The number of Covid deaths reported in the UK in the last 24 hours has soared to 398, setting a new highest total during the Omicron wave.

Latest Government figures show the number of deaths has increased by 19 since yesterday.

The number of cases have risen by 129,587 cases in the last 24 hours - showing a decrease of 33.4% from a week ago.

Last Wednesday the UK recorded 194,747 cases.

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.”

Yesterday the UK became the seventh country to pass the devastating landmark of 150,000 total deaths, following the USA, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Peru.

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