Covid-19: 1 in 10 Londoners likely infected with virus, say new official estimates

Around 1 in 10 people in London were likely infected with Covid-19 on Sunday, according to new official estimates that underlined the relentless advance of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Daily modelled estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics showed around 9.5 per cent of Londoners had Covid-19 as of Sunday, within a 95 per cent confidence interval of 8.43 per cent to 10.69 per cent.

The figures came a day after Britain recorded a record number of new coronavirus cases as the Omicron variant swept across the country, with the daily tally reaching 119,789 from 106,122 a day earlier.

The ONS report also showed a record 1 in 35 people in England had Covid-19 between December 13 and December 19 - compared with a previous estimate published on Thursday of 1 in 45 in the week to December 16.

Many industries and transport networks are struggling with staff shortages as sick workers self-isolate, while hospitals in Britain have warned of the risk of an impact on patient safety.

As the Conservative government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson struggles to limit the economic impact of the latest Covid-19 outbreak, it said on Wednesday it was reducing the legal self-isolation period in England to seven days from 10.