The Latest Breaking News from Omicron

UK hospital Covid positivity rose 31% in two weeks, driven by new Omicron variants. Community spread remains low, but health officials stress close monitoring.

IN FULL

Thirteen cases of Omicron variant NB.1.8.1 have now been recorded across England, according to the UKHSA

The appearance of a new variant coincides with changes to U.S. vaccine policies.

Omicron subvariant has become the dominant global strain, though India reports only mild cases so far

Five years after the virus that causes COVID emerged in China it still holds some mysteries

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recently approved a new COVID booster. The shot was developed by Pfizer and targets the JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron.

Unlike the US, Canada and Australia, the UK is only giving free boosters to some. But the cost of restricting them could be huge, says Devi Sridhar of Edinburgh University

Over the nearly five years since COVID first emerged, you’d be forgiven if you’ve lost track of the number of new variants we’ve seen. Some have had a bigger impact than others, but virologists have documented thousands.