Britain Battles Omicron 'Tidal Wave' As Infections Double Every Two To Three Days

Daily Mail: UK Omicron cases jump 50% in 24 hours to almost 5,000 but overall daily Covid infections rise by just 6% to 54,661 as hospitalisations creep upwards, Boris confirms first death from mutant strain and first day of booster drive descends into chaos 

* The Prime Minister revealed the death on a visit to a vaccination clinic in Paddington, west London 

* Extra NHS staff and the army will be called to help deliver booster jabs to those eligible across the nation 

* Boris Johnson said that every adult in the UK will be able to book a booster before the end of this year 

* Said he is bringing forward his end of January target by a month because 'a tidal wave of Omicron is coming' 

* Every adult over 18 who has had second jab at least three months ago eligible for booster from today 

* Prime Minister's address came after the UK's chief medical officers recommended raising Covid alert level 

* The nation's CMOs recommended raising the alert from Level 3 to Level 4 - one step below the top Level 5 

The UK's Omicron outbreak surged by 50 per cent in a day today after more than 1,500 Britons were diagnosed with the mutant virus and the first death was confirmed — as No10's turbocharged booster vaccine rollout was plagued with issues on its first day. 

Officials confirmed another 1,576 cases of the highly-evolved variant over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 4,713 — however this is believed to be a vast underestimate with the true number several times greater because not all positive tests are analysed for variants.  

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Britain Battles Omicron 'Tidal Wave' As Infections Double Every Two To Three Days  

Britain battles Omicron 'tidal wave,' as infections double every two to three days and first death from variant is recorded -- CNN  

First death with Omicron variant in United Kingdom -- Reuters  

COVID: UK reports 1,239 additional Omicron cases - nearly doubling previous daily high -- SKY News  

First Omicron patients in hospital as minister warns of 1million cases by New Year in ‘race between booster and variant’ -- The SUN  

UK has Omicron Covid patients in hospital, government confirms -- The Guardian  

Omicron Covid variant could overwhelm NHS even if less severe, says Javid -- The Guardian  

UK hikes its coronavirus threat level as omicron variant surges -- AP 

U.K. raises COVID alert following surge in Omicron cases -- Axios