Omicron now dominant in Manchester

The variant now accounts for more than half of all cases in the city

Author: Luke WilsonPublished 15th Dec 2021

Omicron has overtaken Delta as the most dominant coronavirus variant in Manchester.

The Covid mutation now accounts for more than half of all new cases in the city.

Other parts of Greater Manchester are also seeing significant increases in Omicron cases which will soon be the dominant variant across the country.

Manchesterā€™s director of public health David Regan revealed the news at a meeting of the councilā€™s executive body on Wednesday.

He said:

ā€œAlthough we know that Delta is still around, it is now clear that there is evidence that Omicron is driving this increase.

ā€œIndeed, the data from the last three-day reporting period shows that Omicron now accounts for 55 pc of all new cases in the city.

ā€œTherefore, Omicron has overtaken Delta as the most dominant variant in Manchester.ā€

The infection rate in Manchester is currently 428.6 cases per 100,000 people which is below the national average ā€“ but it has risen rapidly in the last week.

The number of Covid cases among those aged 60 and above ā€“ a ā€˜key indicatorā€™ of how many people will be admitted to hospital in the future ā€“ remains steady.

But the NHS is likely to be under ā€˜significant pressureā€™ in the next few weeks, according to the public health director who met with hospital bosses today.

It comes as booster doses of the Covid vaccine are rolled out at pace with the aim of all adults to be offered one by New Years Eve announced on Sunday.

Regan said this new deadline will be a ā€˜huge challengeā€™ for the health system.

The military is now supporting the cityā€™s vaccination programme, which is being led by GPs in primary care with the backing of the local authority.

From today, all residents in Manchester who are over the age of 18 and had their second dose more than three months ago can book their booster jab.

Manchester councilā€™s deputy leader Joanna Midgley said it has been ā€˜really heartwarmingā€™ to see so many people queueing up to get their booster jabs.

She added:

ā€œWe know that there still are a significant proportion of people in the city that havenā€™t had any vaccine so we really want to send out that message again that you are welcome at any vaccination centre to get your first vaccine as soon as possible because any protection is better than none.ā€

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