At 93,045, UK reports third consecutive record of daily Covid-19 cases

London, Dec 18: The United Kingdom on Friday logged 93,045 fresh coronavirus cases, for a third consecutive day, as the Omicron variant fuels a worrying surge in infections across the country.

According to AFP, the total number of infections during the pandemic to more than 11.1 million, while the UK also registered a further 111 deaths from the virus, taking the death toll to more than 147,000.

Britain is currently rolling out a mass booster drive in order to vaccinate as many people as possible before the end of the year.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the aim was on "trying to make sure that we not only have the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe" but also "to avert some of the more damaging consequences of Omicron".

Johnson is under pressure to announce further restrictions, but minister Oliver Dowden said that the government has "the balance right".

The UK's COVID alert level has been raised to level four which means a high or rising level of transmission for the first time since May due to the spread of Omicron. Early data suggests that getting a third booster dose gives around 75 per cent protection against symptomatic infection against Omicron.

with PTI inputs