LONDON, Dec. 18 (Reuters) – Britain on Saturday reported an increase in cases of the rapidly spreading variant of the coronavirus Omicron, and the mayor of London declared a “major incident” to help hospitals in the capital in the following a sharp increase in COVID-19 admissions.

The total number of Omicron cases recorded across the country reached nearly 25,000 on Friday at 6:00 p.m. GMT, up more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier, the UK Health Security Agency said ( UKHSA) in its latest data.

Seven people suspected of having had the Omicron variant had died on Thursday, compared with one death in previous UKHSA data which dated back to Tuesday. Hospitalizations of people suspected of having the variant increased from 65 to 85.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said a “major incident” – which allows for closer coordination between different public agencies and possibly more support from central government – as COVID-19 hospital admissions in the city have increased by almost 30% this week.

He said the absences of health workers had also increased.

“I made the decision, in consultation with our partners, to declare a major incident today,” Khan said during a visit to Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club which serves as a mass vaccination center .

“It’s a statement of the gravity of things,” he said.

Khan, of the opposition Labor Party, also declared a major incident in January, when rising COVID-19 cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals.

The Omicron variant is estimated to account for more than 80% of new COVID-19 cases in London, officials said on Friday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was due to chair an emergency committee meeting this weekend with the decentralized administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have their own public health powers.

Sky News said government ministers were briefed on the latest coronavirus data on Saturday.

The Times newspaper reported that officials were preparing a draft of new rules which, if introduced, would ban indoor mixing in England except for work for two weeks after Christmas, when pubs and restaurants would be limited to serving at table outside.

People could gather in groups of up to six outdoors, according to the newspaper.

But ministers had yet to formally review the plans, the Times said.

Johnson said on Friday “we are not closing things”.

A government spokesperson, when asked about the Times report, said the government will continue to “closely examine any emerging data and we will keep our measures under review as we learn more about it. variant”.

The total number of all new COVID-19 cases reported in official data edged down to 90,418, from a record high of over 93,000 on Friday, but it was still the second highest daily death toll in the country. The numbers generally drop on weekends.

Cases rose 44.4% in the seven days to Dec. 18 compared to the week before. Read more

Written by William Schomberg Edited by Helen Popper

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