COVID-19 infections have risen again in the U.K. following easing restrictions and fast spread of the more-transmissible omicron subvariant.

As per latest reports, more than 574,000 people in the United Kingdom have tested positive for the infection, and around 15,530 patients have been hospitalized since last week.

Speaking on the current situation, Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said that this wave may be about to peak. Omicron has proven to be milder in general associated with preceding strains. However, it would be wrong to think that the coronavirus will continue developing into a less severe infection, said Vallance to the Science and Technology parliamentary committee recently.

He said that this virus is not going anywhere and will continue evolving quite quickly.

Despite an increase in infections motivated by the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, most countries like New Zealand plan to offer relaxations in pandemic curbs maintained by lower hospitalization rates and desires to recover tourism.

However, Vallance highlighted the three necessary factors for living with the Covid plan, including good surveillance, protecting vulnerable people, and the government's readiness for ramping up restrictions as and when required.

Given to the shift towards the endemic phase of the pandemic, many countries like the U.K. are planning to scale down testing. A move that the World Health Organization warns will limit the tracking of the virus, how it evolves, and how it spreads.

Cutting down on testing and surveillance will make it hard to introduce curbs when required, detect a new variant, implying stress on the healthcare systems, especially in countries where the curbs have been lifted, or the vaccination remains low, said the WHO in an update recently.

Source Credit - https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/u-k-covid-cases-edge-back-up-as-hospitalizations-rise