The U.K. reported its first death from the Omicron variant, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the news on Monday.

“Omicron is producing hospitalizations and sadly at least one patient has been confirmed to have died with Omicron,” Johnson said during a visit to a vaccination clinic near Paddington, London, Sky News reported.

He continued, “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 recognize the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population. The best thing we can do is all get our boosters.”

The news comes after Johnson warned that the U.K. was facing a “tidal wave” of Omicron infections, saying in a televised statement that the U.K. would accelerate its booster program and offer all adults a third dose of the COVID vaccine by the end of the year instead of the end of January, CNBC reported.

A study by the University of Oxford released on Monday showed that two doses of the AstraZeneca or Pfizer COVID vaccine were less effective against the Omicron variant than other strains of the virus.

U.K. Health Security Agency analysis found that a third booster dose provided around 70% to 75% protection against symptomatic infection with Omicron, BBC reported.

The country’s health secretary told the BBC on Monday that there are currently 10 people hospitalized with Omicron infections. He also told the news outlet that the variant is spreading at a “phenomenal rate” with cases doubling every few days.

The U.K. reported 48,156 new coronavirus cases in the past day, and 52 new COVID-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The country has over 10.8 million cases of the virus and 146,896 deaths from the virus.

On Sunday, the U.K. confirmed 1,239 additional cases of Omicron, nearly double its previous high recorded on Saturday, Sky News reported. The number of Omicron cases in the country stands at 3,137, the news outlet said.

Omicron was first detected in South Africa and deemed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization on Nov. 26.

As of mid-November 2021, about 68 percent of the US popuation, and 81 percent of adults, had received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid-19
As of mid-November 2021, about 68 percent of the US popuation, and 81 percent of adults, had received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid-19 AFP / Frederic J. BROWN
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