Eight new Omicron cases takes UK total to 22 – amid fears of ‘many more in days’
CASES of Omicron in the UK are steadily increasing - with 22 now reported across the country.
England has 13 cases of the super strain, while Scotland has nine.
Another eight cases were confirmed in England by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on top of the five reported this morning.
Infections have now been seen the East Midlands, East of England, London and North West.
Omicron reached UK shores less than a week after being reported as a concern in African countries.
The Health Secretary told the Commons yesterday afternoon: "There have now been five confirmed case in England and six in Scotland.
"We expect cases to rise over the coming days.
"The new variant has been spreading in the world - its been reported in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands.
"In this race between vaccines and virus, this variant may have given the virus extra legs.
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"Our strategy is to buy time and strengthen defences while scientists learn more."
The chief of the UK Health Security Agency, Jenny Harries, said there isn't signs of a surge yet, with no signs of an increase in "S-gene target failure" in PCR tests in Britain, which is a feature of Omicron.
She commented today: “It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing.
"That’s why it’s critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.”
Dr Harries urged people to get their necessary vaccine doses without delay while reminding that face masks are now compulsory on public transport and in shops.
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To beat the spread, people in England who fail to wear a mask in shops and on public transport face a maximum fine of £6,400 from today.
Penalties of £200 will be handed to people in England who don't wear a face covering under new Government rules to crack down on the Omicron Covid variant.
The nine cases of Omicron in Scotland can be traced back to a single event on November 20, Nicola Sturgeon said, with none of the patients having any link to travel.
More people who were at the event could also have also caught the variant with extra linked cases expected to emerge.
There are now five cases in the Lanarkshire area and four in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, up from the six across the two areas announced on Monday.
Ms Sturgeon said Scots should work from home immediately, sparking worries England could follow suit.
It comes as another Christmas lockdown hasn't been ruled out as a last resort to tackle Omicron - as Health Secretary Sajid Javid insisted we must "learn to live" with Covid.
Brits have been urged to get their third jabs and start self-testing regularly to help avoid further restrictions over the festive period.
As well as shops, buses trains and trams, masks must also be worn in hairdressers, nail salons, banks and post offices in England under new curbs from 4am.
Masks won't be required in the hospitality sector, meaning they aren't needed in restaurants and pubs, or by law in venues like concerts, cinemas and theatres.
Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said that now is a "time for caution" as he urged people to do "anything that they can do to reduce the risk" of catching Covid-19.
He told Sky News: "It's a time for people to be careful to stay at home when they can to avoid contact with others just to help us get through this difficult period.
"Asked about Christmas, he added: "Well, certainly we don't want to cancel a Christmas yet again.
"But in the build up to Christmas the more we can keep a watchful eye open for this virus we reduce the risk of getting exposed to it."
The worrying new variant has now been spotted in 14 countries - with global travel being restricted to stop the viral spread.
The UK has put ten countries on the red list - South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia.
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The US, Australia, India and much of Europe has brought in travel bans, quarantines and extra screenings.
Boris Johnson introduced a range of measures to slow the spread on Saturday.
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