected by today’s incident,” he said.

“I wish to commend all staff and pupils for their calm and mature response during today’s lockdown.

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“We are proud to have witnessed pupils embodying the school’s core values while supporting their peers and staff.”

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Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy has been arrested and remains in custody on suspicion of making threats referencing the school attack, Dyfed-Powys Police has said.

Superintendent Ross Evans said: “Following [the stabbing incident], yesterday evening our control room received a number of calls reporting concerns about messages being shared on social media which had references to the incident here at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.

“Officers swiftly carried out a warrant at the home of the person believed to be responsible for this content and a 15-year-old male has been arrested.

“He also remains in police custody while we investigate these allegations.”

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Two horses which bolted through central London in a ‘serious condition’

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Two horses which bolted through central London in a 'serious condition'

Two horses which bolted and charged through central London are in a “serious condition”, a minister has said.

The Household Cavalry said the animals – which were taking part in what the Army called a “routine exercise” in the Belgravia area on Wednesday – were spooked by builders dropping rubble from a height “right next to them”.

Two horses on the loose bolt through the streets of London near Aldwych.
Pic : PA
Image:
Two horses bolted through the streets of London. Pic : PA

Defence minister James Cartlidge told Sky News on Thursday morning: “There were five horses. They have all been recovered.

“Three of them are fine, two of them are unfortunately in a relatively serious condition and obviously we will be monitoring that condition.”

He added: “They are in a serious condition, but as I understand, still alive.”

The minister also confirmed the names of the two animals, Vida and Quaker.

He stressed while the footage that emerged of the horses running through the capital was “dramatic”, it was “a very exceptional event”.

“This is extremely unlikely, this scenario,” he told LBC.

“Unfortunately we have seen what has happened, but all I can say is the crucial thing… no serious injuries to the public as far as we aware, and of course we will be keeping an eye on the situation.”

A map of where the horses travelled
Image:
A map of where the horses travelled

Four service personnel were thrown from their horses and the animals that ran loose smashed into vehicles, including a taxi and a tour bus.

Paramedics treated four people in three separate incidents in Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square, and at the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, in the space of just 10 minutes.

Some of the soldiers were taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries, which were not thought to be serious.

Pic: Alice Porter
Image:
Pic: Alice Porter

Two horses on the loose bolt through the streets of London near Aldwych. 
Pic PA
Image:
Pic. PA

One witness got off a bus and described seeing two horses, one black and the other white, “flying past”.

“The white one was drenched in blood from the chest down and they were galloping through the traffic at speed,” she said.

“People were stopping in the street shocked. The horses were running into fast-moving traffic and seemed terrified. Some unmarked police cars were chasing after them, which didn’t seem to be helping.

“I felt shocked. It was pretty gruesome. Felt like a weird dream.”

The horses were eventually recaptured by City of London Police and taken away to be assessed by Army vets.

The animals are all receiving care from vets at Hyde Park barracks.

Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Matt Woodward said in a video statement posted on X the unit exercises around 150 horses on the roads and in parks every morning, partly to help desensitise them to city noise.

He said the “shock” of building materials being dropped from a height near them caused the horses to bolt and unseat some riders

He added: “Thankfully, considering the frequency of exercise and numbers of horses involved, this type of incident is extremely rare, we continue to strive to minimise the risk of this recurring.

“As ever we are grateful for due consideration given by the members of the public to not making loud noises around our horses.”

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UK weather: Why is it suddenly cold and when is it forecast to get warmer?

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UK weather: Why is it suddenly cold and when is it forecast to get warmer?

When temperatures hit nearly 22C in parts of England earlier this month, people might have thought that spring had finally sprung.

But with May fast approaching, temperatures have suddenly dropped, forcing some back into their winter coats and others to switch the heating on once again.

So what has caused the mercury to drop to near-freezing in some parts?

According to Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler, an area of high pressure to the west of the UK is behind it.

UK weather: The latest Sky News forecast

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Temperatures were as low as 3C this morning in parts of the UK

“High pressure to the west of the UK and Ireland gave hopes for a few days of settled weather, even though it was forecast to be a ‘cloudy high’,” she says.

“And that is pretty much what we have seen, although the positioning of the high brought cold northerly winds – and eastern counties can vouch for this.

“The high was also weak enough to allow frontal systems (a collision of cold and warm air) to move through it, so we didn’t see entirely dry weather either.

“And, winds were strong enough to give a significant wind chill along the North Sea coasts, which was pretty bitter.”

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That, she says, has resulted in temperatures dropping a few degrees below the April average, though, according to Ms Wheeler “not by much”.

So when will temperatures rise again?

“We’re just a few days from May now, and a change is on the way,” she adds.

“Low pressure, spreading from the south at the weekend, will bring milder conditions but also some rain and fresher winds.”

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However, the next few days could still be relatively cold, particularly overnight on Friday and potentially Saturday, when temperatures in parts of northern and eastern England could drop to near or even below freezing, according to the Met Office.

And while they say temperatures are likely to “trend upwards” from Sunday, rain and cloudier weather is set to dominate next week, particularly in the south.

According to the Met Office’s forecast for next week, there will be drier weather in northern parts of the UK and a chance of rain or even thundery showers for a time in the east.

“Temperatures [are] likely to trend upwards, with the chance of a warm to very warm spell in some southern and eastern parts, before conditions probably turn drier, cooler and more settled from the west towards the end of the period,” they say.

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