CAPTAIN Sir Tom Moore has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been admitted to hospital where he is being treated for pneumonia.
His daughter Hannah confirmed the news in a statement on Sunday and said the NHS hero had difficulty breathing .
However, sir Tom, 100, is being treated in a ward and not in ICU.
The statement added: "The medical care he has received in the last few weeks has been remarkable and we know that the wonderful staff at Bedford Hospital will do all they can to make him comfortable and hopefully return home as soon as possible.
"We understand that everyone will be wishing him well. We are of course focusing on my father and will update you when we are able to."
The news comes as over 8.3 million Brits have received their first jab of a COVID vaccine.
Follow the live blog below for the very latest news, updates and analysis of the coronavirus crisis…
- Joseph Gamp
MICHAEL BALL TELLS CAPTAIN TOM: 'EVERYONE IS HERE FOR YOU'
Michael Ball, who recorded a charity single with Captain Sir Tom Moore that reached number one, tweeted: "Love and prayers for @captaintommoore and his lovely family as he battles this b*****d of a virus.
"Stay strong Sir. We are all here for you."
- Joseph Gamp
MATT HANCOCK SENDS BEST WISHES TO CAPTAIN TOM
The health secretary has wished the NHS hero well.
Matt Hancock said he was sending his "best wishes" to the family of Captain Sir Tom Moore.
- Joseph Gamp
CAPTAIN TOM SAID WE ALL NEED TO SMILE IN ARTICLE FOR THE SUN
Writing in a piece penned exclusively for The Sun, Captain Tom explained why we all need to be on alert.
He urged people to think about how we can help those who might be feeling alone during the difficult winter months still to come.
He wrote: "Right now there are anxious people confined to their homes by fear, disability or because they are shielding from the virus.
"There are also those suffering from depression or mental-health problems. Our current situation will exasperate all these issues so we must all do what we can to help.
"And it is not just the people suffering we need to reach out to — it’s the people caring for them too."
- Joseph Gamp
CAPTAIN TOM WAS GQ MAGAZINE'S OLDEST EVER COVER STAR
In November Captain Tom became the oldest cover star for British GQ magazine.
He said that being on the cover was “something special” and quipped: “Maybe next year, I’ll be the oldest again!”
- Joseph Gamp
CAPTAIN TOM WAS KNIGHTED BY THE QUEEN LAST SUMMER
Last July the Queen knighted Captain Tom which was her first face-to-face engagement since lockdown began in March 2020.
Before the ceremony Captain Tom treasure joked "if I kneel down, I'll never get up again, but I'm sure it'll go well, as she's done it before".
Her Majesty performed the special ceremony at Windsor Castle for the fundraising legend as a special exception.
With her father's sword in her hand, the Queen, 94, lightly touched him first on his right shoulder then his left with the blade – dubbing him a knight.
- Joseph Gamp
WHO IS CAPTAIN TOM MOORE?
Captain Sir Tom Moore became an emblem of hope in the early weeks of the pandemic in April when he walked 100 laps around his garden in England for the National Health Service to coincide with his 100th birthday.
Instead of the 1,000 pounds ($1,370) aspiration, he raised around 33 million pounds ($45 million).
Moore, who rose to the rank of captain while serving in India and Burma during the war, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July for his fundraising efforts.
- Joseph Gamp
BREAKING: CAPTAIN TOM MOORE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
Captain Sir Tom Moore has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been admitted to hospital where he is being treated for pneumonia, his daughter Hannah said in a statement.
In a statement posted on Captain Sir Tom Moore's Twitter page, his daughter said: "I wanted to update everybody that today (Sunday 31 January) my father was admitted to hospital.
"Over the last few weeks he was being treated for pneumonia and last week tested positive for Covid-19. He was at home with us until today when he needed additional help with his breathing. He is being treated in a ward although he is not in ICU.
"The medical care he has received in the last few weeks has been remarkable and we know that the wonderful staff at Bedford Hospital will do all they can to make him comfortable and hopefully return home as soon as possible.
"We understand that everyone will be wishing him well. We are of course focusing on my father and will update you when we are able to."
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Catriona Graffius
'CHINA IS TRYING TO HIDE COVID EVIDENCE', SAYS FORMER TORY LEADER
Iain Duncan Smith, former Conservative leader and member of the International Parliamentary Alliance on China said: "China is clearly trying to hide the evidence.
"It is vital that there is a thorough investigation into what happened but China seems to be doing all it can to stop that happening."
Stories regarding a Chinese 'cover-up' on the origins of coronavirus have continued to swirl.
China has been plagued with accusations of fudging numbers of cases and death tolls, as reports of 'whistleblowers' talking to US authorities continue.
- Catriona Graffius
…CONTINUED
Sergei Pond, one of the researchers involved in the study, said: "All the genetic evidence makes it clear this virus is from China.
"The pattern of worldwide spread is also consistent with Chinese viruses seeding epidemics in other countries."
The research comes amid fresh accusations of a cover-up by the Chinese government.
Crucial online data related to the lab suspected of being the source of coronavirus was deleted.
Hundreds of pages of information connected to studies carried out by the top-secret Wuhan Institute of Virology were wiped alongside key data from a top virologist nicknamed "Batwoman".
- Catriona Graffius
COVID OUTBREAK STARTED IN CHINA IN OCTOBER 19, US SCIENTISTS CLAIM
The Covid outbreak started in China in October 2019 – months before Beijing alerted the world – US scientists claim.
Researchers at the Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia also claimed that the virus "definitely" began in China, the Mail on Sunday reported.
The scientists analysed thousands of samples of Covid patients.
They traced how Sars-Cov-2 – the strain of coronavirus that causes the bug – evolved from a "progenitor" genome.
According to their research, the progenitor dates from mid-October to November 2019.
- Catriona Graffius
HOPES UK HAS TURNED A CORNER AS CASES CONTINUE TO PLUNGE
Another 587 Brits have died with Covid – but there are hopes the country has turned a corner in the battle against the pandemic as cases continue to plunge.
In total, 21,088 more were diagnosed with the virus overnight – a 30 per cent drop on last Sunday, when 30,004 new cases were reported.
It means that 3,817,176 people have now been diagnosed with coronavirus overall in the UK.
This time last week, 610 more deaths were recorded.
- Catriona Graffius
UK DEATH TOLL RISES BY 587 AS A FURTHER 21,088 CASES RECORDED
A further 587 people have died with coronavirus as another 21,088 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.
Numbers can be lower at the weekend due to a reporting lag in the figures.
The UK's total death toll from Covid has now reached 105,571.
- Catriona Graffius
SOCIAL DISTANCING COULD BE IN PLACE FOR REST OF YEAR, UNLESS COVID VACCINE CAN HALT 'THIRD SPIKE'
Social distancing could be in place for the rest of the YEAR unless the Covid vaccine can halt a "third death spike", ministers have said.
Experts fear the UK could suffer another spike in coronavirus deaths unless vaccines significantly halt transmission rates.
Modelling commissioned by SPI-M – a subgroup of Sage – found that, in a best case scenario in which vaccines stop 85 per cent of transmission, the current lockdown may need to remain in place until May.
However, if lockdown was lifted in mid-February – when it is aimed that the top four priority groups will have received their Covid vaccine – there could be a third surge in infections and deaths in April, The Telegraph reports.
- Catriona Graffius
WALES RECORDS 34 MORE COVID DEATHS
Another 34 people have died in Wales with Covid, the latest public health figures show.
That means 4,754 have died from Covid since the start of the pandemic.
Wales also recorded another 605 Covid infections in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 192,282.
In Wales, 403,463 people have now received their first coronavirus vaccine dose, with 786 receiving their second.
- Catriona Graffius
SCOTLAND RECORD FURTHER 1,003 POSITIVE COVID TESTS
Scotland has recorded another 1,003 positive Covid tests, government data shows.
Six deaths were registered in the last 24 hours.
The figures also showed 566,269 people have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccination and 7,794 have had a second dose.
- Catriona Graffius
RETAILERS CALL FOR STIMULUS PACKAGE IN LOCKDOWN
- Catriona Graffius
SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TO PAY SELF-ASSESSMENT TAX BILL – OR FACE EXTRA CHARGES
Self-employed workers have until midnight tonight to pay their self-assessment tax bill or they'll have to pay interest and could face late payment charges.
HMRC last week announced it has scrapped the £100 late filing penalties for tax returns but it still expects you to pay your bill today.
The deadline for filing the return is tonight, but you can avoid the £100 penalty as long as your return is submitted online before February 28 2021.
If you file at the bank or by post after the deadline, you will still be subject to the fine.
But from tomorrow February 1, you'll be charged interest on any tax your owe at a rate of 2.6 per cent – and if you still haven't paid by February 28 deadline you'll also get another fine, unless you set up a payment plan plan before March 3.
- Catriona Graffius
VACCINE DELIVERY TO UK 'GUARANTEED', SAYS MINISTER
A cabinet minister said the government can “absolutely guarantee” the flow of Pfizer-Biontech vaccines into Britain after Brussels backed down in an extraordinary row over supplies.
Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, promised that the UK’s order of 40 million jabs would make its way into the country following assurances from the EU.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, has assured Boris Johnson that “there will be no disruption of contracts that we have with any producer in the EU, and that is a really important principle,” Ms Truss told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show today.
Asked whether she could absolutely guarantee that the supply of Pfizer-Biontech vaccines into the country would not be disrupted, she said: “Yes, I can.”.
- Catriona Graffius
EUROMILLIONS WINNER FORCED TO DEFEND DUBAI TRIP AFTER TROLLS BRANDED HER 'SELFISH'
Euromillions winner Jane Park has been forced to defend her trip to Dubai for a second time after abuse from trolls branding her “selfish”.
The Scots millionaire, 25, revealed she’s received messages from strangers criticising her for being in the UAE while Scotland is in lockdown.
The Edinburgh socialite, who also urged people to 'follow the rules', has been staying in Dubai since before New Year.
And she set the record straight on her reasons for being abroad during the coronavirus pandemic – insisting that it was safer for her to be away from her mum who is considered to be high risk.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Jane hit back at accusations she was flouting Covid rules saying: “Can everyone stop with the Dubai abuse. I’m over here now won’t be returning."
- Catriona Graffius
UK COVID CASES TO DATE
To date, over 3.7million Brits have had coronavirus and a total 105,571 have died from the infection.
- Catriona Graffius
VULNERABLE BRITS COULD DIE IF TEACHERS JUMP THE VACCINE QUEUE, WARNS MINISTER
Vulnerable Brits could die if teachers jump the coronavirus vaccine queue, cabinet minister Liz Truss warned today.
The International Development secretary denied calls to give teachers the jab during the February half-term to speed up the reopening of schools.
Speaking to Sky's Sophy Ridge, Ms Truss warned that giving teachers the jab ahead of the four priority groups for vaccination could put the vulnerable at risk.
She said: "The issue is that for every person you vaccinate who isn't in the most vulnerable group, that's somebody in the most vulnerable group who isn't getting their vaccine and who is more likely to die in the next few weeks and months.
"I just don't think that's right. That's the decision made by the independent committee that we are going to vaccinate first the over-70s and those in the most vulnerable group, and then the over 50s."
- Catriona Graffius
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION VISITS WUHAN WET MARKET
The World Health Organisation probing the origins of COVID have visited the wet market linked to the first outbreak in Wuhan, China.
The team went to the Huanan livestock market – which is now closed.
The site was linked to 70 per cent of early COVID infections, according to research.
The team’s work is focusing on the potential jump of the virus from animals into humans.
- Catriona Graffius
NEW STUDY SHOWS VACCINES MAY BE SLOWING TRANSMISSION ALREADY
A new study shows that vaccines may already be slowing transmission of the bug – just two months after the first jab was given.
As inoculations rack up, early data shows the crisis is easing and the number of people testing positive is already dropping, experts say.
The research, which will be published within days, will also provide evidence that Brits are protected with just one dose, The Times reports.
Scientists are not certain whether the jab prevents people passing on the virus, though early data from Israel suggests it could suppress transmission, the Telegraph reports.
Infection rates in the over-80s, many of whom have now received the jab, have fallen by 36 per cent this month. Other age groups have seen similar falls.
- Catriona Graffius
BRITS SHOULD ENJOY 'HAPPY AND FREE' SUMMER, SAYS HANCOCK
Brits should be able to enjoy a "happy and free Great British summer" once most adults have received the Covid jab, Matt Hancock said today.
The Health Secretary hopes restrictions will be eased in the warmer months as the vaccine rollout picks up pace.
He told BBC Politics East: "In six months we'll be in the middle, I hope, of a happy and free Great British summer.
"I have a high degree of confidence that by then the vast majority of adults will have been vaccinated."
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