UK sets new record for COVID cases as Omicron sweeps London

Shoppers walk along Oxford Street, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London, Britain, December 23, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain reported another day of record COVID-19 cases on Friday, with new estimates showing swathes of London's population are carrying the virus, underlining the relentless advance of the Omicron variant.

Omicron's rapid spread has driven a surge in cases over the last seven days, especially in the capital.