Omicron Rates In The North Of England Are 'Concerning,' With NHS Bosses Accused Of Downplaying The Crisis.
According to a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group (Spi-M), the Omicron variant is causing the most "concerning" rates in the North East and North West of England.
According to Dr. Mike Tildesley of the University of Warwick, cases in London are "slowing down," but experts need two weeks to determine if this trend continues.
"Most other sections of the country are around two to three weeks behind London in terms of their pandemic profile," he continued.
"The North East and North West are particularly troubling - hospital admissions in those two regions are increasing; likewise, the Midlands, where I live, is a little concerning, so it's a worry."
Meanwhile, NHS leaders have been accused of scrutinizing hospitals for declaring critical incidents and delaying surgeries.
An email instructing hospitals to use "proper wording" and offer advance warning before disclosing their status, according to sources, was a "thinly-veiled threat" that added "subtle pressure."