The UK Health Security Agency has published new figures for the growth rate of coronavirus in England.
These are the first estimates since December 23 and include the R rate, or the virus's reproduction number.
The growth rate for infections is estimated to be between 3 and 6 per cent per day. The previous estimate was between 0 and 3 per cent.
Meanwhile, the R is estimated to be between 1.2 and 1.5, meaning every 10 people will infect between 12 and 15 people. The previous estimate was between 1 and 1.2.
But although these figures have only recently been published, because of the time it takes to assess how the virus is spreading, the numbers are merely a report on what was happening two or three weeks ago, the UKHSA says.
The report comes as health authorities on Friday reported the deaths of 229 people within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as well as 178,250 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases, the third straight day of decline.
A total of 179,756 cases and 231 deaths were reported on Thursday.
Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 174,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
A total of 18,454 people were in hospital in the UK with Covid-19 as of January 6, government figures show.
The UKHSA also released additional data on Friday revealing that booster shots are continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron coronavirus variant among older adults.
About three months after receiving a third shot, protection against hospital admission among those aged 65 and over remained at about 90 per cent, the UKHSA said.
“The data is highly encouraging and emphasises the value of a booster jab,” said Wei Shen Lim, chairman of Covid-19 immunisation on the government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
“The current data show the booster dose is continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease, even for the most vulnerable older age groups,” he said.
He added that the findings show there is no current need for people to have a fourth shot, he added, but that this will continue to be reviewed.
Protection against mild symptomatic infection was more short lived than against severe disease and dropped to about 30 per cent after the three-month mark, the UKHSA said.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
