Live
Audio Only
Britain reported another 249 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, compared with Wednesday's 131.
A further 249 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been reported in Britain, taking the total to 817, British health authorities said Thursday.
The latest daily figure came after 131 new cases of the Omicron variant were confirmed on Wednesday.
At a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday evening, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the variant's doubling rate could be between two to three days, highlighting just how infectious the new strain is.
The rise in cases of the variant showed it is spreading even faster than Johnson had predicted.
Proof of two vaccine doses or a negative coronavirus test will be necessary for those wanting to enter nightclubs and large venues from next week, Johnson said, adding that people who are contacts of Omicron cases could face daily testing instead of undergoing a period of isolation.
More than 89 percent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first vaccine dose, and over 81 percent have received both, according to the latest figures. Some 37 percent have received the booster jab, or the third vaccine dose.
Newsletter
