Another 633 Omicron cases identified in UK in biggest daily jump

A passenger wearing a face mask is seen on a bus in London, Britain, on Dec. 9, 2021. Britain will move to "Plan B" restrictions to combat the rapid spread of the Omicron variant this winter, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)

More than 89 percent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 percent have received both doses, according to the latest figures.

LONDON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Another 633 Omicron cases have been confirmed in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total cases found in the country to 1,898, British health authorities said Saturday.

The latest data came as experts are warning Omicron could cause between 25,000 to 75,000 deaths in England by the end of April if no extra measures are brought in.

The UK health security agency (UKHSA) estimated that if Omicron continues to grow at the present rate, the variant will become the dominant strain, accounting for more than 50 percent of all COVID-19 infections in the country by mid-December. It is also projected that if current trends continue unchanged, Britain will exceed 1 million Omicron infections by the end of this month.

Photo taken on Dec. 7, 2021 shows a COVID-19 rapid test kit in London, Britain. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

Britain reports 54,073 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 10,771,444, according to official figures released Saturday.

The country also reported a further 132 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 146,387, with 7,413 COVID-19 patients still in hospital.

More than 89 percent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 percent have received both doses, according to the latest figures. More than 39 percent have received booster jabs, or the third dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

People walk past a sign requiring people to wear face coverings in London, Britain, on Dec. 9, 2021. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)