A small French study has found that severely ill coronavirus patients given tocilizumab, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, were less likely to be put on life support and less likely to die.

More than 90% of COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine in studies in France and Boston had longer than normal pauses in their heart beats - a sign of dangerous arrhythmias.

Dr Giorgio Gentile gave Leonard Whitehurst, being treated at Royal Cornwall Hospital, the drug tocilizumab as a last ditch attempt to save his life. He had heard promising results from early trials.

DR MARTIN SCURR: Any persistent problem can be terribly frustrating but it is not the Barrett's oesophagus (pictured) that is causing your symptoms.

Researchers at the London School of Economics have highlighted exactly where the UK has fallen short of protecting some 400,000 care home residents and staff.

Scientific evidence suggests that people who are overweight - which two thirds of adults in the UK are - have a 39 per cent higher risk of dying if they catch the coronavirus.

Just yesterday University of Sheffield researchers claimed that a new, more infectious type of COVID-19 had been racing through Europe. But the finding was today dismissed as 'unfounded'.

Professor Lucy Yardley, from the University of Bristol, sounded the alarm today, saying evidence shows 'viral load' plays a big role in how sick someone will become.

Some institutions have said that if their coronavirus vaccine trials go well, its jab could be available as early as Fall 2020, but most people would not be able to get it until Fall 2021.

A new survey from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that 80% said they would be concerned to go to a scheduled prenatal appointment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A new study from San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy, found that 72% of 29 coronavirus patients given anakinra, an arthritis drug, had improved respiratory health and markers of inflammation.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: England missed out on the scoreboard in Cardiff - and they missed a huge learning opportunity. What did they gain from the match? Not much. What did they learn? Not much.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: It might have been a little subdued before the match but we should have known England and Wales would provide some action to perk us up. The 33-30 win for England was all action.

Dacia production is now responsible for three per cent of Romania’s GDP. Over 330,000 Dacias were built last year alone. Why? Because they are cheap as chips

Jose Mourinho's extraordinary managerial career has contained many memorable moments on and off the pitch, with the highly-decorated Portuguese not afraid to speak his mind.

Does anyone want to qualify for the Champions League Based on the current standings, it appears not. Chelsea have the joint-lowest total for a fourth placed side at this stage since 2003-04.

Eric Dier believes his Tottenham future is at centre-half after Jose Mourinho started him in the position for the first time in his side's defeat to Wolves on Sunday.

He has the self-awareness to know he sounds like a broken record, but the deepening mystery is whether Jose Mourinho still has the managerial tools to fix a broken team.

MARTIN KEOWN: Mauricio Pochettino was sacked after things went stale and Jose Mourinho was brought in to win trophies. But it feels as if Mourinho is setting his side up to be passive.

Jamie Carragher has criticised Tanguy Ndombele, describing Tottenham's record signing as a 'YouTube player' who hasn't done enough to justify his £65million price tag.

Another season without a trophy, all hopes of a Champions League spot vanishing over the horizon and those of a prurient disposition looking to see how much worse it can get for Jose Mourinho.

The 32-year-old defender has been at the club since 2012 but his current deal expires on June 30 and having failed to secure regular action since Jose Mourinho took over, his future remains unclear.

Porto were on the search for a stopgap option after Julen Lopetegui was dismissed in 2016, and identified their former coach Mourinho as an option until the end of the campaign.

A message from the Portuguese was posted on the club's official Twitter account on Thursday amid the coronavirus pandemic. Tottenham's £1billion stadium is acting as a distribution centre.

SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: It was a double celebration for Sarah, Duchess of York, on Prince Andrew's 60th birthday. Earlier in the day she became a great-aunt.

David Warner set the cricket ball tampering scandal in motion because he was incensed by South Africa's vulgar sledging about his wife Candice during the 2018 test series.

Joe Root has made it clear that England's cricketers won't be shaking hands with each while out in Sri Lanka following the coronavirus outbreak. But not everyone has taken the advice seriously.

Former Miss Africa South, Pearl Jensen, 68, told Lorraine being first runner-up in the Miss World contest in 1970 did not change her life at all, ahead of the release of new movie Misbehaviour.

Pearl Jensen, 68, who had to enter Miss World as Miss Africa South, while her white counterpart was Miss South Africa appears on BBC2's 'Miss World 1970: Beauty Queens & Bedlam'.

A fearless tortoise in South Africa climbs over a sleeping lion in a daring escape after it became trapped between two of the sleeping big cats.

Tracy Burgess, 48, from Sheffield, told how her Springer spaniel Teddy, five, has gone viral after his wacky mane left adoring fans saying he looks like Tina Turner and Rod Stewart.

The 27-year-old last featured for the Dark Blues during the World Cup last year and was left out of the Six Nations for an alleged late-night drinking session at team hotel.   

Newlyweds Olivia, 27, and Raul De Freitas, 28, were only supposed to spend six days in paradise at the Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives before heading back to South Africa, where they are citizens.

In a week where Premiership Rugby faced further setbacks with their return dates, Exeter Chiefs winger Jack Nowell kept himself busy with pregnancies, BBQ's and much more.

SPECIAL REPORT BY ROB DRAPER: When surveying calamitous England campaigns at overseas tournaments, South Africa 2010 is a classic of the genre.

SPECIAL REPORT BY ROB DRAPER: 'You English eat too much bread,' Capello said as he explained plans for their Rustenburg training base. He insisted there would be no butter on the tables.

Lionel Messi's quest for international silverware got off to a nightmare start against Colombia in the Copa America on Saturday night, as Colombia prevailed in Salvador.

Suarez had an operation about a month ago and it remains unclear if the Barcelona striker will start for Uruguay in their opener against Ecuador on Sunday in Belo Horizonte.

Brazil cruised into the Copa America knock-out stages by dismantling Peru at the Arena Corinthians. Casemiro, Roberto Firmino, Everton, Dani Alves and Willian were all on target.

After picking up just one point from their opening two games, Argentina needed to win to progress and they managed to do so courtesy of goals from Lautaro Martinez and Sergio Aguero.

The South American side clinched second place in Group B after a 2-0 victory against Qatar, thanks to goals from Lautaro Martinez and Sergio Aguero. 'Now starts another Copa,' Messi said.

Lionel Messi (left) and Sergio Aguerro (right) cut relaxed figures as Argentina prepared for their Copa America quarter-final clash with Venezuela.

Firmino scored three no-look goals for Liverpool last season, turning his head away from the ball before shooting. And this cocky manoeuvre was used as a stick to beat him with on social media.

His performances have caught the attention of the Catalan giants, who are now preparing to pay his £100m release cause to bring him to the Nou Camp, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Brazilian 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli. The youngster is one of the most promising talents in his homeland and bases his game on Cristiano Ronaldo.  

TOM SANDERSON AT MINEIRAO STADIUM: Here it was, the one they had all been waiting for. A semi-final showdown between the two biggest rivals in international football. 

When five-time Ballon d'Or winner and Barcelona star Lionel Messi eventually hangs up his boots, he might just have one huge regret lingering in the back of his mind.

Premier League stars Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho joined their team-mates to celebrate Brazil's Copa America success on Wednesday. 

According to Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte , Arsenal's new technical director Edu has held talks with Everton's agent Gilmar Veloz to assess whether a move to the Emirates is feasible.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has held talks with Fred over the last few weeks, and assured him he is part of Manchester United's first-team plans, according to The Sun.