Over 10,000 new Omicron cases found in UK
December 18, 2021, 4:53 pm

Over 10,000 new Omicron cases found in UK

COVID-19-Passengers-Face masks/Pixabay

The BBC reported that a major incident has been declared in London and more than 10,000 Omicron cases have been found in the UK, as the variant surges across the country.

It said that the UK's daily cases record was broken for a third consecutive day on Friday, with another 93,000 reported.

It mentioned that cabinet ministers are currently being briefed on the latest Covid data.

London's mayor said he was "incredibly concerned" by the city's infection levels and the major incident was "a statement of how serious things are".

Sadiq Khan said Friday's 26,000 new cases were having an impact on staff absences in the city's emergency services.

He said: "I've been meeting over the last few days, on a daily basis, colleagues across the city from the NHS to councils, from the fire service to the police - we're incredibly concerned by the huge surge in the Omicron variant."

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"The big issue we have is the number of Londoners who have this virus and this is leading to big issues in relation to staff absences and the ability of our public services to run at the optimal levels.

"I've taken the decision, in consultation with our partners, to declare a major incident. It's a statement of how serious things are."

The BBC said that latest government data has shown there are 1,534 Covid patients in London hospitals - up 28.6% on last week - with about 200 new admissions per day.

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It comes after ministers were warned England's hospital admissions could reach 3,000 a day without new measures.

It should be noted that Omicron is now thought to now be the dominant variant in England and Scotland, replacing Delta.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”