The Omicron variant is “very likely” to be in Cumbria, the county’s public health director has said.
It comes as the Health Secretary Sajid Javid told parliament yesterday that there was “community transmission across multiple regions of England”.
The news of possible Omicron cases in Cumbria is set against a backdrop of the Government coming under increasing pressure about a Christmas party held inside Number 10 last year while the country was under strict coronavirus restrictions.
A video leaked to ITV news shows the Prime Minister’s aides joking about attending a lockdown-breaking Christmas party.
The government is now facing a public backlash with a number of MPs, including the SNP leader, calling for Boris Johnson’s resignation.
Speaking about the Omicron variant latest, Colin Cox, director of public health for Cumbria, said: “While we’re still awaiting official confirmation, we do have a small number of cases (approx. 10) in Cumbria which are very likely to be the Omicron variant. This isn’t surprising given the current situation in the UK.
“We were made aware of the possible cases late last week and thanks to our local surveillance and contact tracing system, cases and their contacts are already self-isolating.
“However, it’s inevitable we will see further cases of Omicron emerge in Cumbria over the coming days and weeks and, as with any other variant of COVID-19, we all must continue to follow the guidance and remain vigilant.”
