Coronavirus diary, Thursday 9 July

Apart from Leicester where there is a temporary lockdown  and some northern towns, Britain is having something of a respite from coronavirus.

The death toll is down and the relaxation of many of the rules we have lived under for months seems to be working.

Of the thousands of pubs that opened in England last Saturday, so far only three have shut down for a few days, a wise decision by their landlords after some clients tested positive.

They got in touch with the other customers using the information now needed to go in pubs and restaurants. 

A good example of the simple trace and check system, far more effective than the much lauded mass system still not introduced.

Britain is generally acting just as positively with only a few exceptions where 'out of jail' celebrations got out of hand with mass revelling and partying. All very encouraging.

But is this a lull, a pause before a threatened second wave? 

There are ominous signs around the world, with flare ups in Australia and the USA while the tsunami in Brazil continues. The Texas governor today warned that hospitals could be overwhelmed in 10 days unless the flow of cases is stemmed.

Bolsonaro: senseless bravado

Unsurprisingly, the latest of the 1.7million cases in Brazil is the President, Jair Bolsonaro, almost certainly caused by his stupidity. He has consistently dismissed the danger, flouting the rules, refusing to wear a face mask, and encouraging people to ignore the danger. He is still acting with senseless bravado while the virus rages. 

Even worse, President Trump continues to show he is unfit to lead his country by being flippant, wilfully ignoring the disaster. Fiddling while Rome burns.

In Australia, Melbourne has had a sudden spike, shutting  down for six weeks and closing its borders.

There are warning signs of the further death and devastation coronavirus could wreak unless common sense, not bravado, prevails.