Britain's Covid-19 infections have increased by almost 10 per cent as Sajid Javid urged people to get their booster jabs to ensure the nation can 'look forward to Christmas together'.
Department of Health bosses reported a further 40,004 cases today, a rise from the 36,517 reported last Sunday.
The number of people dying with the virus saw a 3 per cent drop, with 61 deaths reported today compared to 63 on November 14, bringing the UK total to 143,927.
Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 168,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
It comes as Europe descended into a third day of violent carnage as tens of thousands of people in Belgium took to the streets to protest against the return of strict lockdown rules aimed at curbing a surge in Covid infections across the continent.
Nearly 40,000 people descended on the capital Brussels to protest against new anti-Covid measures banning the unvaccinated from entering restaurants and bars.
Some protesters were seen throwing projectiles at riot police and in response, officers fired water cannon and tear gas at the group.
Video footage from Brussels shows a large group of protesters shouting at police as some light flares and throw them at the officers - one man can even be seen mooning at them.
The protest came just hours after it emerged Germany is set to follow Austria's example in making vaccinations compulsory with ministers admitting that the move is 'unavoidable' amid a fourth wave of the pandemic which is crippling the country's hospitals.
Europe descended into a third day of violent carnage on Sunday as tens of thousands of people in Belgium took to the streets to protest against the return of strict lockdown rules aimed at curbing a rise in Covid infections
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Brussels today as violence erupted. Protesters can be seen holding a sign which reads 'Freedom over slavery'
Protesters took to the streets of Brussels on Sunday to protests against the Covid-19 measures. This sign reads: 'They can vaccinate the whole world but leave the hungry'
Last night also saw similar demonstrations against virus restrictions take place in Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Italy, Northern Ireland, Austria and North Macedonia on Saturday, a day after Dutch police opened fire on protesters and seven people were injured in rioting that erupted in Rotterdam.
Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic once again, with the World Health Organisation warning that the Continent was the only region in the world where deaths had increased as Covid-related fatalities spiked by five per cent just this week.
In France, the government has warned that the fifth wave of coronavirus are rising at 'lightning speed', with new daily Covid cases close to doubling over the past week.
In Belgium, cases have been surging, with infections reaching 13,836 on Sunday. In response, the government has introduced restrictions including a ban on the unvaccinated from venues such as restaurants and bars, and an order to work from home at least four days a week.
Riot police are seen raising their shields against a group of protesters who are demonstrating against the Belgian government's anti-Covid measures
A group of protesters in Brussels face a line of riot police officers who are seen carrying batons and shields on Sunday
AUSTRIA: Protesters carrying a banner reading 'Control the border. Not your people' at the anti-lockdown demonstration held by the far-right Freedom Party in Vienna on Saturday
THE NETHERLANDS: A day after Rotterdam rioting that saw seven people injured, thousands more took to Amsterdam's central Dam Square and The Hague (pictured above), with seven arrests being made according to police
Police said
