A further 57 deaths due to COVID-19 and 183,037 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours – highest ever daily infections. Meanwhile, 2,306,205 reported infections in 28 days another dreadful milestone, with continuing implications, in terms of NHS pressures, and Long Covid.


First published in December 2021.







📆 #TodayInCOVID
Summary 29-Dec-2021


🧪
POSITIVE CASES
▪ 24h: 183,037 – Highest ever
▪ 7 days: 914,723 – Highest ever
▪ 28 days: 2,306,205 – Highest ever
▪ Average: 130,675 cases/day – Highest ever

🚨 King’s College Zoe estimates: 192,290 positive cases in 24h
🚨 King’s College Zoe estimates: 2,079,155 people currently infected

🚨 6,955,300 infections since 19 July (“Freedom Day”)

🚑
HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS
▪ 24h: 1,774 – Highest since 8 February
▪ 7 days: 9,045 – Highest since 21 February
▪ 28 days: 27,322 – Highest since 14 November
🏥
PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL
▪ 24h: 11,141 – Highest since 3 March
▪ 7 days: 63,193 – Highest since 9 November
▪ 28 days: 221,588 – Highest since 6 December
🛌🏻
PATIENTS IN ICU BEDS
▪ 24h: 836
▪ 7 days: 5,733
▪ 28 days: 24,254

🕯️
DEATHS
▪ 24h: 57
▪ 7 days: 506
▪ 28 days: 2,941
▪ Average: 72 deaths / day

🚨 19,231 deaths since 19 July (“Freedom Day”)

🧬
OMICRON VARIANT SO FAR
▪ New Sequenced Cases: 39,923
▪ Total Sequenced Cases: 210,122
▪ Total Patients: 766 (+108)
▪ Total Deaths: 53 (+4)

⏳
LONG COVID UK ESTIMATE (ONS)
🚨 1,200,000 cases
🚨 1 in 50 people live with long COVID

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  • 183,037 new UK coronavirus infections in 24 hours – the fourteenth day in a row that over 80,000 infections have been reported – and the highest daily number ever recorded (the actual number is likely to be significantly higher).
  • The total number of coronavirus infections reported in the last 7 days was 914,723 [highest 7-day number ever recorded] while in the last 28 days 2,306,205 infections have been reported [highest 28-day number ever recorded].
  • 516 deaths due to coronavirus have been reported in the last 7 days.
  • The number of deaths in the past week equates on average to around 74 deaths each of the past 7 days. If this was to be the “new normal” for daily deaths caused by Covid-19, then annually this would equate to around 26,906 deaths.
  • Meanwhile, 2,951 deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported in the UK in the last 28 days.
  • 1,213 Covid-19 hospital admissions occurred on 21 December 2021 – according to the latest health care data for the UK as a whole – the highest daily increase since 19 February 2021 (subject to confirmation).
  • 8,246 patients suffering from Covid-19 are currently occupying hospital beds as of 22 December 2021 – the highest number since 16 November 2021 (subject to confirmation and incomplete data/data lag).
  • 842 Covid-19 patients are occupying mechanical ventilation beds – according to the data reported on 22 December 2021.
  • All three of these healthcare measures remain a continuing concern for our now seriously under-pressure NHS.




SO FAR:

  • 699 days since the first infection due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus was reported in Britain (31 January 2020).
  • 663 days since the first reported death (7 March 2020). Coronavirus has now been responsible for infecting over 12.5 million people in the UK (according to the official reported positive cases data).
  • In this time, the virus has been responsible for at least 148,089 deaths (within 28 days of a first positive test result). Official data also currently indicate there have been 171,801 deaths in total, where the deceased person’s death certificate mentioned COVID-19 as one of the causes, registered up to Friday 10 December 2021, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).


Note: The data for deaths attributed to COVID-19 – each following a reported positive test result for COVID-19 within 28 days of their death.


(Source: UK Health Security Agency)






ENGLAND


  • 22 December

If you’ve tested positive or have symptoms, you can stop self-isolating after 7 days instead of 10 days if you get 2 negative lateral flow test results on days 6 and 7.

  • 20 December

Children aged 12 to 15 can now get their second vaccine dose if it’s been more than 12 weeks since their first vaccine dose. Book a vaccination appointment or find a walk-in vaccination site.

  • 15 December

People aged 18 or over can pre-book a booster dose appointment 2 months after their second vaccine dose. You can get your booster dose 3 months after your second vaccine dose. Book a booster vaccination appointment or find a walk-in vaccination site.

All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4 am.

You need to show your NHS COVID Pass at nightclubs, some venues and large events to show you’re fully vaccinated, have had a negative test result in the last 48 hours, or you have an exemption.

  • 14 December

Fully vaccinated contacts of someone with COVID-19 should take rapid lateral flow tests every day for 7 days. Find out when to self-isolate and what to do on the NHS website.

WALES


  • 26 December

Wales moves to alert level 2. A maximum of 6 people can meet in venues such as pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres (‘rule of 6’), 30 people at indoor events and 50 people at outdoor events. 2-metre social distancing will be required in public premises and offices. Nightclubs will close. Find out more on GOV.WALES.

  • 15 December

All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4 am.

  • 29 November

People aged 18 and over will be invited to have their booster dose a minimum of 3 months after their second vaccine dose. Your health board will contact you when it’s your turn.

SCOTLAND


  • 27 December

Up to 3 households can meet with 1-metre physical distancing between groups at indoor and outdoor venues like bars, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and gyms. Table service will be needed if alcohol is being served.

  • 26 December

Large events will have 1-metre physical distancing and will be limited to 100 people standing indoors, 200 people sitting indoors and 500 people outdoors.

  • 15 December

All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4 am.

People aged 18 and over can now book a booster dose 3 months after their second vaccine dose. Book your booster vaccination appointment on NHS Inform.

  • 14 December

You should reduce social contact as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than 3 households.

NORTHERN IRELAND


  • 27 December

You should reduce social contact as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than 3 households.

Up to 6 people can meet in pubs, bars and restaurants, or up to 10 people if they’re all from the same household. Only table service will be available.

2-metre social distancing will be required in public premises and offices. Find out more about changes in Northern Ireland.

  • 26 December

Indoor standing events will not be permitted. Nightclubs will close.

  • 15 December

All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4 am.

  • 13 December

People aged 30 and over can get their booster dose 3 months after their second vaccine dose at an HSC walk-in vaccination hub.


(Source: Gov.uk)







  • Incomplete hospital death reporting

NHS England haven’t reported hospital deaths since 24 December. They will report the backlog tomorrow.













Hospitals in England asked to look for up to 4,000 emergency Covid beds
NHS on ‘war footing’ as small-scale ‘Nightingale’ facilities being created at eight sites
The GuardianRowena Mason
How can we measure the true scale of UK Covid hospital admissions?
The number of patients in hospital with Covid is rising, but how can we tell if they have been admitted because of the virus?
The GuardianNicola Davis
Far too early to say we don’t need to worry about omicron and hospitalisations.
According to Chris Hopson, CEO of NHS Providers, if the current trajectory in COVID staff absences is maintained, pressure will grow significantly and even relatively small numbers of extra COVID cases will bring big difficulties to the NHS.
PMP MagazinePMP News
Omicron is likely to hit deprived areas the hardest.
The fact omicron can overcome the wall of protection built up in deprived areas through high levels of prior infection means there is a risk inequalities are going to be repeated in the coming weeks and months.
PMP MagazineDr Colin Angus
Omicron. The worst part of the pandemic before it ends in 2022. – Bill Gates.
According to American super billionaire Bill Gates, the Omicron variant may mean the worst part of the pandemic, but he thinks that by taking the right steps – vaccination, mask-wearing, social distancing, the pandemic could be over in 2022.
PMP MagazinePMP News
Omicron: What the next few weeks will look like.
New omicron cases are doubling approximately every two days in some parts of the UK, including London.
PMP MagazineProfessor Adam Kleczkowski






■ 🧬 Omicron variant detection










■ 🧬 COG-UK sequencing

(Source: COG-UK)

■ 🧬 UKHSA genomically confirmed case numbers

(Source: UK Health Security Agency)







📈 UK COVID-19 data


Covid-19 UK Data: First UK Lockdown to 29 December 2021.

(Source: UK Health Security Agency)


■ 🧮 Case & Death Totals
🦠 12,559,926 positive cases so far to date (recorded) – Since the first case was reported at the end of January 2020
🕯️ 148,089 deaths so far – Number recorded within 28 days of first positive test result
🕯️ 171,801 total deaths – Total number of people whose death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causes– Registered up to Friday 10 December 2021



■ 🕯️ New COVID Cases in the World



■ 🕯️ Total COVID Cases in the World



■ 🕯️ New COVID Deaths in the World



■ 🕯️ Total COVID Deaths in the World






💉 Vaccination UK


■ 💉 Vaccine Doses

(Source: UK Health Security Agency + NHS England)


■ 💉 Booster & Third Doses


■ 💉 Vaccination of Children 12-15

(Source: UK Health Security Agency + Public Health Wales
+ Public Health Scotland + HSC NI + ONS)


Note: Data cross-referenced with the latest official data from the UK dashboard.







■ Estimated ®️ Number

(Sources: UK Health Security Agency + Welsh Government
+ Scottish Government + N-I Ministry of Health)


■ Population Testing Positive for COVID-19

(Source: ONS)


■ Number of contact tracing alerts sent (England & Wales)

(Source: NHS)


■ Stringency Index

(Source: University of Oxford)


PMP Magazine


📚 Data Sources:


PMP Xtra

Total UK population: 67,081,234 (last year: 66,796,800), via ONS (subject to changes in population over the year). These figures were updated on 25 June 2021.
(Source ▪ ONS)






📈 Full Daily UK #COVID19 Charts & Comments via #TodayInCovid: www.pmp-magazine.com/tag/today-in-covid/

🦠 Everything #COVID19: www.pmp-magazine.com/covid19/

🗃️ Sources: @CovidGenomicsUK | @UKHSA | @ONS

🧮 Special thanks: @JoePajak & #NHS



— AUTHORS —

▫ Dr Joe Pajak, PhD in physical chemistry: exploring the data, governor of an NHS FT hospital.
▫ J.N. PAQUET, Author & Journalist, Editor of PMP Magazine.
GET THEM INVOLVED:


Sources
  • Text: This piece was first published in PMP Magazine on 29 December 2021. | The authors write in a personal capacity.
  • Data cross-referenced with the latest official data from the UK dashboard.
  • Cover: Adobe Stock/SergeyBitos.
  • Icons from www.flaticon.com

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