#16,420
On January 8th, 2021 the UK recorded their highest one-day total for COVID cases (n=68,053), but over the past 24 hours - aided and abetted by the Omicron variant - the UK blew past that record by more than 10,000 cases.
Even so, the real number of new infections in the UK (counting asymptomatic and mild unreported cases) is expected to be two or three times higher than these numbers would suggest.
The Omicron variant, which is quickly replacing Delta, is the driving force behind these numbers. This update from the UKHSA twitter thread today.
Again, the real number of Omicron variant infections is believed to be much higher.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address the nation at 5pm local time, and may announce further steps to help mitigate the impact of this growing wave.
What we are seeing in the UK, and Denmark, and other European nations is likely a preview of what we will see here in the United States in a matter of weeks.
