The United Kingdom, France and Italy all reported record high numbers of new Covid-19 cases on Friday.
The UK reported 122,186 new cases on Christmas Eve, the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic, according to government data. The UK Health Security Agency reported that 23,719 new cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant were recorded across the UK on Friday, with the country’s confirmed Omicron cases now totaling 114,625.
In response to the outbreak, the UK has increased the speed of its vaccination program. The UK Health Department said Friday the country had a record-breaking week for inoculations.
Meanwhile, France reported 94,124 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, according to health ministry data. The French government announced that President Emmanuel Macron will host a virtual meeting with ministers on Monday to discuss the coronavirus crisis.
And Italy added a record 50,599 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, according to health ministry data. Research from Italy’s Superior Health Institute published Thursday shows that the Omicron variant is “rapidly increasing” across the country.
Other European countries saw record numbers of new cases earlier this week. Denmark reported a new high of 20,635 cases on Tuesday while Spain saw a record high of 72,912 new cases on Thursday.
