Boris Johnson confirms first Omicron death in UK

The UK has seen its first death from Omicron, even as the latest variant of the coronavirus is expected to comprise 50 per cent of the cases in London by Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

London: The UK has seen its first death from Omicron, even as the latest variant of the coronavirus is expected to comprise 50 per cent of the cases in London by Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

"Sadly yes, Omicron is producing hospitalisations and sadly at least one patient has been confirmed to have died with Omicron."So I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus, I think that's something we need to set on one side and just recognise the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population. So the best thing we can do is all get our boosters," he said during his visit to a vaccination clinic near Paddington, in west London, according to media reports.

Thousands of people queued to get booster coronavirus vaccinations in England on Monday, after the government announced it would be accelerating the rollout of the third jabs in the wake of spread of the Omicron variant in the U.K. Footage from U.K. broadcaster Sky showed dozens in long queues waiting hours for a third jab.

Speaking to journalists from a vaccination centre on Monday U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Omicron variant was "spiking now in London and some other parts of the country."

Omicron now represents about 40 per cent of coronavirus cases in London and is set to rise to over 50 per cent in a day."The risk is plainly there, we can see Omicron spiking now in London and some other parts of the country," Johnson said."Here in the capital it probably represents about 40 per cent of the cases. By tomorrow it'll be the majority of the cases and it's increasing the whole time."

Johnson also confirmed that the variant had been found in people who were in hospitals in the U.K. and that "at least one patient has now been confirmed to have died with Omicron".

The statements come after the Prime Minister announced on Sunday night that the government was bringing forward its target to offer a booster jab to everyone aged over 18 in the U.K. from the end of January to the end of December.

Johnson said the expansion would be assisted by "opening up centres across the country" and "getting in the the army to help with the logistics".

(With inputs from agency)