New virus variant spreading globally

Agency: London’s hospitals are close to being overwhelmed with the rise in number of coronavirus cases.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Dr Sonia Adesara said “The hospitals are extremely busy – we have seen a massive rise in people coming in with Covid-19 over the past week and this is on top of an increase in the non-Covid cases we see at this time of year.”

She said that the situation is untenable and about to become overwhelmed.

More than 5, 00,000 coronavirus tests were carried out in a day for the first time, according to government data. 

Total of 49,434, 314 tests have been conducted in the UK.