The omicron variant of the coronavirus is substantially less likely than the earlier delta variant to cause long COVID symptom, according to a new study.  

The study from researchers in the United Kingdom published in The Lancet finds that 4.5 percent of omicron cases resulted in long COVID, compared to 10.8 percent of delta cases.  

Daily COVID infections have more than doubled over the past two weeks, reaching an average of more than 760,000 new infections per day in the U.S.

By the numbers: COVID deaths are also on the rise, up from about 1,200 per day two weeks ago to an average of over 1,700 per day now. The toll is a reminder that while Omicron is not as deadly as past variants, it’s still a serious threat for vulnerable people.

New cases of Covid-19 climbed above 242,000 in the U.S. on Wednesday, according to data compiled by NBC News, pushing the seven-day average to 167,683 — higher than the peak of the delta variant in early September.

The number of new confirmed cases reached 242,186, while reported deaths across the nation Wednesday totaled 2,030, according to the NBC News tally. The country has not had more than 2,000 deaths two days in a row since early October.

People who get COVID-19 from the Omicron virus variant are less likely to require hospital care, according to a UK study published Wednesday.

Researchers from the Imperial College London estimated (pdf) that Omicron patients were 20- to 25-percent less likely to need hospital care and 40- to 45-percent less likely to be hospitalized for one night or more when compared to patients with the Delta variant.

South African data offered a glimmer of hope on Wednesday about the severity of the Omicron coronavirus variant, but World Health Organization officials cautioned that it was too soon to draw firm conclusions as the strain spread across the globe.

With the second Christmas of the pandemic days away, countries imposed new restrictions on their citizens while worrying about the damage the variant might inflict on their economies.

Plans for Christmas parties and celebrations were wiped out from London to New Delhi amid the uncertainty.

Two studies from Scotland and England analyzing rates of hospital treatment for those infected with Omicron suggest the coronavirus variant may cause less severe disease than previous variants, although scientists caution more research is needed.

Early data from Scotland indicates that there is a two-thirds reduction in hospitalization of double vaccinated young adults, compared with the Delta variant. In addition, data from England signals that Omicron infection is associated with a 15 to 20 percent reduced risk in requiring any hospital treatment, compared with Delta.

Two new preprint papers add to the growing evidence that the Omicron coronavirus variant may be less likely to cause severe disease and hospitalization compared to the Delta variant.

Omicron is associated with a two-thirds reduction in the risk of Covid-19 hospitalization compared with Delta, suggests one study, released online Wednesday as a working paper by researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. That research was based out of Scotland.

Covid-19 cases in the United States are skyrocketing as winter sets in, with some of the most highly vaccinated states—including four of the top five most vaccinated—fighting to contain the country’s worst outbreaks, prompting officials to reinstate restrictions and ramp up booster efforts to ease the burden on struggling hospitals. 

Offices are canceling holiday parties. Broadway performances are being shuttered because of breakthrough infections among the casts. College finals are being moved online.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday announced a new set of precautionary measures aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 amid a “very substantial” increase in virus cases in recent days.

During a press conference in Prospect Park, the mayor rolled out a six-part plan that includes increasing the number of testing sites in the Big Apple and distributing KN95 masks to New Yorkers.

“We have seen very substantial increases COVID cases in the last few days,” he said Thursday afternoon. “It is clear that the Omicron variant is here in New York City in full force.”