Covid cases across the UK have increased by 109,133 in the last 24 hours - marking a 39% decrease over past week.
A further 335 deaths have also been recorded.
Last Thursday, Covid cases soared by 179,756 with a further 231 deaths.
Yesterday, the number of cases increased by 129,587 - as the latest figures come as a frontline doctor says it is looking ‘increasingly likely’ the country will be able to ride out the Omicron variant.
Dr Richard Cree, an intensive care consultant at James Cook University Hospital who has blogged about his work during the pandemic, said: “Across the country, the number of people being admitted to hospital following infection remains high.
“However, the number of people being admitted hasn’t risen as high as I feared it might and it may even be starting to plateau.”
Earlier Professor David Heymann, an infectious disease expert, claimed the pandemic is nearly over in the UK.
He told the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank: “Countries in the northern hemisphere have varying stages and probably, in the UK, it’s the closest to any of being out of the pandemic– if it isn’t already.”
Despite that, so far, 25 NHS trusts have declared critical incidents, with bosses saying services were being overwhelmed by new patients.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said that health services are currently under "huge pressure".
He tweeted: “The NHS is definitely not past worst. Many trusts outside London are still right in the worst with expectations that they haven't reached the peak of their covid hospitalisations.
“And there is currently a clear, significant, impact, for these trusts, on their patients and staff.”
It comes as the Covid isolation period in England will be cut to five full days from next Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has announced.
Currently people who test positive for Covid can be freed midway through their seventh full day of isolation, if they test negative on days six and seven.
But Mr Javid today announced that period will be cut by between 24 and 48 hours, after huge pressure from Tory MPs and a staffing crisis in the NHS.
Under the new rules, people will have isolate for at least five full days, starting at 12.01am the day after their positive test or the start of symptoms.
They will then be able to leave isolation at the start of the sixth full day - if they have tested negative for Covid on both Day 5 and Day 6.
