Boris Johnson will hold a Downing Street press conference this evening to update the nation as the Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly.
His update will take place at 5pm this evening on January 4.
The highly transmissible Omicron variant has been driving record high case rates and workforce shortages, with some hospitals declaring critical incidents due to the rise in admissions.
READ MORE: Liverpool areas where Omicron is surging the most amid record covid rates
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We keep a very close eye on NHS capacity, that's something we track very closely.
"We know that admissions and occupancy are increasing significantly at the moment - we're not seeing that same jump in beds requiring ventilation, which is pleasing, and almost certainly a function of both the nature of Omicron and our successful booster programme.
"But we keep an extremely close eye on NHS capacity at all times."
Asked whether the number of people in intensive care (ICU) was playing an "important role in the Prime Minister's thinking" on how to handle the Omicron spike, the Downing Street spokesman replied: "It is one aspect that informs how the NHS is dealing with this current wave."
He added that the booster programme and "evidence that Omicron may be milder" meant "we are not seeing those huge waves in cases translate into those needing the most serious care that we saw perhaps in previous waves, but that still puts the NHS under significant pressure".
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