This interactive map shows the confirmed Omicron cases in regions across the UK, and there are hundreds more 'probable cases'. 

Omicron is spreading across the globe at an unprecedented rate, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. 

On Friday, December 10, we learnt that there had been two confirmed cases of Omicron in Wiltshire with seven 'probable' cases suspected. 

How many cases of Omicron are there in my region of the UK? 

A report by the UK Health Security Agency published yesterday, December 14, shows that 21 new cases of Omicron were confirmed in the South West bringing the latest regional total to 252 confirmed cases. 

The number of 'probable' Omicron cases was much higher at 386, with 157 'probable' Omicron cases recorded yesterday. 

This could mean the number of Omicron cases in the region are nearer to 500.

London recorded the highest number of confirmed Omicron cases in the UK at 2086, and Northern Ireland confirmed the lowest number of cases at 12. 

 

What is the Omicron picture across the UK in terms of cases? 

The report by the UKHSA  shows that a further 633 cases were reported in the UK in data correct as of December 12 bringing the total confirmed Omicron cases nationally to 5,346. 

Alongside that, a total of 3,607 'probable' Omicron cases were identified yesterday bringing the total number of potential Omicron cases to 14,746. 

Probable Omicron cases are identified using an S-gene target failure test. 

What is Omicron? 

Omicron, scientifically known as B.1.1.529 variant, is a highly mutated strain of Covid.

It has 32 mutations in the spike protein, the part of the virus that vaccines use to protect the immune system from Covid. 

Omicron was first spotted in Botswana, South Africa, and there are now hundreds of cases already in the UK with Sage scientists warning that restrictions need to tighten or it could cause tens of thousands of Covid deaths in England in the next five months. 

Although the government has only recently introduced Plan B restrictions, the Daily Mail reported officials are considering Plan C restrictions in the new year. 

What is a 'probable' Omnicron case and what does S-gene target failure mean? 

A characteristic of the Omicron variant is an 'S-gene drop-out' which can be detected in a PCR test at many UK laboratories as soon as the positive case is confirmed. 

This is described as an S-gene target failure test, and results are recorded as a separate figure in the official statistics on Omicron cases.

S-gene failure is a much quicker indicator of whether someone is infected with the Omicron variant, as confirming Omicron cases requires further sequencing. 

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