UK records highest daily total of Covid cases as Omicron spreads

More than 78,600 Covid cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours (PA)

The UK has recorded the highest daily total of lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began, as the Omicron variant spreads.

Official figures published after UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) chief executive Dr Jenny Harries warned the strain is “probably the most significant threat” since the start of the pandemic showed there had been 78,610 new cases recorded as of 9am on Wednesday.

It is the highest figure announced since mass testing began in summer last year, and surpasses the previous record of January 8 when 68,053 new cases were reported.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid declined to rule out further restrictions being introduced to tackle the surge.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to hold a press conference from Downing Street today.

Analysis suggested Omicron is now the dominant strain in London.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Javid refused to rule out the prospect of fresh measures over the coming weeks, but insisted the steps currently in place “are the right ones”.

Asked whether more guidance would be issued – rather than legislation – he told reporters at The Gordon Hospital in Westminster: “We keep the whole situation under review. It is fast-moving, I think people understand that.

The case numbers are still sadly rising rapidly, we have been very open about how quickly this new variant spreads, we have seen it double in terms of infections every two to three days across the country.

(PA Graphics)

The UKHSA’s Dr Harries warned Omicron is “probably the most significant threat we’ve had since the start of the pandemic” and said to expect a “staggering” number of cases in the next few days.

Mass testing for coronavirus was rolled out across the UK in June 2020.

Before then, only a small number of people were able to get tested, mostly in settings such as hospitals and care homes.

This means the official number of cases reported during the first wave of Covid-19 – from March to May 2020 – underestimates how many people actually had the virus, making it difficult to compare figures across the whole of the pandemic.

For example, Government data shows that cases in the first wave peaked at 6,199 on April 5, well below the peak of the second wave (68,053 on January 8), yet the number of daily Covid-19 deaths at both peaks was almost the same.