Covid Omicron variant: Eight further cases confirmed in England, bringing the total to 13

Eight further cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed in England, bringing the total number in the country to 13, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Confirmed cases have been identified in the East Midlands, the East of England, London and the North West.

Officials said individuals who have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating.

Work is under way to identify any links to travel to southern Africa, the UKHSA said.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of UKHSA, said: “It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing. That’s why it’s critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.”

MPs have supported regulations for the mandatory use of face coverings in shops and on public transport in England.

The measure was approved by 434 votes to 23, majority 411.

Conservative backbencher Steve Baker said: “This is a fundamental choice, I would say, between heading towards heaven and heading towards hell.

“If we continue to react to these fears and uncertainties by taking the authoritarian course, without impact assessments, because they’re only temporary, you know, then we are embarked on that downward course.

“The public are not fools. We’re not here to govern idiots. I have faith in the British public. I have faith that they can choose for themselves to do the right thing.”

Conservative MP Bob Seely questioned whether public policy should be formed in response to forecasts, reading out a list of what he described as Professor Neil Ferguson’s predictions from 2001 to the pandemic where the deaths turned out to be lower.

The MP for the Isle of Wight said: “When you actually have a forecaster whose work then becomes verifiable because he predicts and he gets it wrong, when that forecast comes up to reality, reality kicks in, and makes a fool of the forecast, and sometimes sadly a fool of the forecaster.

“And every time his forecasts have been verifiable, they have been seen to be very, very badly flawed.”