A pet cat has become the first animal to test positive for coronavirus in the UK.
The only details known about the feline are that it lives in England and was tested at a laboratory in Weybridge, Surrey, last week, on 22 July.
There is "no evidence" the cat transmitted the virus to its owners or that any other domestic pets are able to either, the government said.
Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss explained it was a "very rare event" and infected animals detected so far only show "mild clinical signs" and recover "within a few days".
Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, said the finding "should not be a cause for alarm".
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"In line with the general advice on fighting coronavirus, you should wash your hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals," she added.
The cat was initially diagnosed with feline herpes - a common respiratory infection - by a private vet, the environment department said on Monday.
More from Covid-19
A sample was then tested for coronavirus as part of a research programme by the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the feline was also found to have SARS-CoV2 - the virus known to cause COVID-19 in humans.
The case has been reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health in line with international commitments, the government confirmed.
It added there have been "a very small number of confirmed cases in pets in other countries" in Europe, North America and Asia.
Professor Margaret Hosie from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, whose team was involved in the research into the cat, said there have been "sporadic reports" of felines having coronavirus in households that also tested positive for the virus in Hong Kong, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the USA.
"All available evidence suggests that the cat was infected from its owners, who had previously tested positive," she said.
"The cat and its owners have since made a full recovery and there was no transmission of the virus to other animals or people in the household."
Boris Johnson said the plans would help "reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus".
The prime minister will unveil the strategy later amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from Covid-19.
Government statistics showed nearly 8% of critically ill patients in intensive care units with the virus have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.
The move marks a change in stance by the prime minister, who has previously criticised levies on foods high in salt, fat and sugar - and described his views on tackling obesity as "libertarian".
But Mr Johnson's experience in intensive care during his treatment for Covid-19 is thought to have contributed to his changing position.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Along with the ban on TV and online adverts before the watershed, the government said it would hold a consultation on whether to stop fast food adverts online altogether.
Labelling of calories on menus will apply to any restaurant, cafe or takeaway chain with more than 250 employees, and another new consultation will be launched around plans to provide the same information for alcoholic drinks.
Sue Eustace, director of public affairs at the Advertising Association, said the "extreme" and "unnecessary" measures would have little effect in reducing obesity, and warned they could have "wide ranging ramifications" for food businesses and online publishers trying to financially recover from the pandemic and the lockdown.
She told BBC 5 Live's Wake Up to Money programme: "We have some of the strictest [advertising] rules in the world already and children's exposure to high fat, salt, and sugar adverts on TV has fallen by 70% over the last 15 years or so, but there's been no change to obesity, so we don't think these measures are going to work."
She warned that the measures could impact a "whole range" of household products that people do not necessarily view as junk food, and questioned whether this would restrict businesses like local fish and chip shops from putting their menus online for customers.
'Radical changes'
If implemented this will mean radical changes to the way food is marketed.
Most of the proposals were first set out in a policy paper in 2018 and put out to consultation before getting stalled.
The key is how businesses react this time, having previously been against the measures. The Food and Drink Federation has again given a hostile response.
But what about advertisers whose freedom to promote some food products will be severely limited?
A doyen of the industry Sir John Hegarty has come out in favour of a ban on TV ads of unhealthy food before the 9pm watershed. He said there was a growing health crisis.
Much of the drinks industry has already accepted the need for calorie labelling.
Just as Boris Johnson and other Conservative politicians have moved from a libertarian non-interventionist approach to a call for action on obesity, the business lobby could be shifting as well.
The new measures will be accompanied by expanded weight management services from the NHS - including online tools and "healthy weight coaches" to support patients - and a national campaign to help people lose weight and eat more healthily after the "wake-up call" of coronavirus.
GPs will be encouraged to prescribe exercise such as cycling and other activities and next year doctors will be offered incentives to provide help for people who are obese.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Everyone knows how hard losing weight can be, so we are taking bold action to help everyone who needs it."
He said taken together, the new measures and the campaign will "get the country eating healthily and losing the pounds".
Am I overweight?
The NHS says most adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 are overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 are classed as obese.
Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person's mass in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.
Another measure of excess fat is waist size - men with a waist of 94cm or more and women with a waist of 80cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related problems.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, also backed the strategy, saying it would "save lives".
"These bold measures will help us tip the scales on obesity. The argument for action is the clearest it's ever been," she added.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: "This is a landmark day for the nation's health.
"Being overweight or obese puts people at risk of many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people from poorer backgrounds so the plan will hugely help to level-up the country and build a healthier population."
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, chairman of the British Medical Association's Board of Science, said: "The BMA has long been calling for new ways to tackle obesity and we are delighted to see that the government has sat up and listened.
"What we need now is for this strategy to be actioned as quickly as possible, with the promised expansion of NHS services delivered in full, with adequate resources and funding, to ensure that those struggling with their weight can get the support they need and deserve."
But Adam Briggs from the Health Foundation said: "There is little sign of policies that will address the root causes of obesity."
The book claims the Duke of Sussex felt Charles put the British public's opinions of him above anything else. The unofficial biography is due to be published in August, and is expected to shed light on the couple's frustrations with the palace and press.
The biography, written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, claimed Harry had "grown frustrated" that he and Meghan "often took a back seat to other family members," including his father and brother.
Palace sources fear the book could create a bad rift between Harry, Meghan, and the Royals due to it's account of some of their grievances.
However, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have distanced themselves from the book, saying they were not interviewed for the biography and did not make any contributions to it.
Nonetheless, tensions appeared high between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family by the time Harry and Meghan announced their surprise departure in January.
Harry's relationship with Charles was said to be strained before he and Meghan decided to leave (Image: GETTY)
The book claimed Harry had 'grown frustrated' that he and Meghan 'often took a back seat to other family members' (Image: PA)
The move was not discussed with the palace beforehand, making it a shock to both the public and other royals.
Now, an extract of the biography, serialised this weekend by The Times has said just why these tensions and frustrations grew in the lead up to the royal split.
The book said: "Increasingly Harry had grown frustrated that he and Meghan often took a back seat to other family members.
"While they both respected the hierarchy of the institution, it was difficult when they wanted to focus on a project and were told that a more senior ranking family member, be it Prince William or Prince Charles, had an initiative or tour being announced at the same time — so they would just have to wait."
The book claims the Duke of Sussex felt Charles put the British public's opinions of him above anything else (Image: EMPICS)
Biographers say Charles was always going to include Harry and Meghan in the future of the Royal Family, even if it was cut down in size.
The Prince of Wales is even said to have told the couple so.
However, the text explains that feelings were hurt when Harry and Meghan didn't tell the Firm when they were developing their own Sussex Royal website.
The extract read: "Even sources close to Harry and Meghan had to admit that the way the couple were forced to approach the situation created a lot of ill will in the household and especially in the family”.
The unofficial biography is due to be published in August, and is expected to shed light on the couple's frustrations with the palace and press (Image: WENN)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have distanced themselves from the book, saying they were not interviewed for the biography and did not make any contributions to it (Image: GETTY)
However, despite the alleged bad feeling, some experts are certain Harry will return to the UK one day.
However, this could be without Meghan.
Former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter said in an interview with the Telegraph that Harry's move overseas "doesn't make sense" to the British public.
He said: “British people are clearly just saddened that this star, in their eyes – and I mean Harry, not Meghan – has left the country and gone his own way.
"It doesn’t make sense to a lot of them.”
Royal Family tree (Image: EXPRESS)
When asked if he thinks Harry will come back to the UK to live, he suggested the LA life is not for a prince.
He said: “He’d be crazy not to.
"Los Angeles is not a place for people who don’t have a part in the professional firmament.
"Meghan was on a middling TV show that a lot of people didn’t see, and as for Harry: being a soldier and liking football are just not saleable talents out there."
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Palace sources fear the book could create a bad rift between Harry, Meghan, and the Royals due to it's account of some of their grievances (Image: GETTY)
The former editor went on to suggest Harry and Meghan's messages on global warning is far from aiding their success.
He added: "You can get it right if you stay on message in LA.
“But I think it’s very hard to start telling people about the fate of the planet when you’re flying in private planes, living in a 14-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion and living off the state.
"I really don’t think you can lecture people from that position.”
Boris Johnson said the plans would help "reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus".
The prime minister will unveil the strategy later amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from Covid-19.
Government statistics showed nearly 8% of critically ill patients in intensive care units with the virus have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.
The move marks a change in stance by the prime minister, who has previously criticised levies on foods high in salt, fat and sugar - and described his views on tackling obesity as "libertarian".
But Mr Johnson's experience in intensive care during his treatment for Covid-19 is thought to have contributed to his changing position.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Along with the ban on TV and online adverts before the watershed, the government said it would hold a consultation on whether to stop fast food adverts online altogether.
Labelling of calories on menus will apply to any restaurant, cafe or takeaway chain with more than 250 employees, and another new consultation will be launched around plans to provide the same information for alcoholic drinks.
Sue Eustace, director of public affairs at the Advertising Association, said the "extreme" and "unnecessary" measures would have little effect in reducing obesity, and warned they could have "wide ranging ramifications" for food businesses and online publishers trying to financially recover from the pandemic and the lockdown.
She told BBC 5 Live's Wake Up to Money programme: "We have some of the strictest [advertising] rules in the world already and children's exposure to high fat, salt, and sugar adverts on TV has fallen by 70% over the last 15 years or so, but there's been no change to obesity, so we don't think these measures are going to work."
She warned that the measures could impact a "whole range" of household products that people do not necessarily view as junk food, and questioned whether this would restrict businesses like local fish and chip shops from putting their menus online for customers.
'Radical changes'
If implemented this will mean radical changes to the way food is marketed.
Most of the proposals were first set out in a policy paper in 2018 and put out to consultation before getting stalled.
The key is how businesses react this time, having previously been against the measures. The Food and Drink Federation has again given a hostile response.
But what about advertisers whose freedom to promote some food products will be severely limited?
A doyen of the industry Sir John Hegarty has come out in favour of a ban on TV ads of unhealthy food before the 9pm watershed. He said there was a growing health crisis.
Much of the drinks industry has already accepted the need for calorie labelling.
Just as Boris Johnson and other Conservative politicians have moved from a libertarian non-interventionist approach to a call for action on obesity, the business lobby could be shifting as well.
The new measures will be accompanied by expanded weight management services from the NHS - including online tools and "healthy weight coaches" to support patients - and a national campaign to help people lose weight and eat more healthily after the "wake-up call" of coronavirus.
GPs will be encouraged to prescribe exercise such as cycling and other activities and next year doctors will be offered incentives to provide help for people who are obese.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Everyone knows how hard losing weight can be, so we are taking bold action to help everyone who needs it."
He said taken together, the new measures and the campaign will "get the country eating healthily and losing the pounds".
Am I overweight?
The NHS says most adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 are overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 are classed as obese.
Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person's mass in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.
Another measure of excess fat is waist size - men with a waist of 94cm or more and women with a waist of 80cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related problems.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, also backed the strategy, saying it would "save lives".
"These bold measures will help us tip the scales on obesity. The argument for action is the clearest it's ever been," she added.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: "This is a landmark day for the nation's health.
"Being overweight or obese puts people at risk of many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people from poorer backgrounds so the plan will hugely help to level-up the country and build a healthier population."
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, chairman of the British Medical Association's Board of Science, said: "The BMA has long been calling for new ways to tackle obesity and we are delighted to see that the government has sat up and listened.
"What we need now is for this strategy to be actioned as quickly as possible, with the promised expansion of NHS services delivered in full, with adequate resources and funding, to ensure that those struggling with their weight can get the support they need and deserve."
But Adam Briggs from the Health Foundation said: "There is little sign of policies that will address the root causes of obesity."
Boris Johnson said the plans would help "reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus".
The prime minister will unveil the strategy later amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from Covid-19.
Government statistics showed nearly 8% of critically ill patients in intensive care units with the virus have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.
The move marks a change in stance by the prime minister, who has previously criticised levies on foods high in salt, fat and sugar - and described his views on tackling obesity as "libertarian".
But Mr Johnson's experience in intensive care during his treatment for Covid-19 is thought to have contributed to his changing position.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Along with the ban on TV and online adverts before the watershed, the government said it would hold a consultation on whether to stop fast food adverts online altogether.
Labelling of calories on menus will apply to any restaurant, cafe or takeaway chain with more than 250 employees, and another new consultation will be launched around plans to provide the same information for alcoholic drinks.
Sue Eustace, director of public affairs at the Advertising Association, said the "extreme" and "unnecessary" measures would have little effect in reducing obesity, and warned they could have "wide ranging ramifications" for food businesses and online publishers trying to financially recover from the pandemic and the lockdown.
She told BBC 5 Live's Wake Up to Money programme: "We have some of the strictest [advertising] rules in the world already and children's exposure to high fat, salt, and sugar adverts on TV has fallen by 70% over the last 15 years or so, but there's been no change to obesity, so we don't think these measures are going to work."
She warned that the measures could impact a "whole range" of household products that people do not necessarily view as junk food, and questioned whether this would restrict businesses like local fish and chip shops from putting their menus online for customers.
'Radical changes'
If implemented this will mean radical changes to the way food is marketed.
Most of the proposals were first set out in a policy paper in 2018 and put out to consultation before getting stalled.
The key is how businesses react this time, having previously been against the measures. The Food and Drink Federation has again given a hostile response.
But what about advertisers whose freedom to promote some food products will be severely limited?
A doyen of the industry Sir John Hegarty has come out in favour of a ban on TV ads of unhealthy food before the 9pm watershed. He said there was a growing health crisis.
Much of the drinks industry has already accepted the need for calorie labelling.
Just as Boris Johnson and other Conservative politicians have moved from a libertarian non-interventionist approach to a call for action on obesity, the business lobby could be shifting as well.
The new measures will be accompanied by expanded weight management services from the NHS - including online tools and "healthy weight coaches" to support patients - and a national campaign to help people lose weight and eat more healthily after the "wake-up call" of coronavirus.
GPs will be encouraged to prescribe exercise such as cycling and other activities and next year doctors will be offered incentives to provide help for people who are obese.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Everyone knows how hard losing weight can be, so we are taking bold action to help everyone who needs it."
He said taken together, the new measures and the campaign will "get the country eating healthily and losing the pounds".
Am I overweight?
The NHS says most adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 are overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 are classed as obese.
Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person's mass in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.
Another measure of excess fat is waist size - men with a waist of 94cm or more and women with a waist of 80cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related problems.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, also backed the strategy, saying it would "save lives".
"These bold measures will help us tip the scales on obesity. The argument for action is the clearest it's ever been," she added.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: "This is a landmark day for the nation's health.
"Being overweight or obese puts people at risk of many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people from poorer backgrounds so the plan will hugely help to level-up the country and build a healthier population."
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, chairman of the British Medical Association's Board of Science, said: "The BMA has long been calling for new ways to tackle obesity and we are delighted to see that the government has sat up and listened.
"What we need now is for this strategy to be actioned as quickly as possible, with the promised expansion of NHS services delivered in full, with adequate resources and funding, to ensure that those struggling with their weight can get the support they need and deserve."
But Adam Briggs from the Health Foundation said: "There is little sign of policies that will address the root causes of obesity."
The Craven Arms, Shropshire, has seen 21 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours. Shropshire Council swiftly ordered the residents to self-isolate with their households for 14 days. As of July 27, the UK has seen 301,020 COVID-19 cases as well as 45,837 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
A testing centre has been set up near the afflicted caravan park, with everyone on-site offered a test.
The new centres will be open for the next two weeks, between 10:30am and 3:30pm.
Testing is by appointment only, and can be booked through the NHS Test and Trace app online, or by ringing 119.
Shropshire Council has also closed a playground close to the caravan park to reduce contact and risk of infection.
But despite the swift quarantine and testing set up, the council fears that the number of cases will continue to rise before virus control measures can take effect.
The rise in cases has been linked to an outbreak in nearby Welshpool, as well as a recent local event.
So far 41 people have been tested at the caravan park, and contact tracing is being undertaken at the site.
The number of cases is expected to rise in the next few days due to a lag in reporting data.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that councils have the power to introduce lockdown measures on July 17.
Mr Johnson said that new measures for local councils will mean “lightning lockdowns” can be introduced to curb infections faster.
Council’s powers to introduce lockdown measures followed a huge spike in cases in Leicester.
The Shropshire surge also followed Luton’s mayor apologising for breaking lockdown rules after the town has seen a rise in cases.
Mayor Tahir Malik was pictured at an outdoor gathering with 11 other men, double to number permitted under coronavirus laws.
Luton has been placed on the Government’s “area of intervention” list due to its rise in cases.
A statement from the mayor said: "We apologise unreservedly to the people of Luton for our breach of the lockdown rules.”
