UK registers highest number of COVID cases since mid-July

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) - The UK recorded 53,945 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, the highest daily number since mid-July.

The previous record was 54,674 on July 17 after the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament.

This brings the country’s total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 10,329,074.

There were also 141 new deaths recorded across the UK over the past 24 hours, taking the total to 145,281.

Up to and including Dec. 1, 2021, 88.7% of Brits aged 12 and over received their first dose, 80.7% their second, and 33.1% their booster or third dose.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson received his booster dose of a vaccine today at St Thomas' Hospital near Waterloo in central London.

He gave photographers a thumbs up as well as holding up three fingers in another photo, indicating that this was his third jab.

St Thomas' Hospital is also where Johnson, 57, spent time in hospital to receive life-saving treatment after becoming ill with COVID-19 last year.

“We’re building ever higher the wall of protection,” he told local media after receiving his booster dose.

“Whatever [the] omicron [variant] may or may not be able to do, it certainly will not negate the overall value of the boosters -- so everybody should get your booster as soon [as possible].”