UK sets new record for COVID-19 cases

Britain reported another day of record COVID-19 cases on Friday, with new estimates showing swathes of London’s population are carrying the virus, underlining the relentless advance of the Omicron variant.

Omicron’s rapid spread has driven a surge in cases over the last seven days, especially in the capital.

Around 1 in 20 Londoners likely had COVID-19 on December 16 and early estimates - which could yet be revised - suggest this may have risen to 1 in 10 on Sunday, models from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Friday.

Many industries and transport networks are struggling with staff shortages as sick workers self-isolate, while hospitals in Britain have warned of the risk of an impact on patient safety.

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has staked considerable political capital on the Christmas of 2021 being ‘considerably better’ than the previous year, on Tuesday ruled out new restrictions before the day itself, saying that there was uncertainty about the severity of Omicron and hospitalization rates.

Government data showed 122,186 new cases, up from 119,789 on Thursday and marking the third day of cases in excess of 100,000.

While recent research on Omicron suggests it has a lower rate of hospitalization than previous variants of COVID-19, health officials have maintained a cautious note about the outlook.

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