A further 57 deaths due to COVID-19 and 183,037 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours โ 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.
- ๐ Todayโs Summary
- ๐ The Details
- โฐ Latest Guidance
- ๐ป Latest News
- ๐ฆ Tweet of the Day
- ๐ Must-Read Today
- ๐งฌ Variants News
- ๐ Full Data Today
- ๐ฏ๏ธ Total COVID Deaths in the World
- ๐ Vaccination Data
- ๐ Additional Data
- ๐ Data Sources

๐ #TodayInCOVID
Summary 29-Dec-2021
โช 24h: 183,037 โ Highest ever
โช 7 days: 914,723 โ Highest ever
โช 28 days: 2,306,205 โ Highest ever
โช Average: 130,675 cases/day โ Highest ever
๐จ Kingโs College Zoe estimates: 192,290 positive cases in 24h
๐จ Kingโs College Zoe estimates: 2,079,155 people currently infected
๐จ 6,955,300 infections since 19 July (โFreedom Dayโ)
โช 24h: 1,774 โ Highest since 8 February
โช 7 days: 9,045 โ Highest since 21 February
โช 28 days: 27,322 โ Highest since 14 November
โช 24h: 11,141 โ Highest since 3 March
โช 7 days: 63,193 โ Highest since 9 November
โช 28 days: 221,588 โ Highest since 6 December
โช 24h: 836
โช 7 days: 5,733
โช 28 days: 24,254
โช 24h: 57
โช 7 days: 506
โช 28 days: 2,941
โช Average: 72 deaths / day
๐จ 19,231 deaths since 19 July (โFreedom Dayโ)
โช New Sequenced Cases: 39,923
โช Total Sequenced Cases: 210,122
โช Total Patients: 766 (+108)
โช Total Deaths: 53 (+4)
๐จ 1,200,000 cases
๐จ 1 in 50 people live with long COVID


- 183,037 new UK coronavirus infections in 24 hours โ the fourteenth day in a row that over 80,000 infections have been reported โ 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 โnew normalโ 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 โ according to the latest health care data for the UK as a whole โ 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 โ the highest number since 16 November 2021 (subject to confirmation and incomplete data/data lag).
- 842 Covid-19 patients are occupying mechanical ventilation beds โ 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 personโs 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 โ 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 youโve 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 itโs 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 youโre 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 (โrule of 6โ), 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 itโs 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 theyโre 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 havenโt reported hospital deaths since 24 December. They will report the backlog tomorrow.

Is England hostage to Boris Johnson's #Omicron misfortune? Unable to bring in stronger public health protections [when it's becoming ever clearer they do make sense], because 99 of the party's backbenchers can't, or won't, accept Sage science?https://t.co/zWtjN6uSCs
— Dr Joe Pajak FRSC CSci ๐ NHS FT Governor (@JoePajak) December 29, 2021
They seem to think that if we all get sick in one fell swoop, it will be over. Thatโs not how it will work. More transmission means more variants. There is no durable immunity to a virus that is rapidly re-inventing itself.
— Denise Dewald, MD ๐ฝ (@denise_dewald) December 29, 2021
So, 'Scots warned to prepare for a โterrifyingโ wave of #Omicron cases next month that is expected to see more people fighting for their lives in intensive care'.
— Dr Joe Pajak FRSC CSci ๐ NHS FT Governor (@JoePajak) December 30, 2021
What about Brits?
Government, heads in sand, tossing the dice, risking us all, because?https://t.co/vR7oplQJ9Y
Staggering new record today๐จ
— Dr Joe Pajak FRSC CSci ๐ NHS FT Governor (@JoePajak) December 30, 2021
183,037 UK-wide coronavirus cases reported, while 'people often unable to find Covid-19 tests in chemists because of 'patchy' and 'inconsistent' supplies'.
Sums up the management of the pandemic, 'patchy' and 'inconsistent'.https://t.co/AlE62TIVSL
The very dark lines on the test shown here indicate very high virus load
— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) December 30, 2021
By definition:
To get this much virus protein to turn an Ag pos like this - REQUIRES bery active virus replication: Infectious!
This isnโt a PCR test detecting old RNA
This isnโt rare to see at >5 days https://t.co/c2ZWEfdXQk
The deaths on the right are from cases that happened SEVERAL weeks ago.
— Dr Ellie Murray, ScD (@EpiEllie) December 30, 2021
The cases happening now wont show up in death numbers for a couple weeks.
I hope omicron cases are protected well by vaccines & boosters, but this graph is NOT evidence of that. https://t.co/Pn4iiZ5uBX








โ ๐งฌ Omicron variant detection
โ ๐งฌ COG-UK sequencing
(Source: COG-UK)
โ ๐งฌ UKHSA genomically confirmed case numbers
(Source: UK Health Security Agency)

๐ UK COVID-19 data

Covid-19 UK Data: First UK Lockdown to 29 December 2021.
(Source: UK Health Security Agency)
โ ๐งฎ Case & Death Totals
๐ฆ 12,559,926 positive cases so far to date (recorded) โ Since the first case was reported at the end of January 2020
๐ฏ๏ธ 148,089 deaths so far โ Number recorded within 28 days of first positive test result
๐ฏ๏ธ 171,801 total deaths โ Total number of people whose death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causesโ Registered up to Friday 10 December 2021
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ New COVID Cases in the World
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ Total COVID Cases in the World
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ New COVID Deaths in the World
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ Total COVID Deaths in the World

๐ Vaccination UK
โ ๐ Vaccine Doses
(Source: UK Health Security Agency + NHS England)
โ ๐ Booster & Third Doses
โ ๐ 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.

โ Estimated ยฎ๏ธ Number
(Sources: UK Health Security Agency + Welsh Government
+ Scottish Government + N-I Ministry of Health)
โ Population Testing Positive for COVID-19
(Source: ONS)
โ Number of contact tracing alerts sent (England & Wales)
(Source: NHS)
โ Stringency Index
(Source: University of Oxford)

๐ Data Sources:
- Daily summary: Coronavirus in the UK | UK Government
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) NHS Advice | PMP Magazine
- Variants: distribution of cases data | UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
- Vaccination Data | UK Government
- Whatโs new | UK Government
|
๐ Full Daily UK #COVID19 Charts & Comments via #TodayInCovid: www.pmp-magazine.com/tag/today-in-covid/
๐ฆ Everything #COVID19: www.pmp-magazine.com/covid19/
๐๏ธ Sources: @CovidGenomicsUK | @UKHSA | @ONS
๐งฎ Special thanks: @JoePajak & #NHS
โ AUTHORS โโซ Dr Joe Pajak, PhD in physical chemistry: exploring the data, governor of an NHS FT hospital. |
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