UK

The health secretary has said the Omicron variant now represents more than 20% of COVID cases in England. Sajid Javid said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that the current number of daily infections is around 200,000. He also said Omicron, which is thought to be much more transmissible than previous variants, represents more

At least one patient has died with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the prime minister has said. Speaking during a visit to a vaccination clinic near Paddington, in west London, Boris Johnson said: “Sadly yes Omicron is producing hospitalisations and sadly at least one patient has been confirmed to have died with Omicron. “So I

Boris Johnson has launched the Omicron Emergency Boost – a “national mission” to try to curb the spread of COVID infections in the UK as a “tidal wave” of the new variant “is coming”. The prime minister said the new initiative will be “unlike anything we have done before in the vaccination programme”. In a televised address,

The UK has reported 1,239 additional confirmed cases of the Omicron variant – the highest daily rise and nearly double the previous high recorded on Saturday. That takes the total numbers of cases of the variant to 3,137 in the UK. Of those, 1,196 new cases were reported across England with 2,953 overall recorded. In

A model is only as good as the assumptions you make. That’s why scientists on the SAGE committee that advises the government have commissioned half a dozen academic groups to make predictions during this pandemic. This team from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is one of the expert groups, and highly respected.

Another 633 Omicron cases have been found in the UK – the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant has been detected in the country. The latest figure brings the total number of confirmed Omicron cases to 1,898 across the country, the UK health security agency said. In England, another 618 confirmed cases of the

The UK will have more than one million Omicron cases by the end of this month if current trends continue unchanged – but booster jabs provide 70-75% protection against symptomatic infection, says the Health Security Agency. The UKHSA said in a statement: “It is projected that if current trends continue unchanged, the UK will exceed

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned of a “potential tsunami of infections” in the face of the fast-spreading Omicron variant. She said the virulent new strain will “run riot” through the wider population as she cautioned the reproduction or R number could rise above 2, meaning it was growing exponentially. Latest coronavirus updates from

An undercover TV researcher has been found guilty of the torture and murder of a father of two at a cannabis farm. Christopher Guest More was convicted of killing Brian Waters at Chester Crown Court – more than 18 years after the murder. More, who had done undercover work with journalist Donal McIntyre, was arrested

The new Omicron variant of coronavirus appears to be causing “milder” cold-like symptoms, but its reported rapid infection rate “even in the vaccinated” could still have “devastating” consequences, a top scientist has warned. Early data has suggested the new variant could result in less severe disease than previous waves. However, Tim Spector, lead scientist on

Boris Johnson has warned the Omicron COVID variant is “growing much faster” than Delta and its doubling rate could be between two and three days. Speaking during a Downing Street news conference, where he also announced the introduction of Plan B restrictions in England, the Prime Minister said Omicron’s “severity, its exact rate of transmission

A man who stood in the rain as he saw his sick father for the last time has said he’s “devastated” and “very angry” that he followed lockdown rules while Downing Street staff held a Christmas party. Ron Peck told Sky News how his dad had called him “to tell me his cancer and his

Storm Barra is not quite done with the UK yet – more ice, wind, and rain are on the way, with flooding expected in some parts. Dozens of flood warnings have been issued across the UK, even as communities in the North East and Scotland are still recovering from the last storm – Arwen, which

Cases of the Omicron variant in people without any travel history have been confirmed in the UK meaning it is now being transmitted within the community, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. Mr Javid said there are now 261 Omicron variant cases in England, 71 in Scotland and four in Wales – a total of 336.

Storm Barra is barrelling into Ireland and due to hit the UK later this morning, with the weather system packing strong winds, heavy rain and snow, with the Met Office warning of a small chance of a “danger to life” in some parts due to the conditions. Parts of west and southern Ireland are on

A minister has denied that the government acted too late in reintroducing travel restrictions after the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News, policing minister Kit Malthouse said: “We have to be agile, we have to recognise that all these things are impositions on people’s lives and lifestyles.

Boris Johnson is promising a £300m investment to close down drugs gangs and dismantle 2,000 more “county lines” supplies with thousands more arrests. As part of a 10-year plan for tackling drugs crime in England and Wales and taking on the “kingpins” behind supplies, the prime minister warned criminals they will have “nowhere to hide”.

A further 86 cases of the new Omicron COVID variant have been reported in the UK, taking the total to 246. This compares with a total of 160 yesterday – an increase of more than 50%. The UK Health Security Agency, which publishes the figures, says 18 of the cases are in Scotland, taking its

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 may shorten the window between infection and infectiousness compared to other strains, new analysis by British scientists suggests. The “reduced incubation period” of Omicron, identified by the UK Health and Security Agency, informed the government’s decision on Saturday to introduce pre-departure coronavirus tests for all international arrivals to the UK,

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes should have been a top priority for social services but was “missed” during the coronavirus lockdown, a child protection boss has said. The six-year-old from Solihull was poisoned, starved and beaten by step-mother Emma Tustin, 32, and his father Thomas Hughes, 29, in a prolonged campaign of “evil abuse”. He was left with