UK's Omicron Deaths Rise To 12, No Guarantees On Christmas Curbs
NDTV
Omicron in UK: Any decision to limit how people can celebrate Christmas would come at a high political cost for Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Twelve people in Britain have died with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said on Monday, refusing to rule out a tightening of social restrictions before Christmas.
Britain has reported record levels of COVID-19 cases, with officials and ministers warning that the full effects of the latest wave are still yet to be seen.
Omicron, first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, has raced around the globe and so far been reported in at least 89 countries. It is known to be very transmissible, but the severity of illness it causes remains unclear.
In addition to the 12 deaths, Raab said 104 people were currently in hospital with Omicron. Officials warned last week that hospitalisations could hit new highs as the effects of the latest surge work their way through the population.
