Nine more cases of the Omicron variant have been discovered in England taking the total across the country to 22.
Cases have now been identified in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West.
A further case has been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 10.
Little is known about the recently-discovered strain but there are some fears due to its high level of mutation that existing vaccines will not be as effective, however, some recent signals have been more positive, the Mirror reports.
Read more: New drug Sotrovimab cuts risk of death by nearly 80% and could tackle Omicron
Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said: “We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy.
“Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant – please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay.
“Following the change in JCVI advice earlier this week, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended and will be available at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities.
“Please make sure to wear a mask in line with government guidance, including on public transport and in shops, to help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant."
It comes as early indications show most Omicron coronavirus cases are 'mild', the World Health Organisation has said.
The official believes there is no evidence to suggest the efficacy of vaccines reduces when battling against the new variant.
The organisation, quoted by Reuters, suggested "most" cases so far examined are not severe.
They cautiously added there is still a lot not yet known about the new strain.
Botswana's health ministry declared on Tuesday that nearly 80 per cent of cases of the Omicron variant detected in the country were asymptomatic.
Professor Neil Ferguson, giving evidence at the government's science and technology committee this morning, says it may be a while before we know how deadly Omicron could be.
He said it could be towards "the end of the month" before there is a clearer picture of the dangers the new variant possess.
He outlined: "What we have seen is Alpha has been more severe than the previous strain, a little, and Delta more severe again, so the trend we've seen is greater severity not less severity.
"Thankfully countered by better treatment by monoclonal antibodies, antivirals and all the other drugs, that mean people have a better chance of surviving severe COVID today than they did at the start of the pandemic."
On Tuesday night, the World Health Organisation released a statement saying all vulnerable people - including over-60s - should postpone travel plans following the emergence of the variant.
The breakdown of cases by Local Authority is:
Barnet – 2
Bexley – 1
Brentwood – 1
Buckinghamshire – 1
Camden – 2
Haringey – 1
Lancaster – 1
Lewisham – 2
Liverpool – 1
Newham - 1
North Norfolk – 1
Nottingham – 1
South Cambridgeshire – 1
Sutton – 1
Three Rivers – 1
Wandsworth – 1
Westminster - 3
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