pressure on health services because of the rapid increase in omicron cases. the prime minister will make a televised address this evening, focusing on the booster programme. it s as the first people in the uk have been hospitalised with omicron. new cases of the variant have increased 65% on yesterday s figure. there is concern inside the nhs about the level of hospitalisations that we might see but we really need to wait for a bit longer to really see exactly how severe the symptoms of people who catch this new variant are. meanwhile, days before an expected backbench rebellion, boris johnson faces fresh questions about christmas gatherings at downing street a year ago, after a photo emerges of him taking part in a quiz. he can t deliver the leadership that this country needs and we have got a very important vote coming up next week and he can t even discharge the
this is bbc news, i mjane hill. the headlines at 2pm. health officials say the first people in the uk have been hospitalised with the omicron variant of coronavirus, as the nhs in england extends the boosterjab programme. days before an expected backbench rebellion prime minister, borisjohnson faces fresh questions about christmas gatherings at downing street a year ago, after a photo emerges of him taking part in a quiz. if taking part in a quiz. he can t deliver the leadershi| that if he can t deliver the leadership that this country needs and we have got a very important votes coming up next week and he can t even discharge the basic functions of government. he is the worst possible leader of the worst possible time. they can now make their mind up when
this is bbc news. the headlines: president biden has pledged federal aid after tornadoes devastated a string of us states, flattening whole towns and killing at least 70 people. amazon says it s heartbroken after six of its workers were killed when the roof of their warehouse collapsed when it was hit by a tornado in illinois. scientists are warning that the uk faces a substantial wave of 0micron infections next month that might overwhelm the national health service. the 0micron variant is thought to be spreading quickly and health officials have renewed their call for everyone eligible to come forward for a covid boosterjab. the uk prime minister s office has acknowledged that borisjohnson briefly took part in a quiz in downing street a year ago, saying the event was to thank staff for their hard work during the pandemic. it was when london was in lockdown and no social gatherings were allowed.
it s still more than 2a hours search and rescue effort that s going on there. so, you know, just a lot of unstability to work through. and at the same time, like i said, it s a search and rescue effort going on there. and so you have to be careful with that and you have to watch out for their own safety. they have to, you know, save lives. and so it is a risky thing that they re putting themselves in and, you know, the conditions that they have to work around. so definitely still a lot of devastation that they re working through this morning. the uk prime minister is facing further questions this morning about christmas gatherings at downing street a year ago after a photo emerged of him taking part in a quiz. the picture, obtained by the sunday mirror, shows borisjohnson sitting next to two colleagues, at a time when social mixing between households was banned in london. downing street says he briefly attended the event, which was held virtually.
this is bbc news. i m jane hill. the headlines at 4pm. the first people in the uk have been hospitalised with the omicron variant of coronavirus, as the nhs in england extends the booster jab programme. days before an expected backbench rebellion, the prime minister faces fresh questions about christmas gatherings at downing street a year ago, after a photo emerges of him taking part in a quiz. he can t deliver the leadership that this country needs and we have got a very important votes coming up next week and he can t even discharge the basic functions of government. he is the worst possible leader of the worst possible time. they can now make their mind up when they see this picture of a prime minister