United Kingdom reports first death from Omicron variant of COVID-19, Boris Johnson confirms

By Team Newsable | First Published Dec 13, 2021, 5:39 PM IST

During a visit to a vaccination centre in west London, Johnson stated that Omicron accounted for almost 40% of cases in the British capital, and hospital admissions increased. Britain raised the national Covid Alert Level on Sunday due to high levels and increased transmission rates.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced that at least one person infected with Omicron had died, as the nation launched an aggressive booster operation against the variety. Speaking to the reporters, Johnson said that 'unfortunately, at least one patient has been verified to have died with Omicron'. On Sunday, Johnson had warned of a "tidal wave" of infection from the mutation.

Britain, one of the countries most impacted by the worldwide health crisis since last year, is thought to be the first to disclose a fatality caused by the viral mutation formally. During a visit to a vaccination centre in west London, Johnson stated that Omicron accounted for almost 40% of cases in the British capital, and hospital admissions increased. Britain raised the national Covid Alert Level on Sunday due to high levels and increased transmission rates.

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In a rare broadcast address, Johnson stated that emergency steps were required to avoid hospitals becoming overburdened in the coming weeks. After the government pushed back the deadline by one month, all adults will receive a third dose of the Covid vaccine by the end of December. However, the National Health Service (NHS) vaccine booking website collapsed due to overwhelming demand, and consumers requesting fast testing kits were told they were out of stock.

Also Read | UK PM Boris Johnson warns of looming 'tidal wave' of Omicron, sets target for booster jab

Concerns about a fresh wave have grown as evidence suggests that two shots are less effective against infection than three. There were 1,239 verified instances of the variation on Sunday, and experts say the number is doubling every two to three days. Vaccination rates in the United Kingdom are high, with more than 81 per cent, or 46.7 million, of individuals aged 12 and over have had a second injection. So far, 23 million people, or 40%, have received a booster. Face masks were made mandatory in indoor public locations last Friday, and stricter testing and self-isolation restrictions for contact cases went into effect on Monday.

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