a frantic search for survivors is under way in the philippines after at least 31 people are killed by typhoon rai. hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. we're covering all the latest coronavirus developments here in britain and globally. first... the 0micron variant is now in 89 countries and is spreading much faster than the delta strain. that's the latest grim assessment from the world health organization. here in the uk, another 90 thousand coronavirus cases have been reported over the past 2a hours. the mayor of london sadiq khan has declared a major incident to help authorities cope with rising case numbers. in france — the prime ministerjean castex said omicron was spreading there at "lightening" speed. in a bid to counter the threat, france has introduced travel restrictions and banned large public holiday parties. in the united states, the number of people with the virus continues to surge. new york state reported its highest daily number of coronavirus infections with more than 21 thousand new cases in a single day. and in asia, tough new coronavirus rules have taken effect in south korea. bars, night clubs and cinemas are now subject to a night—time curfew. we'll get more on the global picture in a moment, first here's the latest on the uk situation from our health correspondent, katharine da costa. there's no time to lose — jabs are now available 2a hours a day at this vaccine centre in north london, as nhs staff and volunteers across the country strive to reachi million jabs a day. currently around 800 covid patients are being admitted each day in england, but leaked minutes from government scientific advisers suggest that without further measures, we could see a surge of 1000 to 2000 admissions a day by the end of the year, and a possible peak of around 3000 a day. over the last 2a hours we've had two large number of new cases since the pandemic began. more than 26 thousand, hospital admissions are going up and staff absences are going up and staff absences are going up and staff absences are going up by a massive level so i have taking the decision in consultation with our partners to declare a major incident today. it means coordination arrangements between key public services will now between key public services will now be stepped up and enable london to seek further support from government to address the pressures facing the city. latest government figures show there have been an extra 10,000 confirmed cases of the omicron variant in the uk, bringing the total to nearly 25,000, but experts say that just the tip of the expect is that the true number is likely to be significantly higher. there have been 85 people admitted to hospitals in england in total and seven confirmed deaths. currently around 800 patients with covid are being admitted each day in england, but minutes from scientists on the sage committee suggest without further stringent measures very soon we could see a surge of 1000—2000 a day by the end of the year and a possible peak of around 3000 a day, similar to levels injanuary. my similar to levels in january. my view is that _ similar to levels in january. my view is that a _ similar to levels injanuary. ij�*i view is that a short, similar to levels injanuary. m: view is that a short, sharp similar to levels injanuary. m; view is that a short, sharp two—week rate right now would be useful and making sure people are socially distancing, limiting contacts and going back to see some of the rejections we had earlier in the year. testing for the virus is also crucial. the vaccines minister was at a royal mail depot in derbyshire this morning. deliveries of pcr and lateral flow kits are being ramped up to 900,000 a day to make sure everyone who needs a test can get one. lateral flow devices are very effective at picking up the omicron variant, as well as other variants, and it's the best way to make sure that they are free of the virus before they do visit friends and family this christmas or go to large events. the government at westminster has said current plan b measures in england are appropriate, but would go further if new data suggests that's needed. wales and scotland have already tightened some restrictions. representatives from all uk nations are expected to gather for an emergency cobra meeting this weekend. katharine da costa, bbc news. as we've been saying, rising concern about the rapid spread of the omicron variant in london has prompted mayor sadiq khan to declare a major incident in the capital. let's talk to our political correspondent damian grammaticas to try and explain exactly what that means. a major incident. break that down for us. means. a ma'or incident. break that down for us.— down for us. this is what the american — down for us. this is what the american do _ down for us. this is what the american do when _ down for us. this is what the american do when he - down for us. this is what the american do when he sees i down for us. this is what the american do when he sees a | down for us. this is what the - american do when he sees a situation thatis american do when he sees a situation that is sorted beyond normal —— the mayor, that is starting to pose a threat to public health, because competitions, and that it is exactly what he is seeing here. it does not mean there is a particular incident right now, but this is about getting everything in place and what he is really doing here, he is looking at the number of cases coming into hospital, which is rising pretty fast, at the minute about 200 people a day coming into hospital in london i think is the figure. he announced earlier in the year similar thing in the wave we had, the covid wave at the wave we had, the covid wave at the beginning of the year in january, a similar incident in oz and then we were at 800 a day. the problem here is this is ramping up so fast. really worried, sadiq khan said, but staff pressures because staff in the nhs are going off sick in the police, ambulance service, fire service, and this means he can pull on resources from other agencies, so get army personnel to drive ambulances, get people working together and have someone from central government in there that can be asking for more help as well. it is a real warning signal that things are flashing red. at, is a real warning signal that things are flashing red.— are flashing red. a lot of talk about the — are flashing red. a lot of talk about the possibility - are flashing red. a lot of talk about the possibility of - are flashing red. a lot of talk. about the possibility of further restrictions. if you live and work in london or are travelling to london, would you notice or is there the likelihood that further restrictions are on the cards? there is a lot of talk— restrictions are on the cards? there is a lot of talk in _ restrictions are on the cards? there is a lot of talk in the _ restrictions are on the cards? there is a lot of talk in the air _ restrictions are on the cards? there is a lot of talk in the air around - is a lot of talk in the air around us. what we know the government is that today there was a briefing to cabinet ministers on the latest data and the numbers are pretty startling. what there hasn't been there is a discussion about new measures. not imminent, but certainly being thought about, and what we are hearing is what the sense of what they want to do is they want to see the impact of the measures they just they want to see the impact of the measures theyjust brought in, masquerading, covid passes on the phone to access big events, that sort of thing in the scientific data, because the feeling as it is still not quite clear the exact severity, the course of the illness in people, how long we will be in hospitalfor, but is in people, how long we will be in hospital for, but is set against that you have what the sciences have been saying today which is that already a large number of cases are baked in, people are already sick and the quicker you act the quicker you can tackle that and bring it down. ., ., ., ., down. london, the heart of government, _ down. london, the heart of government, doesn't - down. london, the heart of government, doesn't this l down. london, the heart of. government, doesn't this add down. london, the heart of- government, doesn't this add further pressure on the prime minister? absolutely incensed further messages out. london flashing red as to the sense that the pressure is really building. on top of that the scientists saying to think about if you act quicker it has a bigger impact. set against that we have a prime minister who has been in political difficulties this week, his own mps are saying to strikes, one morning is out, a big rebellion, 100 mp5 one morning is out, a big rebellion, 100 mps voting against him when he recently moved to bring in these new measures, so he's politically in a tricky spot there. the message we are hearing, they want to look at the data more for a few more days on the data more for a few more days on the site. —— and then decide. in the last few minutes, the dutch prime minister mark rutte has said —— that the netherlands will be doing into a full lockdown to limit the surge of the omicron variant. mr rutte said the lockdown was unavoidable — due to a fifth wave of coronavirus in the country. from today, france has banned all nonessential travel from the uk because of concern over the surging omicron variant. those who are allowed to travel will have to go into quarantine until they get a negative test result. it's thrown france's tourism industry into disarray during the christmas season. our correspondent mark lowen reports from the alpine resort of chamonix. hope was picking through up a bumper christmas, a relief from covid, but then france warned of a landslide, not on its own mountains, but of covid in britain, all nonessential arrivals from the uk grinding to a halt today. travel now in disarray. hill if you people in different families who will probably not be able to come up now. obviously a bit gutting for certain people but we are just lucky, definitely. gutting for certain people but we arejust lucky, definitely. does it feel empty? at, are just lucky, definitely. does it feel empty?— feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy- _ feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads _ feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads of— feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads of people - feel empty? a bit. normally it is| really busy. loads of people from england and other countries coming in, but it doesn't feel that busy. one in four tourists in chamonix pre—pandemic where british comedy largest foreign group in the french ski resorts, and their absence is clear. with some of the best early season snow here for years and with flights and ferries from the uk phil, terrestrial optimism in the french resorts, but while the brits who made it here in time can lock, businesses are counting their losses. this rash and cher was hoping to quench the thirst of his british guests, but now has had to let three employees going business will drop by quarter. how does it feel without the brits? sad will drop by quarter. how does it feel without the brits?— feel without the brits? sad and disappointed. _ feel without the brits? sad and disappointed, angry. _ feel without the brits? sad and| disappointed, angry. everything feel without the brits? sad and - disappointed, angry. everything was ready, we have everything right, but the more we do, i don't know, it's very confusing for us. france is paying a higher price for its resorts to sparkle again —— high price. let's bring in global health expert professor rajiv chowdhury. he chairs the department at florida international university in miami, from where he joins us now. thank you forjoining us. from a global perspective, how would you describe what has taken place with this pandemic?— describe what has taken place with this andemic? ., ., ., this pandemic? thanks for having me. from a global — this pandemic? thanks for having me. from a global perspective _ this pandemic? thanks for having me. from a global perspective we - this pandemic? thanks for having me. from a global perspective we can - this pandemic? thanks for having me. from a global perspective we can now| from a global perspective we can now see gradually the omicron variant taking over what was the delta variant prevalent worldwide and we can see the... not only the sub—saharan african countries, not onlyjust in europe but also in asia, south korea, vietnam, india is well where we can say a big surge in the omicron radiant and most of these countries. was it dramatic licence or was he being truthful about what was going on when he said it was spreading throughout europe? the on when he said it was spreading throughout europe?— on when he said it was spreading throughout europe? the only been less than a — throughout europe? the only been less than a month, _ throughout europe? the only been less than a month, and _ throughout europe? the only been less than a month, and the - throughout europe? the only been less than a month, and the scale l throughout europe? the only beenj less than a month, and the scale it is accelerating worldwide i think is unprecedented. that, if you couple it with fact that... this is really a major public health crisis we are facing and that is on top of the already existing crisis with delta variant. yes, he got it almost right saying this is really quick and really a problem. we saying this is really quick and really a problem.— saying this is really quick and really a problem. we are hearing some of the _ really a problem. we are hearing some of the measures _ really a problem. we are hearing some of the measures some - really a problem. we are hearing some of the measures some of. really a problem. we are hearing l some of the measures some of the countries around the world are taking. havejust described france and the netherlands are entering a lockdown from tomorrow morning. from where you are in the usa, why is it the cdc is saying america is lagging when it comes to blisters? how serious is the situation there? year, we have already seen that omicron has hit almost a0 states, although with respect to the community spread, the states of course vary from low to medium to very high levels of community transmission, as defined by cdc. in florida where i am based in miami, the cdc has... a high transmission of community transmission already. with respect to the vaccination, it is something scaling up gradually, but of course there is a problem across the states and that's going to be a challenge going forward. turning to asia, trying to give a more global perspective to our viewers. obviously south korea are going into a curfew, china on the other hand pushing they are, what they describe as a zero covid strategy. is that in your opinion what more countries should be doing? i think the way different countries globally have responded to covid from the very outset of this pandemic varied a lot and some work reflected the sociopolitical background of those countries, no two countries would be the same when it comes to the way they responded and reacted to it, and china of course we have seen since the onset of the problem in wuhan, they really went down quite hard on the trouble, with respect to the response and i'm not really surprised that they are again responding in the way that they are, going forward in a very restrictive and decisive manner on this. it has served them well during the first wave so i'm not surprised. i meant very quickly, we keep hearing that we are waiting for the data, waiting for the data. we hearing that we are waiting for the data, waiting for the data.- data, waiting for the data. we are told it will take _ data, waiting for the data. we are told it will take about _ data, waiting for the data. we are told it will take about ten - data, waiting for the data. we are told it will take about ten days - data, waiting for the data. we are told it will take about ten days to | told it will take about ten days to get it data filtering through from south africa. why is it so difficult to know what is going on with regards to request back what is the key factor that is going to tip things the wrong way? the key factor that is going to tip things the wrong way? the key factor is the number — things the wrong way? the key factor is the number of _ things the wrong way? the key factor is the number of new— is the number of new hospitalisations. we really have to be careful here because africa in the context is very different from the context is very different from the uk or the us, the health system and the ability of genome sequencing, the vaccine uptake, we need data from our own context with respect to how secure it actually is and is not going to be... the studies and limited reports we have seen from the uk. making a lot of decisions based on circumstances in south africa might be different because we have also during the first wave seems slightly lower incidence in sub—saharan countries, perhaps because of some we need to be careful and need data on your own context. to be careful and need data on your own context-— own context. speaking live from miami. thank you forjoining us this evening. very quickly, what very is london doing wrong? london is a rlobal is london doing wrong? london is a global epicentre. _ is london doing wrong? london is a global epicentre. travel _ is london doing wrong? london is a global epicentre. travel has - is london doing wrong? london is a global epicentre. travel has been . global epicentre. travel has been back to widespread levels, so large numbers of people coming in and out, but a huge and diverse population, people coming in by public transport into the middle of london, workplaces and hospitality has been back towards normal levels, and all of those opportunities are therefore mixing and virus spread. together with the fact that unfortunately vaccine levels are pretty low, despite very good uptake, there remains pockets of the population who are not covered, putting all that together means we are at the epicentre within the uk of omicron growth, but of course it is elsewhere, it is everywhere within the uk, and we should expect that growth to be replicated elsewhere. london is one of the hotspots for omicron, where else would be watching for geographically? it is wron: to watching for geographically? it 3 wrong to dichotomised between the variants, this is what viruses do and while of course sadiq khan has made a statement today and he is right to do so as mayor of london, it is a national priority and i wouldn't want to see specific measures undertaken in london that are not elsewhere, because of course we only measure comedy measurements and that we see are always retrospective and at this moment in time i am confident to say omicron is growing in all areas. as we learnt at the weekend nicola sturgeon said omicron is now the majority viruses well in scotland, so i think it is a myth to think this isjust a london issue. lets this is 'ust a london issue. lets look this isjust a london issue. lets look at the _ this isjust a london issue. lets look at the approach _ this isjust a london issue. lets look at the approach being taken. that of the mayor sadiq khan, is that enough? what in your mind will that enough? what in your mind will that do to slow down omicron? this has been clear— that do to slow down omicron? ti 3 has been clear that this is a highly infectious variant, but remember that this variant is growing is on the back of ongoing high levels of delta variant spread, and of course many of the hospitalisations at the moment are with delta and that has caused problems. what ever the severity and as you have just heard from the previous speaker, we are yet to fully understand the risk to life with this variant, this is on the back of ongoing delta covid spread and hospitalisation, and we know how this virus is spread, whether it is omicron or delta or any other variant, to predominantly in indoor spaces with people in close proximity, and that is the cornerstone of how we should prevent further spread. that is why certainly are group independent sage issued a statement last week asking for government to implement a much stricter social distancing, in order in fact that around christmas and new year, that people could meet, families could meet, but now we are a few days later and it is a really difficult stage and a difficult political decision to make. i wonder if ou political decision to make. i wonder if you could — political decision to make. i wonder if you could be _ political decision to make. i wonder if you could be really _ political decision to make. i wonder if you could be really specific - political decision to make. i wonder if you could be really specific with l if you could be really specific with exactly what you said independent sage are asking for. much stricter social distancing, what does that look like and when should it be implemented?— implemented? yes, i'll be very clear, it replicates _ implemented? yes, i'll be very clear, it replicates exactly - implemented? yes, i'll be veryj clear, it replicates exactly what these sage advisers and many other scientific opinion are being put forward. it means outdoor hospitality, stopping indoor hospitality, stopping indoor hospitality, smaller number of groups meeting together indoors for social events, maybe two or three groups of people, really limiting, stopping mass gatherings, working from home as well as, of course, enhancing masquerading and good ventilation —— enhancing mask waiting. and really pushing the booster programme going on and i am pleased to say and i have been around london today, i'm in london, there are queues outside pharmacies for people getting booster vaccines, particularly in areas that have been hitherto poor in the uptake of vaccines. . ., hitherto poor in the uptake of vaccines. ., ,, , ., at least 31 people have died and many remain missing in the philippines after typhoon rai hit the country on thursday. the storm, which affected the country's southern provinces, packed sustained winds of 195 kilometres per hour and dumped heavy rain triggering flash flooding and landslides. from manila howard johnson reports. typhoon rai, the strongest storm to hit the philippines this year, destroyed homes, uprooted trees and toppled power lines — leaving more than 3 million filipinos without electricity, according to the government. but what made this storm so significant is the power it sustained as it inundated nine different islands with ferocious winds and heavy rain. river banks burst and storm surges wrecked coastal areas. more than 300,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. the philippine red cross and the national coastguard lead the relief efforts, handing out food and temporary shelters. posts on social media today show the popular tourist island, siargao, being battered by relentless winds as the storm made its first landfall. the governor there says the island has been totally devastated, estimating repair costs at more than $a00 million. the typhoon has now left the philippines, moving westwards over the south china sea. now it's time for a look at the weather with chris. hello again. two types of weather across the british isles today. you've either had sunshine and sparkling visibility or low cloud, mist and fog. this weather watch picture has the both of these. sunshine over the mountains, low cloud and murk in the valleys. high pressure with us at the moment. in high—pressure areas, air descends down through the atmosphere. when it gets down to the ground, this drier air evaporates the cloud. that's why it has been sunny across scotland and northern england, closest to the centre of high pressure. not the only places seeing sunshine, though. these westerly winds have shoved low cloud into the high ground of wales and south—west england and the clouds not been able to get over the hills. across cornwall and west wales, it's also been fine and sunny. overnight tonight, we will keep some clear skies. where that happens, temperatures will get down below freezing. quite a chilly night, —2 or —3 in the coldest areas. otherwise, a lot of cloud around. mist and fog patches reforming, with poor visibility expected into sunday morning. on sunday, we'll see similar contrasts weather—wise. probably the best chance of seeing breaks in the cloud again, scotland, northern england, wales and cornwall. probably a better chance of seeing some breaks develop across northern ireland as we go through the day. that leaves central and eastern england and eastern scotland where, for some, it will stay cloudy and quite murky into the afternoon. on the face of it, the weather is not changing a great deal into next week. however, some massive changes taking place in the atmosphere in the atlantic and polar regions that will have big impacts as we head into the christmas period. the jetstream's going to break into two pieces. one branch goes right up over greenland, into the high arctic, and back down the other side. another branch comes across the atlantic. what this does is it builds enormous temperature contrasts right over the top of the british isles around about the christmas period. where this boundary lies will be crucial for the weather we see. for some, snow showers around. it'll be quite cold, a lot of dry weather with some sunshine. others might see a spell of heavy rain, with mild conditions between these two zones, where there might be something potentially more disruptive. we're not sure where this boundary will end up being. that's what is uncertain. we'll be firming up on that over the next few days. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. another 90,000 covid cases are reported across the uk as the mayor of london declares a major incident. it's really important londoners understand how serious things are. the best thing londoners can do is to get both vaccines and the booster, they provide extra layers of protection. the netherlands will go into a new lockdown from sunday to try to limit the spread of the omicron variant. the omicron variant has now spread to at least 89 countries. the world health organization says cases are doubling worldwide every three days. british holidaymakers are forced to cancel trips as france imposes tight travel restrictions on those arriving from the uk.