Watch live as MPs question Chris Whitty on omicron variant

Professor Chris Whitty and fellow medical officials are answering questions from MPs on the omicron variant.

Cases of Covid-19 continue to rise across the UK, with infections hitting a record high on Wednesday.

A total of 78,610 new cases were recorded - the highest daily number reported since the start of the pandemic.

Professor Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, will be speaking about the variant after appearing alongside Boris Johnson at a Downing Street briefing last night, where he urged the public to be cautious over Christmas.

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