Britain reports 10,000 new Omicron cases, ‘major incident’ declared in London

The total number of Omicron cases recorded across the country hit almost 25,000 as of 1800 GMT on Friday, up by more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier.

Britain reported a surge in cases of the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday, and London’s mayor declared a “major incident” to help the capital’s hospitals following a sharp rise in COVID-19 admissions.

The total number of Omicron cases recorded across the country hit almost 25,000 as of 1800 GMT on Friday, up by more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in its latest data.

Seven people believed to have had the Omicron variant had died as of Thursday, up from one death in the UKHSA’s previous data which ran up to Tuesday. Hospitalizations of people thought to have the variant increased to 85 from 65.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a “major incident,” which allows for closer coordination between different public agencies and possibly more central government support, as COVID-19 hospital admissions in the city rose by nearly 30 per cent this week.

He said health worker absences had also increased.

“I’ve taken the decision, in consultation with our partners, to declare a major incident today,” Khan said during a visit to Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club which is being used as a mass vaccination center.

“This is a statement of how serious things are,” he said.

Khan, from the opposition Labour Party, also declared a major incident in January, when rising COVID-19 cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals.