The United Kingdom on Friday reported some 122,186 additional Covid-19 cases, a new record since the start of the pandemic.

The country facing the Omicron version’s meteoric spread recorded 137 additional deaths in 24 hours – bringing the total to 147,857 – but also 1,171 hospitalizations, marking an acceleration, this data closely monitored, remained low for some time. got changed.

While every country in the UK has jurisdiction over health matters, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have announced strict restrictions that are set to come into force after Christmas.

For its part, England has chosen to delay, relying exclusively on recent studies showing a lower risk of hospitalization with the Omicron variant compared to the flagship Delta.

However, officials fear that despite the low risk of a severe form, the number of cases is so high that it puts pressure on the hospital system.

Welcoming these studies as “a ray of hope for Christmas”, British Health Protection Agency (UKHSA) director Jenny Harris said officials were monitoring the pandemic’s impact on hospitals for their decisions, but not the overall On society as well. especially on the workforce.

According to estimates, a week ago in London, one in 20 people had Kovid-19. Many sectors are now being badly affected, leading to business closures and transport cancellations.