December 30

Some countries in Europe saw their highest number of coronavirus infections on Wednesday, with the figure topping 200,000 in France.

France reported 208,099 new cases, hitting a record high for the second straight day.

Addressing the parliament, health minister Olivier Veran said that every second in France, two people are diagnosed positive for the coronavirus.

He expressed a sense of crisis, adding France has never experienced such a situation.

He again stressed the need for vaccination, saying 70 percent of patients receiving treatment at ICUs in hospitals in Paris have not been vaccinated.

Britain also reported a record number of new cases, at 183,037.

Experts believe the Omicron variant makes up 93 percent of all new coronavirus cases in England, which is home to a majority of the population in the UK.

NHK