Covid news – live: Record 129,471 new cases in 24 hours as hospital admissions rise in every part of England

A further 129,471 Covid-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday, setting another new single-day record amid the spread of the new Omicron variant.

It brings the seven-day infection total to 802,137, representing an increase of 30.3 per cent on the previous week.

The government also said a further 18 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19. It warned that the data was incomplete due to holidays, and does not include figures for Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile The NHS in England recorded a 44 per cent weekly increase in hospital admissions on Christmas day, with admissions in the capital up by 68 per cent while admissions increased in every region, new data shows.

Admissions, on a seven day basis, were up in every region across England by Christmas day with the North West up by 60 per cent within a week, according to the latest figures available.

Hospitals in East of England and Midlands saw a 48 and 47 per cent increase respectively, while the South West saw an increase in total admission of just 2 per cent.

Key Points

• Differing NYE restrictions could see cases spike in UK, scientist warns

• Ministers keeping Covid hospitalisations ‘under review’...

• ...as data shows figures rising in London and nationally

• Covid rules for England to be reviewed in January – Javid

• ‘Probably fine’: Medicine prof backs government’s decision

• Analysis: Warning signs remain over Omicron – but so does some hope

01:45 , Alastair Jamieson

The United States has changed Covid isolation rules to allow patients who are asymptomatic out of isolation after five days, while wearing masks for a further five days.

In making the change, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the equivalent of the UK Health Security Agency — appears to be the treading the line between addressing “acute labour shortages” by releasing patients earlier with the risk they could still be infecting others.

Our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas talks to experts on whether the five-day rule is safe, and how it compares to the seven-day minimum in the UK.

Is the new US five-day Covid isolation less safe than Britain?

Test and Trace system ‘giving wrong isolation advice'

22:44 , Alastair Jamieson

Some users of the NHS Test and Trace system are reportedly still being told to self-isolate for 10 days even though ministers last week said this can be cut to a week or less for most people, providing they self-test.

The discrepancy was reported by the Daily Telegraph which quoted a Tory MP saying officials were trying “to undermine ministers.”

Most Covid patients who can show negative lateral flow tests on two consecutive days and leave isolation after seven days following the recent change.

Ministers closely monitor Covid data as cases continue to rise

20:50 , Emily Atkinson

Ministers have said they are closely monitoring the latest Covid data as cases of the virus continued to surge across much of the country.

Government figures showed there were a record 129,471 lab-confirmed cases in the UK as of 9am Tuesday – although the data was incomplete due to the Christmas holidays with no figures for Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Gavin Cordon reports:

Ministers closely monitor Covid data as cases continue to rise

South Africa u-turns on new isolation rules

20:28 , Emily Atkinson

The South African government have u-turned on the rule that no longer required people without symptoms of Covid-19 to isolate or test if they have been in contact with a positive case.

The health ministry last week said that asymptomatic individuals who had been in contact with a case of coronavirus no longer had to isolate but should monitor for symptoms for 5-7 days and avoid attending large gatherings, Reuters have reported.

The reason for the revision was based on a number of scientific factors including the fact that, most people have vaccinated with at least one vaccine dose and developed some level of immunity. This has contributed to the current low hospitalisation and high recovery rates, the department said.

“In line with the principles of transparency and openness, the department has decided to put the implementation of the revised policy changes on hold, while taking all additional comments and inputs received into consideration,” it said in a statement.

“This means the status quo remains, and all prior existing regulations with regards to contact tracing, quarantine and isolation remain applicable.”

‘We need people to isolate for as little time as possible,’ CBI president says

20:10 , Emily Atkinson

Lord Bilimoria welcomed the decision by Health Secretary Sajid Javid to reduce the isolation time in England from 10 days to seven if people test negative on days six and seven.

He pointed out that in South Africa where the Omicron variant was first identified, the requirement to self-isolate has been dropped altogether when people are asymptomatic.

“We have got to do everything we can to stop the disruption to our lives and to our livelihoods and to the economy in as safe a way as possible,” he told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.

“We need people to isolate for as little time as possible.”

Welsh urged to follow restrictions amid ‘rapid rise’ in Covid cases

19:45 , Emily Atkinson

Welsh people are being urged to get their booster jabs and follow social distancing measures amid a “rapid rise” in coronavirus cases.

It comes after First Minister Mark Drakeford closed nightclubs and announced a return to the rule of six inside pubs and restaurants from Boxing Day.

Wales recorded 12,378 new cases on Tuesday. However, there is a lag in the number of cases being recorded due to the holiday period.

Luke O’Reilly has the details here:

Welsh urged to follow restrictions amid ‘rapid rise’ in Covid cases

Sturgeon urges public to not ‘underestimate impact of Omicron'

19:28 , Emily Atkinson

The First Minister of Scotland has renewed her call for people to stick to the latest Covid restrictions as case numbers continue to reach record levels.

A total of 9,360 new positive cases have been confirmed in the last 24 hours, according to the latest Scottish Government data released on Tuesday.

The day before, 10,562 cases were recorded, with 11,030 cases on December 26.

These daily figures are the highest Scotland has seen since the first coronavirus case was recorded in the country in March 2020.

Nicola Sturgeon said she expects case numbers will rise further in the days to come and urged the public to not “underestimate the impact of Omicron.”

“These figures serve to underline the importance of people continuing to get ‘boosted by the bells’ and following the guidance to help slow the spread of Covid while we complete the accelerated booster programme,” she said.

“I know it is hard, but it is really important people continue to comply with the guidance over the new year period.

“Even if the rate of hospitalisation associated with it is lower than past strains of the virus, case numbers this high will still put an inevitable further strain on the NHS, and create significant levels of disruption due to sickness absence across the economy and critical services.”

Mass Covid deaths and full intensive care units are likely ‘now history’ in UK, scientist claims

19:12 , Emily Atkinson

Covid-19 cases have soared by their highest number since the start of the pandemic as the Omicron variant continues to spread throughout the UK.

The latest figures released by the government on Tuesday afternoon show 129,471 new cases in the 24 hours to 9am on that day, a new daily record.

The government also said a further 18 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19. It warned that the data was incomplete due to holidays, and does not include figures for Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Andy Gregory reports:

Mass Covid deaths in UK are likely ‘now history’, government adviser claims

Watch: New Covid restrictions come into force in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

19:00 , Emily Atkinson

Voices: I realised last Christmas that the pandemic has changed what it means to be an immigrant

18:40 , Emily Atkinson

We are three generations of women living in three different countries and separated by two stretches of sea, and I had not given it a lot of thought until 2020, writes Marie Le Conte.

Opinion: The pandemic has changed what it means to be an immigrant

Omicron accounts for over half of all Covid variants in US

18:15 , Emily Atkinson

The Omicron variant was estimated to account for 58.6 per cent of the coronavirus variants making their way round the US for the week ending 25 December, the country’s health officials say.

According to more data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Delta variant now accounts for 41.1 per cent of all US coronavirus cases.

Today’s Covid update from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA):

17:55 , Emily Atkinson

UK Covid cases rise by record 129,471 in 24 hours as Omicron spreads

17:41 , Emily Atkinson

Covid-19 cases have soared by their highest number since the start of the pandemic as the omicron variant continues to spread throughout the UK.

The latest figures released by the government on Tuesday afternoon show 129,471 new cases, a new daily record.

Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:

UK Covid cases rise by record 129,471 in 24 hours as Omicron spreads

UK reports record-breaking Covid-19 case numbers

17:32 , Emily Atkinson

The government has reported a further 129,471 Covid-19 cases today - setting a new single-day record amid the spread of the new Omicron variant.

Tuesday’s figures bring the seven-day total to 802,137, representing an increase of 30.3 per cent on the previous week.

Dozens of Brits denied entry to Austria over new Covid rules

17:26 , Emily Atkinson

More than 100 British tourists were denied entry into Austria at Innsbruck airport after they were caught out by a change in rules around Covid testing, according to the country’s police.

The new measures, which came into effect on Christmas Day, required people travelling from the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway to provide a negative PCR test within 48 hours of their arrival.

Previously, a PCR test had to be taken within 72 hours. The country now also requires people to have had three Covid vaccinations as part of efforts to combat the surge in Omicron cases.

Dozens of Brits denied entry to Austria over new Covid rules

Greece reports record-breaking Covid case numbers

17:15 , Emily Atkinson

Greece reported 21,657 positive Covid-19 cases on Tuesday - their highest number in a single day since the pandemic began.

The country had reported 9,284 cases on Monday, meaning today’s figures weigh in at more than double the level of the day before, Reuters say.

“Omicron prevails, so we should be prepared and this should not cause panic,” Greek health minister Thanos Plevris told state TV ERT.

Postponements mount as Covid disrupts midweek football action

17:05 , Emily Atkinson

The number of matches postponed due to coronavirus outbreaks continues to mount with 18 of Wednesday’s fixtures in England now called off.

The Yorkshire derby between Sheffield United and Hull in the Sky Bet Championship, was among the latest to fall victim.

The full story is available here:

Postponements mount as Covid disrupts midweek football action

England records highest number of Covid hospitalisations since 11 February

16:55 , Emily Atkinson

NHS England has reported a further 1,374 hospital admissions today, the highest number in the country since 11 February.

This represents an increase of 48 per cent week-on-week.

During the second wave of the pandemic in England, admissions peaked at 4,134 on 12 January.

The number of Covid-19 admissions includes people admitted to hospital in the previous 24 hours who were known to have the virus, plus any patients diagnosed in hospital with coronavirus in the previous 24 hours.

Bangladesh begins Covid booster drive amid Omicron fears

16:45 , Emily Atkinson

Tuesday has seen Bangladesh begin the roll-out of booster vaccinations across the country in a bid to ward off a surge of infection charged by the emergence of the Omicron variant.

According to Reuters, health workers detected two cases of the new variant in cricketers who returned home from Zimbabwe this month.

The booster jabs are being given to frontline workers and people over-60 who have had their second dose within the past 6 months.

The booster drive started in the capital, Dhaka, while the government aims to start administering vaccines outside the capital soon, health officials say.

Over 9,500 in hospital with Covid, new figures show

16:29 , Emily Atkinson

A total of 9,546 people were in hospital in England with Covid-19 as of 8am on 28 December, according to new figures from NHS England.

This is up 38 per cent from a week earlier and is the highest number since 3 March.

During the second wave of coronavirus, the number peaked at 34,336 on 18 January.

In London, 3,024 people were in hospital with Covid-19 on December 28, up 59 per cent week-on-week and the highest number since 19 February.

The second-wave peak for London was 7,917 on 18 January.

UK Covid-19 data delayed until 5:30pm

16:12 , Emily Atkinson

The daily update of coronavirus figures in the UK has been delayed until around 5:30pm today, according to the government website.

The late release has been blamed on “a delay in receiving deaths data for England”.

South America ‘surprise leader’ in global Covid vaccine race

15:54 , Sam Hancock

Throughout much of 2020 and early 2021, South America was ground zero in the global fight against Covid. Oxygen ran low in Peru. Gravediggers worked through the night in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Bodies were stuffed into shipping containers in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, saw its coronavirus death toll rise to the second-highest in the world, while Argentina and Peru reported some of the heaviest death per capita figures anywhere.

But in recent months, despite patchy health services and lower income levels than in Europe or the United States, the region has emerged as a surprise winner in the vaccination race, writes Gram Slattery.

South America emerges as surprise leader in global Covid vaccine race

ICYMI: No more Covid restrictions before NYE, Sajid Javid says

15:48 , Sam Hancock

Further 17,000 cases of Omicron found in UK

15:29 , Sam Hancock

An additional 17,269 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid have been reported across the UK, data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows.

This brings the total confirmed cases of the variant in the UK to 177,201 although no case numbers have been reported in Scotland or Wales since 23 December.

The number of deaths in England of people with the Omicron variant has risen to 49, the UKHSA added.

Hospital admissions in the country for people with confirmed or suspected Omicron have also risen, to 668.

It comes amid news PCR tests are taking up to five days for results in Scotland and another shortage of lateral flow tests in England.

Texas runs out of vital Covid treatment amid Omicron spike

15:20 , Sam Hancock

Over to the US. Texas has run out of a vital monoclonal antibody treatment for Covid-19, as the Omicron variant continues to spread at an alarming rate throughout the state.

New data suggests 90 per cent of the state’s Covid cases are the Omicron strain, which has made the need for effective treatment methods even more acute. And yet, as of Monday, Texas is now without the sought-after monoclonal antibody sotrovimab.

According to the Texas Department of state health services, it has run out of the treatment in its regional infusion centres in Austin, El Paso, The Woodlands, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. While different monoclonal antibodies haven’t proven to be especially effective against Covid, that particular antibody did have a tangible effect on patients – hence its continued usage, writes Tom Fenton.

Texas runs out of vital Covid treatment amid dramatic rise in Omicron cases

Professor questions differing Covid rules across UK

14:57 , Sam Hancock

A public health expert has said that, even if Omicron proves itself to be a much milder variant of Covid than Delta, health services “across the UK” could still be overwhelmed by the sheer number of staff needing to take time off to isolate.

“What we’re seeing across the four nations is health staff going off [sick] because of contracting the virus, and we’re also seeing ... transport workers, food workers and shop workers going off as well. So it’s not just the severity of the illness that we need to look at, we need to look at the overall impact,” Professor Andrew Watterson told Sky News.

Going on to reference Boris Johnson’s decision not to enforce tighter measures in England before New Year’s Eve, he continued: “We now have three countries [Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland] looking at the data and saying, ‘we need to be more cautious, because the situation can change so rapidly.

“And there’s one country, looking at the same data, and coming to quite different conclusions.”

In images: Omicron empties London’s streets

14:42 , Sam Hancock

Opinion: ‘The pandemic has changed what it means to be an immigrant’

14:33 , Sam Hancock

Author Marie Le Conte writes about how Covid has transformed the lives of immigrants and people whose families live all over the world.

It has taken me 20 minutes to begin writing this column. I usually get started straight away but, as it turns out, it is hard to write if your mother is in the same room and asks you a mundane question every other minute.

If it sounds like I’m complaining, rest assured that I am not; I would usually be annoyed by the complete and utter lack of privacy that comes with spending Christmas at home, but this year is different. This year’s Christmas is remarkable because it feels and is normal. I flew from London to France on 23 December and by 29 December, I will be desperate to jump on a flight again.

It is the Christmas I had every year for 10 years as an immigrant, until last year when I did not. On 23 December 2020, I was in London and on 29 December, I was in London, and for those days in between I had all the privacy anyone could ever possibly want. It was odd and sad.

Opinion: The pandemic has changed what it means to be an immigrant

Watch: Employee confronts anti-masker in New Zealand

13:54 , Sam Hancock

Ministers watching hospital data ‘all the time’ to make decisions

13:51 , Sam Hancock

Tory minister Gillian Keegan says the government is having to look at data on Covid hospital admissions “a number of times every day” to make informed decisions about whether to enforce more measures in England.

“We do watch, very carefully, all of the data,” she told Sky News today, adding that the government had “some good news” that Omicron is “a bit milder than Delta”.

When will Boris Johnson give his next Covid announcement?

13:10 , Emily Atkinson

My colleague Joe Sommerlad has all the details here:

When will Boris Johnson give his next Covid announcement?

Malaysia cuts booster wait time amid Omicron fears

13:00 , Emily Atkinson

Malaysian authorities are cutting the wait time for booster vaccine doses amid concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin told Reuters.

On Tuesday, Khairy said authorities will now allow the interval between primary and booster doses for all vaccines to be reduced to three months, joining a growing number of countries that have cut waiting times in a bid to ward off a new surge of infections.

It comes as the country reported 306 suspected Omicron cases out of 366 samples from travellers who had tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival between 21 December and 25 December.

“We are still waiting for results from the whole genome sequencing to confirm,” he said, adding that Malaysia has reported only one confirmed case of local transmission so far.

Malaysia previously cancelled mass gatherings at Christmas, a rule set to continue over the New Year. Other measures include imposed requirements for vaccine boosters among high-risk groups.

Global case numbers hit record-breaking high

12:45 , Emily Atkinson

Covid hospital admissions rise in every region in England

12:35 , Emily Atkinson

The NHS in England recorded a 44 per cent weekly increase in hospital admissions on Christmas day, with admissions in the capital up by 68 per cent while admissions increased in every region, new data shows.

Admissions, on a seven day basis, were up in every region across England by Christmas day with the North West up by 60 per cent within a week, according to the latest figures available.

Hospitals in East of England and Midlands saw a 48 and 47 per cent increase respectively, while the South West saw an increase in total admission of just 2 per cent.

Our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas reports:

Covid hospital admissions rise in every region in England

Jason Leitch: Waiting times for PCR results should return to normal in Scotland

12:24 , Emily Atkinson

Waiting times for PCR results should return to between 24 and 36 hours, Scotland’s clinical director has said, after reports emerged that some people in Glasgow did not receive the outcome of their Covid test for up to four days.

It comes after Scotland recorded 8,252 positive results on 25 December, 11,030 on 26 December and 10,562 on 27 December.

Asked why people had been forced to wait such a long time for test results, Mr Leitch told Gary Robertson on Good Morning Scotland it had been a matter of scale.

He said: “It has just been big because quite a lot of people went for testing before Christmas, in order to try and get Christmas celebrations that were safe if they had symptoms or it they were contacted.

“I apologise for that, I am sorry if people had to wait a little bit longer.

“We think the acute problem, the immediate problem is resolved.”

Mr Leitch went on to say he understands the backlog to have been cleared, and the 24 to 36-hour wait for results to have resumed.

“My understanding was, yesterday (Monday) speaking to test and protect leaders, that the backlog was cleared and they were back to somewhere between 24 and 36 hours for pretty much all the tests.

He added: “Fundamentally, if there is a massive increase in PCR testing, then you do have to make some choices about prioritisation, about high-risk individuals and locations, but we are not at that stage yet.

“We need to wait to see the numbers smooth out a little, to give the non-statistical phrase, just because Christmas testing behaviours are different, but if you look back to the day when Omicron first reared its head in Scotland, we had one case on November 28, we had 2,332 other cases, pretty much all Delta.

“Now we have four times that and it’s three and a bit weeks later, nearly four weeks later, so, it has quadrupled in three weeks which is exactly what we said would happen, I am afraid.”

UK’s mismatched rules risk spreading Covid over NYE – virologist

12:10 , Sam Hancock

Following my earlier post (8.29am), here’s Tom Batchelor with more detail on Dr Sarah Pitt’s outlook.

The leading virologist warned earlier that the UK’s mismatched Covid restrictions risk spreading the virus further, and that it did not make sense for the four nations to have different coronavirus rules as the Omicron variant infects record numbers of people every day.

“If people can’t go to a New Year’s Eve party in Wales or Scotland, they’ll just tip over the borders into England, won’t they, thus potentially taking the virus and spreading it ... and then taking it back home,” she told LBC Radio.

“So it makes sense to have one set of measures across the whole country and I think it does make sense to have some measures to try and stop the spread of the virus at this point.”

UK’s mismatched Covid rules risk spreading Covid over new year, warns virologist

In images: Less shoppers visit Christmas sales due to Covid

11:55 , Sam Hancock

Japan reports first suspected Omicron cluster

11:44 , Sam Hancock

Japanese officials have detected a five-person cluster of Omicron cases in the city of Osaka, local media agency Kyodo reports.

It follows days of anxiety over Omicron community transmission in Japan, which has imposed strict border restrictions in attempts to shut out the variant. The cluster relates to five people in a nursing home.

PM Fumio Kishida said on Thursday Japan is prepared for a domestic outbreak. “Using the time we bought through strengthened border controls, we have accelerated efforts to enhance the process of prevention, testing and early treatment,” he said.

Japan detected 214 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, the Japan Times reports, a 67 per cent increase on the 128 on Tuesday two weeks ago. No Covid deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Biggest daily increase in Covid hospital patients for a week

11:16 , Sam Hancock

Health officials recorded the largest daily increase in the number of Covid-19 patients in NHS hospitals for a week, with admissions in the capital up by more than two thirds, new data shows.

The number of patients in hospital beds in England with Covid-19 increased by 12 per cent on Monday, compared to boxing day. Hospital patients with Covid increased by 35 per cent between 18 and 27 December in England overall, with London hospitals recording the largest weekly increase at 68 per cent. Hospitals across the northwest and the east of England saw an increase of 43 per cent.

However, hospital chiefs have warned over “misinterpreting” the data, published by NHS England, as it does not differentiate between patients who were in hospital for other reasons and tested positive for Covid-19 and those admitted with Covid.

Our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas has the full report:

Biggest daily increase in Covid patients in hospital for a week