Has London's Omicron outbreak already peaked?

Slightly more than 30,000 people living in the capital tested positive on December 21 before the number fell for two consecutive days, causing the city’s average infection rate to flatten off. Cases are already pointing downwards in some of the worst-hit boroughs.

One of the Government’s own advisers told MailOnline it was possible rates were dropping because of a ‘genuine decline’ in cases.

Other experts urged caution over the figures, saying they could be skewed by fewer tests being carried out over the Christmas period. Statisticians, however, insisted the rate will ‘eventually’ fall but it was ‘really difficult’ to say when.

Despite Covid infection rates appearing to level off in London, they are still at the highest levels seen throughout the pandemic.