More than 70,000 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded across the UK today (Wednesday, December 15), making it the biggest rise in infections within a 24 hour period since the pandemic began.
A total of 78,610 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hour period, and it marks the biggest rise since January 8, 2021, before the vaccine rollout had started at scale.
Boris Johnson is due to give a press conference from Downing Street at 5pm today.
LIVE UPDATES: Covid-19 omicron response: Boris Johnson to hold Downing Street press conference
Yesterday across the UK, a total of 59,610 cases were recorded, meaning that cases have risen by over 20,000 in just a single day.
As the government intensifies its emergency program to deliver booster doses to all adults by the end of the year, the UK also distributed 656,711 booster doses of a Covid vaccine, which is a rise of over 140,000 since yesterday.
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Speaking to the Transport Select Committee earlier today, the head of the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) Dr Jenny Harries warned that the Omicron variant is "probably the most significant threat" since the start of the pandemic in February 2020.
She added that the doubling time of the spreading of the variant is now less than two days in much of the UK.
Yesterday, Parliament voted to approve Plan B Covid measures, which means that face coverings are now mandatory in most indoor settings, frontline NHS and social care staff will be required to be vaccinated, and the NHS Covid Pass must be used to prove one's Covid status for entry into nightclubs and large events.
At tonight's press conference, Boris Johnson is expected to be joined by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and NHS England's Dr Nikki Kanani.
You can follow live updates from the press conference live here.
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