Coronavirus: is the UK prepared? Plus new facial recognition powers for London police, and the ‘fun’ side of Davos 2020

The death toll in China rose to 25 today and cities surrounding Wuhan – where the disease was first reported - have been locked down. Effectively 33 million people are now in quarantine. Chinese New Year brings concerns across Europe that the disease could travel further. The Evening Standard’s health editor Ross Lydall advises on what will happen if Coronavirus is found in the UK.

London’s Facial Recognition:

It has been announced today that facial recognition cameras are to be used across London by the Met police to help catch and solve crimes faster using databases of criminal images. Does this effect the public’s right to privacy? The Leader spoke to Martin Bentham on his exclusive report for the Evening Standard.

The ‘fun’ side of Davos 2020:

The World Economic Forum in Davos has wrapped for the year, with Donald Trump and Greta Thunberg dominating the headlines at the start of the week. But what else happened? Evening Standard columnist Anne McElvoy has been attending the forum – and the parties. She joins The Leader podcast to reveal what the world’s leaders get up to when they’re not discussing global economics.

TRANSCRIPT:

David Marsland 0:00

You can subscribe to The Leader through your podcast provider and please do share us with your friends so everyone can get the Evening Standard's news analysis and commentary every day at 4pm. Now, from the Evening Standard in London, this is The Leader.

Hi, I'm David Marsland - How do you stop a pandemic?

Ross Lydall 0:28

Two of our elite hospitals St Thomas's in Lambeth and the Royal Free in Hampstead. They are on standby just now, to be the receiving centers should any of the patients suspected to have coronavirus have actually diagnose

David Marsland 0:43

The Evening Standard's health editor Ross Lydall explains what happens if Coronavirus is found in the UK.

Martin Bentham 0:49

Also they spend a lot of time trying to track down people who are suspects in serious offenses using databases compiled from their custody suite images will help them to speed up that process. Martin Bentham on his exclusive story: facial recognition cameras are to be deployed across London.. and:

Anne McElvoy 1:11

they're at one table Ivanka Trump walked by

David Marsland 1:14

The other side of Davos, Anne McElvoy reveals the fun to be had at an economic forum as well as news on a US-China trade deal.

Taken from the Evening Standard editorial column this is The Leader for the whole thing. Pick up the newspaper or head to standard.co.uk/comment, in a moment Ross Lydall on Corona Virus.

The streets are being sprayed in Wuhan China where the mysterious Coronavirus first emerged. Many of the city's 11 million people wear masks over their faces outside, and doctors are urging everyone to wash their hands frequently. Hospitals there have used the Chinese equivalent of Twitter Weibo to make appeals for supplies. 11 cities and four towns in the Hubei province are on a travel lockdown, that's 35 million people forbidden from leaving. Disneyland and Shanghai has been shut down to stop the spread. Will, any of this work? Our health editor Ross Lydall's covering the story and Ross, you were at people's question time where the London Mayor usually answers concerns about things...

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