Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reported the first death from a new variant of coronavirus Omicron in the United Kingdom. BBC reports.
«Unfortunately, one patient has already been confirmed to have died from Omicron. So I think the idea that this is some milder version of the virus can be put aside and we should recognize that the new variant is spreading at an enormous rate,» the British prime minister said.
British authorities warned yesterday that the rate of infection with Omicron is incredibly high — this variant of the coronavirus accounts for about 40 percent of all infections in London. The government suggests that citizens to get booster shots as soon as possible, because people who have received two doses of the vaccine are reportedly more vulnerable.
Since the first cases of Omicron were discovered in the United Kingdom on November 27, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed tighter restrictions and told the nation that a new spike of infection caused by Omicron is at the doorstep.
British authorities predict that unless action is taken, the number of people infected could reach one million by the end of December.
«What we know about Omicron now is that it is spreading at a phenomenal rate, something we have never seen before, the number of infections is doubling every two or three days,» the Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News.
While symptoms of the strain may be milder, he said, its rapid spread means that if the government doesn’t take action, the healthcare system may not be able to cope.
