The United Kingdom detected 119,789 new Covid infections in the past 24 hours, a 139% rise on the 50,023 new cases recorded on Thursday two weeks ago.

A further 147 people died from Covid-related causes, compared to 146 deaths recorded on Thursday last week.

The NHS England national medical director, Stephen Powis, said the NHS was “on a war footing and staff are taking the fight to Omicron”.

The UK health secretary, Sajid Javid, said ministers would not be imposing any fresh restrictions in England before Christmas, despite new cases on Wednesday rising above 100,000 for the first time in the pandemic.

Italy reported that the daily tally of new infections rose to 44,595 from 36,293, hitting a record high.

Healthy ministry data also showed that 168 coronavirus-related deaths against 146 the day before.