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Coronavirus news – live: Face coverings to be mandatory on public transport in England as study raising concerns over Trump-touted drug withdrawn

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

Boris Johnson urged world leaders to unite to fight against coronavirus when he launched a global vaccine summit in London, as the UK death toll from Covid-19 neared 40,000.

The prime minister committed £1.6bn towards the £6bn needed over the next five years and persuaded Donald Trump to send a short video message from the White House. The US president described Covid-19 as "mean and nasty" and vowed: "We are all going to take care of it together." Later in the day a study published in revered journal The Lancet which raised concerns over hydroxyvhloroquine, a drug touted by Mr Trump, was withdrawn amid concerns over its use of data.

Meanwhile Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed those using public transport will be compelled to wear a face mask as a condition of travel. Those without face coverings could be stopped from boarding trains and busses.

In other news a former MI6 chief ​claimed the pandemic may have started as an accident in a Chinese laboratory, business secretary Alok Sharma has tested negative for the virus after falling unwell in parliament, and both Mexico and Brazil reported record daily numbers of coronavirus deaths while the Spanish tally rose by just five fatalities

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