Omicron infections in UK to touch 200,000 daily, says Report

The number of daily Omicron infections in the UK has been estimated as being at 200,000, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

The estimates based on modelling come after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a televised statement on Sunday, warned that Britain faces a "tidal wave" of Omicron infections.

Health secretary Sajid Javid has said that as he warned Omicron cases are going to "dramatically increase", the Independent reported.

"It's vital we remember that hospitalisations and deaths lag infections by around two weeks so we can expect those numbers to dramatically increase in the days and weeks that lie ahead," Javid was quoted as speaking in the House of Commons.

He told MPs there are now 4,713 cases of Omicron in the UK adding "The UK Health Security Agency estimates that the current rate of, the current number of daily infections are around 200,000.

"While Omicron represents over 20 per cent of cases in England, we've already seen it rise to over 44 per cent in London and we expect it to become the dominant Covid 19 variant in the capital in the next 48 hours.''

Javid noted that the UK's four chief medical officers had raised the Covid alert level to four, its second highest level during the weekend, while on Monday the NHS has announced it had raised its alert level to the highest "level four national incident".

"This means the NHS response to Omicron will be coordinated as a national effort rather than led by individual trusts".

On Sunday the prime minister announced the government intended to bring forward its deadline to offer booster Covid-19 vaccines to all adults to December 31 from the earlier promised January 31. He also admitted that routine NHS care would have to take a hit over the next month.

--IANS

rvt/bg