Our live coverage has now ended for the week, but we'll be back on Monday morning from 09:00 BST with more updates on how coronavirus is impacting the lives of people across Kent, Sussex and Surrey.
In the meantime, if you think there’s a story we should be covering, you can email or contact us via Facebook or Twitter.
Rail operator shows support for NHS
A rail operator has thrown its support behind by the NHS by wrapping one of its trains with a message of thanks.
Dentistry shutdown leaves patient with 'debilitating' toothache
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
A Sussex man said he has been left in pain for weeks because of the widespread closure of dental surgeries during the lockdown.
David Walsh, from Chichester, has an infected tooth which was still being investigated when the measures were introduced.
Quote Message: It's debilitating and wearing. I've been in pain for three weeks and on antibiotics for two weeks, but I've still not got any treatment and the pain is pretty much as it was at the outset". from David Walsh Dental patient
It's debilitating and wearing. I've been in pain for three weeks and on antibiotics for two weeks, but I've still not got any treatment and the pain is pretty much as it was at the outset".
Mr Walsh said he has been given painkillers, but is self-rationing them, putting up with the pain during the day so he can take them before trying to sleep, and says he feels dentistry has been "airbrushed out of the national dialogue during this awful crisis".
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Dental surgeries have closed during the lockdownImage caption: Dental surgeries have closed during the lockdown
Toby Hancock, a Sussex dentist and representative of the British Dental Association, said the lack of treatment is due to a low levels of personal protective equipment, which are required because of the spray produced by dental tools.
Quote Message: It all comes down to access to PPE. Many of us would carry on if we had the assurance that we would be protected and wouldn't pass the virus to others". from Toby Hancock British Dental Association
It all comes down to access to PPE. Many of us would carry on if we had the assurance that we would be protected and wouldn't pass the virus to others".
Dentists were stopped from doing all routine work at the end of March, but initially allowed to treat emergencies.
This was also stopped, and they can now only do telephone consultations.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Any patient whose condition could become life-threatening can be taken to A&E.
Urgent dental care hubs are being created, with dentists provided with the necessary PPE, and nine are being planned across Sussex.
Netball team running to raise money for NHS charities
Sue Nicholson
BBC News
Members of the University of Sussex Netball Club are putting their one hour of exercise a day to good use by running the equivalent of the length of Britain to raise money for NHS charities.
Between Monday 13 and Thursday 23 April, the team of students are running 1400 km, the length of the route from Land's End to John O'Groats.
University of Sussex Netball ClubCopyright: University of Sussex Netball Club
It works out at just under 5 km per person per day, using
their individual hour of daily exercise allowed under the coronavirus lockdown.
Four of the team have remained in Brighton, completing their runs
on the seafront, in Hove Park and Preston Park.
Others are located around the UK and some are using treadmills.
The team has so far raised more than £3,000 for charities
providing support to NHS staff, volunteers and patients.
Fears over economic fallout of coronavirus on Crawley
Karen Dunn
Local Democracy Reporter
The leader of Crawley Borough Council has warned the town’s economy faces "a long road back" to recover from the coronavirus lockdown.
The town faces the daunting prospect of having the hardest-hit economy in the country, according to a study for Centre for Cities.
Speaking during his weekly online Q&A, Mr Lamb appealed for more help from the government, and said: “Crawley has been, up to this point, an incredibly vibrant economy.
“Ever since the new town was built, we’ve had almost full employment in the town. So it’s not something we’re really used to seeing, this potential impact in terms of unemployment.
“It is going to require a great deal of intervention from the government to try to resolve it.”
With Gatwick Airport on its doorstep, Crawley is hugely reliant on the aviation industry.
Mr Lamb said that, over the last few weeks, the council had delivered some £34m of business rates relief and handed out £5m of grants to local businesses.
But he added that he was "well aware" that two-thirds of businesses which may be eligible for a grant had not applied.
Urging those firms to come forward, Mr Lamb said: “The impact on aviation and many of these industries will linger on and a number of businesses will genuinely struggle to get through this period, even with some of the support that’s been required.”
Looking to the future, he predicted a tough time to come: “The reality is, as a town, we need to prepare for what is going to be a long road back to where we started.
“Crawley has an awful lot going for it in terms of its workforce, in terms of its location, in terms of the businesses already based here – but it’s going to take some time to get that all up and running again.”
Seven Kent Police officers and staff diagnosed with coronavirus
BBCCopyright: BBC
Seven
Kent Police officers and staff have been confirmed as having coronavirus, the
force’s Chief Constable has revealed.
One
is currently in hospital and 20 others are self-isolating after displaying
symptoms. The force has a sickness absence rate of about 4%, Chief Constable
Alan Pughsley said.
He
added: “We are continuing with normal business in tackling crime and protecting
the most vulnerable members of our society, as well as ensuring the new
legislation is adhered to. They inspire me every day and I am extremely
grateful to them for continuing to do an excellent job in difficult
circumstances.”
Mr
Pughsley re-stated his plea for people to stay at home, saying that people who
fail to abide by the order are putting at risk the lives of his officers and
other key workers.
As
of Wednesday 15 April, Kent Police officers had issued 53 fines to people who refused to comply with
social distancing restrictions, including 23 over the Easter Bank Holiday
weekend.
These included three people who travelled from London to the beach at
Hythe and were caught fishing after previously being asked to go home.
Mr
Pughsley said: “These are difficult times for us all and I completely understand
why some people, for example, those without gardens, may struggle to stay at
home for an extended period of time. However, when you consider that more than
12,000 people have already died in the UK, it is of paramount importance that
we all do as instructed by the Government.”
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation TrustCopyright: East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
A patient from Kent has thanked NHS teams who nursed him back to
health after he was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Volunteer coastguard Stuart Sayer,
62, started feeling ill on a skiing holiday in Austria in March,
and then ended up spending two weeks in intensive care at the William Harvey
Hospital in Ashford.
Now back home
in Dymchurch with wife Sue, he said: “When I first started feeling ill, coronavirus
didn’t enter my head.
“I thought I
was just tired after the skiing holiday, but as the week went on I became more
and more breathless until my wife needed to call an ambulance.
“They
arrived, all kitted out, and it turned out my oxygen saturation was at 80% so they put me on oxygen and whisked me off to hospital.”
After a few days in Oxford ward, Mr Sayer was transferred to intensive care
where he needed to be put on a ventilator to help him breathe.
He was put in an
induced coma to allow his body to recover, but not before FaceTiming his wife
to wish her a happy 41st wedding anniversary.
Initially,
tests for Covid-19 were inconclusive but later it emerged he had the
disease.
Mr Sayer
said: “I can see
the progress I’m making and I can’t thank the hospital staff and the whole NHS
enough. From the paramedics to the physios, they were all as good as gold and
they couldn’t do enough for me."
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation TrustCopyright: East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Road closures give people room to walk and cycle
Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Brighton and Hove is closing roads to cars so local people have more space for their daily exercise.
From Monday, Madeira Drive will be temporarily closed to traffic and open to walkers and cyclists.
The move comes as cities respond to a decrease in traffic numbers as a result of the coronavirus restrictions.
Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chair of the city’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Madeira Drive is a long, wide road right by the seafront and will create an extra safe open space for local people.
“I would also ask that cyclists and pedestrians respect each other’s space and safety in this shared area. We’re all in this together."
The council is considering extending this to other roads in the city.
Madeira Drive and Duke’s Mound will be stewarded from 08:00 BST to 20:00 daily so businesses still have essential access to properties.
£10m fund for fishing industry
Miles Davis
BBC News Online
GoogleCopyright: Google
The fishing industry in England will receive a £10-million bailout after its markets in the UK and Europe collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Fishing businesses across the south west have said reduced sales during the coronavirus crisis have devastated their industry.
More than 1,000 fishing and aquaculture businesses will receive up to £9 million in direct cash grants with another £1 million available to help fishing operators sell their catch locally, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said in a statement.
The grants are to assist with the fixed business costs for up to three months for owners of under-24 metre vessels with English fishing licences who last year recorded sales of at least £10,000.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay said: "Fishing is at the heart of many of England's coastal communities - providing local jobs as well as valued produce to their communities and through exports around the world."
Noisy neighbours: complaints on the rise in lockdown
Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The number of noise complaints received by councils in Kent has risen by about fifth during the lockdown period.
During the two-week period from the start of lockdown, Kent councils received 338 noise-related complaints, 50 more than the same period the year before.
Loud music and barking dogs were a common cause for complaint.
In statements to BBC Radio Kent, many councils said part of the reason was down to children being home and the warmer weather seeing people use their gardens more.
Folkestone and Hythe saw complaints almost treble, while Gravesham, Maidstone and Medway also saw large increases.
Quote Message: We encourage residents to talk to the person responsible, before they report noise problems to us.
We encourage residents to talk to the person responsible, before they report noise problems to us.
Quote Message: We encourage residents to be considerate of their neighbours and be more tolerant and patient if neighbours are making more noise than usual. from Medway Council Spokeswoman
We encourage residents to be considerate of their neighbours and be more tolerant and patient if neighbours are making more noise than usual.
BBQ on heath sees area scorched
Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter
Dawn WhittakerCopyright: Dawn Whittaker
A large area of heathland has been scorched after people had a barbecue, against the government guidance.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue officer Dawn Whittaker posted the image of the blackened earth in the Ashdown Forest.
The fire, which was near to the car park, broke out on Thursday afternoon.
Fire crews from Forest Row tackled the blaze.
During the coronavirus lockdown, the government has said people should only leave their homes for shopping for necessities, one form of exercise, a medical need, or to go to work where that cannot work from home.
Union officials are calling for more to be done to protect bus drivers from the threat of coronavirus.
Twelve bus workers have died in London alone since the start of the crisis.
Quote Message: We need to ensure that people driving these buses, driving essential workers, we need to make sure these workers are safe as well." from Peter Kavanagh UNITE
We need to ensure that people driving these buses, driving essential workers, we need to make sure these workers are safe as well."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Bus drivers in Brighton no longer handle cashImage caption: Bus drivers in Brighton no longer handle cash
Stagecoach Southeastern said it has already adapted security screens to offer more protection from the virus, while drivers for Brighton and Hove Buses have stopped handing out change.
Quote Message: We don't want to disadvantage part of the community who may not readily access alternatives in normal times, but these are not normal times." from Martin Harrison Brighton and Hove Buses
We don't want to disadvantage part of the community who may not readily access alternatives in normal times, but these are not normal times."
Good morning from the BBC South East Live team
Good morning and welcome again to another day focusing on coronavirus developments across the South East.
We’ll be here to bring you all the latest news.
And in the meantime, if you think there’s a story we should be covering, you can email us or contact us via Facebook and Twitter.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
Get involved
Goodbye! We'll be back on Monday
Thanks for joining us this week.
Our live coverage has now ended for the week, but we'll be back on Monday morning from 09:00 BST with more updates on how coronavirus is impacting the lives of people across Kent, Sussex and Surrey.
In the meantime, if you think there’s a story we should be covering, you can email or contact us via Facebook or Twitter.
Rail operator shows support for NHS
A rail operator has thrown its support behind by the NHS by wrapping one of its trains with a message of thanks.
Dentistry shutdown leaves patient with 'debilitating' toothache
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
A Sussex man said he has been left in pain for weeks because of the widespread closure of dental surgeries during the lockdown.
David Walsh, from Chichester, has an infected tooth which was still being investigated when the measures were introduced.
Mr Walsh said he has been given painkillers, but is self-rationing them, putting up with the pain during the day so he can take them before trying to sleep, and says he feels dentistry has been "airbrushed out of the national dialogue during this awful crisis".
Toby Hancock, a Sussex dentist and representative of the British Dental Association, said the lack of treatment is due to a low levels of personal protective equipment, which are required because of the spray produced by dental tools.
Dentists were stopped from doing all routine work at the end of March, but initially allowed to treat emergencies.
This was also stopped, and they can now only do telephone consultations.
Any patient whose condition could become life-threatening can be taken to A&E.
Urgent dental care hubs are being created, with dentists provided with the necessary PPE, and nine are being planned across Sussex.
Netball team running to raise money for NHS charities
Sue Nicholson
BBC News
Members of the University of Sussex Netball Club are putting their one hour of exercise a day to good use by running the equivalent of the length of Britain to raise money for NHS charities.
Between Monday 13 and Thursday 23 April, the team of students are running 1400 km, the length of the route from Land's End to John O'Groats.
It works out at just under 5 km per person per day, using their individual hour of daily exercise allowed under the coronavirus lockdown.
Four of the team have remained in Brighton, completing their runs on the seafront, in Hove Park and Preston Park.
Others are located around the UK and some are using treadmills.
The team has so far raised more than £3,000 for charities providing support to NHS staff, volunteers and patients.
Councils 'on brink of financial failure'
Coronavirus has seen costs of supporting vulnerable people increase just as councils' incomes drop.
Read moreFears over economic fallout of coronavirus on Crawley
Karen Dunn
Local Democracy Reporter
The leader of Crawley Borough Council has warned the town’s economy faces "a long road back" to recover from the coronavirus lockdown.
The town faces the daunting prospect of having the hardest-hit economy in the country, according to a study for Centre for Cities.
Speaking during his weekly online Q&A, Mr Lamb appealed for more help from the government, and said: “Crawley has been, up to this point, an incredibly vibrant economy.
“Ever since the new town was built, we’ve had almost full employment in the town. So it’s not something we’re really used to seeing, this potential impact in terms of unemployment.
“It is going to require a great deal of intervention from the government to try to resolve it.”
With Gatwick Airport on its doorstep, Crawley is hugely reliant on the aviation industry.
Mr Lamb said that, over the last few weeks, the council had delivered some £34m of business rates relief and handed out £5m of grants to local businesses.
But he added that he was "well aware" that two-thirds of businesses which may be eligible for a grant had not applied.
Urging those firms to come forward, Mr Lamb said: “The impact on aviation and many of these industries will linger on and a number of businesses will genuinely struggle to get through this period, even with some of the support that’s been required.”
Looking to the future, he predicted a tough time to come: “The reality is, as a town, we need to prepare for what is going to be a long road back to where we started.
“Crawley has an awful lot going for it in terms of its workforce, in terms of its location, in terms of the businesses already based here – but it’s going to take some time to get that all up and running again.”
How many confirmed cases are there in your area?
Key graphics explaining how coronavirus has spread in the UK and the government's response.
Read moreTrumpeting his support for the NHS
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
This veteran musician is joining in Clap for Carers events in his own special way.
Home Office staff give face masks to migrants
Volunteers say French migrant camps are dangerously overcrowded and without running water.
Read moreSeven Kent Police officers and staff diagnosed with coronavirus
Seven Kent Police officers and staff have been confirmed as having coronavirus, the force’s Chief Constable has revealed.
One is currently in hospital and 20 others are self-isolating after displaying symptoms. The force has a sickness absence rate of about 4%, Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said.
He added: “We are continuing with normal business in tackling crime and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, as well as ensuring the new legislation is adhered to. They inspire me every day and I am extremely grateful to them for continuing to do an excellent job in difficult circumstances.”
Mr Pughsley re-stated his plea for people to stay at home, saying that people who fail to abide by the order are putting at risk the lives of his officers and other key workers.
As of Wednesday 15 April, Kent Police officers had issued 53 fines to people who refused to comply with social distancing restrictions, including 23 over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
These included three people who travelled from London to the beach at Hythe and were caught fishing after previously being asked to go home.
Mr Pughsley said: “These are difficult times for us all and I completely understand why some people, for example, those without gardens, may struggle to stay at home for an extended period of time. However, when you consider that more than 12,000 people have already died in the UK, it is of paramount importance that we all do as instructed by the Government.”
Fly-tipping rise prompts plea to reopen tips
Some local authorities say they have seen a "sharp rise" in illegal dumping during lockdown.
Read moreA stitch in time
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
How the sewers of Surrey are supporting NHS workers.
Patient thanks NHS staff after coronavirus ordeal
A patient from Kent has thanked NHS teams who nursed him back to health after he was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Volunteer coastguard Stuart Sayer, 62, started feeling ill on a skiing holiday in Austria in March, and then ended up spending two weeks in intensive care at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
Now back home in Dymchurch with wife Sue, he said: “When I first started feeling ill, coronavirus didn’t enter my head.
“I thought I was just tired after the skiing holiday, but as the week went on I became more and more breathless until my wife needed to call an ambulance.
“They arrived, all kitted out, and it turned out my oxygen saturation was at 80% so they put me on oxygen and whisked me off to hospital.”
After a few days in Oxford ward, Mr Sayer was transferred to intensive care where he needed to be put on a ventilator to help him breathe.
He was put in an induced coma to allow his body to recover, but not before FaceTiming his wife to wish her a happy 41st wedding anniversary.
Initially, tests for Covid-19 were inconclusive but later it emerged he had the disease.
Mr Sayer said: “I can see the progress I’m making and I can’t thank the hospital staff and the whole NHS enough. From the paramedics to the physios, they were all as good as gold and they couldn’t do enough for me."
Road closures give people room to walk and cycle
Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter
Brighton and Hove is closing roads to cars so local people have more space for their daily exercise.
From Monday, Madeira Drive will be temporarily closed to traffic and open to walkers and cyclists.
The move comes as cities respond to a decrease in traffic numbers as a result of the coronavirus restrictions.
Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chair of the city’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Madeira Drive is a long, wide road right by the seafront and will create an extra safe open space for local people.
“I would also ask that cyclists and pedestrians respect each other’s space and safety in this shared area. We’re all in this together."
The council is considering extending this to other roads in the city.
Madeira Drive and Duke’s Mound will be stewarded from 08:00 BST to 20:00 daily so businesses still have essential access to properties.
£10m fund for fishing industry
Miles Davis
BBC News Online
The fishing industry in England will receive a £10-million bailout after its markets in the UK and Europe collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Fishing businesses across the south west have said reduced sales during the coronavirus crisis have devastated their industry.
More than 1,000 fishing and aquaculture businesses will receive up to £9 million in direct cash grants with another £1 million available to help fishing operators sell their catch locally, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said in a statement.
The grants are to assist with the fixed business costs for up to three months for owners of under-24 metre vessels with English fishing licences who last year recorded sales of at least £10,000.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay said: "Fishing is at the heart of many of England's coastal communities - providing local jobs as well as valued produce to their communities and through exports around the world."
Noisy neighbours: complaints on the rise in lockdown
Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter
The number of noise complaints received by councils in Kent has risen by about fifth during the lockdown period.
During the two-week period from the start of lockdown, Kent councils received 338 noise-related complaints, 50 more than the same period the year before.
Loud music and barking dogs were a common cause for complaint.
In statements to BBC Radio Kent, many councils said part of the reason was down to children being home and the warmer weather seeing people use their gardens more.
Folkestone and Hythe saw complaints almost treble, while Gravesham, Maidstone and Medway also saw large increases.
BBQ on heath sees area scorched
Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter
A large area of heathland has been scorched after people had a barbecue, against the government guidance.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue officer Dawn Whittaker posted the image of the blackened earth in the Ashdown Forest.
The fire, which was near to the car park, broke out on Thursday afternoon.
Fire crews from Forest Row tackled the blaze.
During the coronavirus lockdown, the government has said people should only leave their homes for shopping for necessities, one form of exercise, a medical need, or to go to work where that cannot work from home.
Pawn, payday and car loan repayments freeze planned
The Financial Conduct Authority is seeking delays for people struggling amid the Covid-19 lockdown.
Read moreCalls for more precautions to protect bus drivers
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
Union officials are calling for more to be done to protect bus drivers from the threat of coronavirus.
Twelve bus workers have died in London alone since the start of the crisis.
Stagecoach Southeastern said it has already adapted security screens to offer more protection from the virus, while drivers for Brighton and Hove Buses have stopped handing out change.
Good morning from the BBC South East Live team
Good morning and welcome again to another day focusing on coronavirus developments across the South East.
We’ll be here to bring you all the latest news.
And in the meantime, if you think there’s a story we should be covering, you can email us or contact us via Facebook and Twitter.