Coronavirus Omicron Variant Goes Away In The UK, 12 People Killed And 104 Hospitalized

Illustration of a COVID-19 test center in the UK. (Wikimedia Commons/Auledas)

JAKARTA - Twelve people in Britain have died with the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus, British Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, said on Monday, refusing to rule out tightening social restrictions before Christmas.

The UK has reported a record rate of COVID-19 cases, with officials and ministers warning that the full effects of the latest wave are yet to be seen.

The Omicron variant, first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, has spread worldwide and has so far been reported in at least 89 countries. The disease is known to be highly contagious, but the severity of the disease it causes remains unclear.

In addition to the 12 deaths, Raab said 104 people were currently hospitalized with Omicron. Officials warned last week hospitalizations could hit new highs as the effects of the latest spike work their way through the population.

Asked if the government would impose further restrictions before Christmas, Raab told Times Radio: "I can't give a hard and fast guarantee."

"In assessing the situation, we are relying heavily on real data coming in and it will take a little more time to assess this critical issue of Omicron's severity", he said as quoted by Reuters on December 20.

Any decision to limit how people can celebrate Christmas would incur high political costs for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose authority has been undermined by questions about whether he and his staff broke last year's lockdown rules.

PM Johnson also experienced a major uprising in parliament last week, when lawmakers from his own party opposed tightening COVID-19 rules.

To note, to pass the new rules, which include ordering people to wear masks in public places, PM Johnson will have to rely on support from the main opposition Labor Party.