Omicron surge cancels New Year's Eve events in London, Scotland

Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Officials have canceled New Year's Eve celebrations in both London and Scotland on Dec. 31 due to the rise of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Monday night that the celebration in Trafalgar Square would not go on as planned.

"Due to the surge in COVID cases, we've taken the difficult decision to cancel our NYE event in Trafalgar Square," Khan said in a tweet. "The safety of Londoners must come first."

Workers are seen in Trafalgar Square in London, Britain. The public New Year's Eve celebration was supposed to take place in the square this year, but has now been canceled due to COVID-19. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI

Thousands of people typically attend the New Year's Eve party in London, which traditionally is held along the River Thames. The location was changed to Trafalgar Square this year due to the uncertainty of the pandemic. About 6,500 people were expected to attend.

Similarly, celebrations in Scotland, including Edinburgh, will be canceled for the same reason.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced new rules this week that called off the public New Year's Eve celebrations.