Official data from today revealed that England’s Covid spread was flat last week. Around one in 60 people were infected with the Omicron supermutant, despite it being discovered.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data — based on random swabs of 100,000 people — shows 891,500 people per day had Covid during the week ending December 1.
It was down 0.82 per cent on the previous week, where 898,900 had the virus daily, but the trend remains ‘uncertain’, statisticians said.
Infections had been increasing steadily since mid November, when they dipped to 824,900 after peaking at more than 1million per day in October.
According to statisticians, Omicron infections were still’very low’ and not high enough for them to be used in estimating the number of people with the super mutant variant.
The figures come after Britain’s biggest symptom-tracking study claimed cases increased by just four per cent last week, despite warning the variant is quickly outstripping Delta.
King’s College London scientists estimated 83,658 people caught the virus on average each day in the week to December 4, up from 80,483 the seven days prior.
But Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today warned Britons they face a ‘tsunami’ of Omicron infections over the coming months.
Under a stricter Plan C, ministers could impose new restrictions on care homes in advance of Christmas. They also might make masks mandatory in bars and restaurants.
England’s Covid epidemic remained stable last week, with only one in sixty people being infected each day, despite Omicron variants that are super-mutant being identified. Office for National Statistics data today showed this.
According to the ONS, Covid cases rose in students aged 7-11 years and 25-49 years.
While the South East and London saw an increase in positive test results, the North East also witnessed an increase in positivity in the past week. However, the trend was not clear in the week that followed.
Data from the ONS show that Covid cases have increased among children in Year 7, 11, and 25, 49 year olds.
Infections fell in those aged 50 years and over, while the trend was uncertain for those in school Year 12 to those aged 24 years.
This was the highest percentage of Covid positive people, 4.18 percent of school-aged children tested positive from two years old to six and 3.87% of those aged seven to eleven.
Although the percentage of positive tests increased last week in London and the South East, it also rose in North East during the two weeks leading to December 1st, there was no clear trend in the latest week.
The East Midlands, West Midlands and East of England saw cases fall, while trends were uncertain in the North West, South West and Yorkshire.
They were higher in Wales — with one in 50 people testing positive for the virus — and lower in Scotland — where one in 80 were infected — than in England.
Official data indicates that Omicron is being caught by at least 4,000 Britons every day. The super-mutant Omicron variant could become the dominant strain in just a matter weeks.
This highly-evolved virus currently accounts for 8.5% to coronavirus case and doubles every two or three days according to an analysis of UK Health Security Agency data.
With an average 48,000 Britons testing positive for Covid every day, it suggests more than 4,000 of them are the new Omicron variant — even though fewer than 1,000 cases have been confirmed.
Ministers are considering a harder ‘Plan C’ for care homes.
According to a Government source, it is very likely that care home residents will be prohibited from having more than three guests over Christmas in order to stop another explosion.
Shops, restaurants, and pubs warn about the potential loss of millions under Plan B, so officials have already begun to work on a possible ‘Plan C.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, the map above shows the top ten locations with the highest number of Omicron-related cases. West Northamptonshire has been identified as the hotspot of Omicron strains in England. However, London is home to eight out of ten.
There are 817 Omicron-positive cases currently in the UK. However, thousands of Omicron cases are likely to have gone unreported because not all positive samples get analysed.
Omicron is suspected to be responsible for 8.5% percent of the infections, according to Confidential UK Health Security Agency Data. These figures were derived from the percentage of PCR tests that failed to identify a particular gene. This is an indicator of the variant. Three genes are required to confirm Covid infections. But Omicron has only two.
According to the UKHSA, cases increased in 90% of English local authorities over the week ended in England. The Omicron variant is now widely known.
To be able to visit a pub, restaurant or bar, you will have to check in with NHS Covid. You can also use face masks indoors and show your vaccine passport to access even more places.
Thursday saw the official launch of Plan B’s first component, which included the mandatory use of facemasks indoors such as churches and cinemas.
In the midst of fury over Mr Johnson’s decision yesterday to impose Plan B restrictions, and as he tried to cope with the aftermath of Downing Street’s Christmas party scandal, there is the looming threat that even stricter restrictions will be imposed.
When the measure is voted upon next week, he will be in a “war” with his backbenchers. They reacted furiously to the planned introduction of vaccine passports next week – and took aim at the ‘conflicting’ guidance on working from home and socialising.
Minimum 50 Tories publicly voiced concerns and one senior Conservative suggested that Johnson should ‘get grip’.
MailOnline was told by Ringleaders, that the mutiny will be one of the most significant yet. At least 60 are expected to rebel against the whip.