Related video: WHO warns world faces ‘tsunami’ of Covid-19 infections
NHS bosses are warning that the number of Covid patients in hospitals is expected to keep rising for 10 days before admissions hit their peak, telling health leaders to “prepare for the worst but hope for the best”.
With the latest data showing there were 11,452 people with coronavirus in hospitals in England this morning – up 61 per cent from last week and the highest number since 26 February – fears around new year celebrations on Friday continue to mount, made worse by a shortage of rapid tests.
Earlier, health secretary Sajid Javid admitted in a letter to MPs that lateral flow supplies would continue to be “constrained” for two weeks to deal with “huge demand”. He also announced the government was upping a pre-Omicron order of 100 million rapid tests for January and February to 300 million per month.
His warning came hours before the UK Health Security Agency announced there had been another record-breaking number of daily Covid cases reported in Britain, with today’s 189,213 topping Wednesday’s 183,037.
