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There are currently 10 people in hospital with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 – not 250, as Dominic Raab told Sky News.
The deputy prime minister later told the BBC that there were nine people in hospital with the variant.
But officials have clarified that Mr Raab “misspoke” on both occasions by getting his figures wrong, and that there are currently 10 people in hospital with Omicron.
He later accused another broadcaster of “ranting” after being challenged on the confusion, which comes as the government seeks to ramp up the booster vaccine programme.
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Earlier this morning, Mr Raab, who also acts as justice secretary, told Kay Burley there are “a significant number” in hospital with the variant, but could not say how many are on ventilators.
Pressed on exact numbers, Mr Raab said: “Well the last I saw was in the low hundreds, I think 250 the last time I looked – but of course, the data is being updated all of the time.”
In the same hour, the deputy PM revised his figure for the number of people in hospital with Omicron down from 250 to nine during his appearance on BBC Breakfast.
“I know we’ve had one death,” he said. “I think we’ve got nine people who are in hospital with it.”
Officials later clarified that this was incorrect too, and there are in fact 10 people in hospital with the new variant, as Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Kay Burley yesterday.
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Source : skynews
