UK COVID cases hit record high, experts warn infections could rise again before Christmas

The United Kingdom, on Wednesday, recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases, nearly 16% higher than the previous record set in January, the UK health ministry said. According to the data reported on the concerned ministry website, the country has recorded 78,610 new infections on Wednesday. Despite the government invoking necessary measures to curb the spread of the highly infectious virus, England chief medical officer forecasted that the cases would rise tremendously before Christmas. Citing the new COVID variant as the major driver of the flow of new cases in the UK, Professor Chris Whitty said that the country already struggled to minimise the casualties due to the delta variant and the Omicron further added woes to the government.

The professor warned the people to avoid gathering on Christmas as it could lead to a major disaster for the country. "There are several things we don’t know. But all the things we do know are bad, the principal one being the speed at which this is moving. It is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace," AP quoted Whitty as saying. "I am afraid there will be an increasing number of omicron patients going into the NHS, going into hospital, going into intensive care, and exact ratios we don’t yet know, but there will be substantial numbers. That will begin to become apparent, in my view, fairly soon after Christmas," he added.

Amid soaring cases, the Boris Johnson-led government invoked a new set of rules ordering masks to be worn in most indoor settings in England and requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enjoy leisure services such as nightclubs and large crowded events.

Death related to COVID-19 could rise up to 75,000 

Earlier on Sunday, scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine informed that death related to COVID-19 could rise up to 25,000 and 75,000 in the next five months if strict measures are not taken urgently. The researchers also had forecast nearly half a million people being hospitalized with the highly infectious virus by the end of April. It also noted that the cases in January would break the earlier record. Further, the scientists pointed the soar and severity of the cases will depend on how much the new COVID variant escapes protection from vaccines. Though the researchers have not mentioned the role of a booster dose and the effect in tackling the new variant, they advocated for administering it.

With inputs from AP

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