The United Kingdom reported 218,724 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, exceeding 200,000 daily cases for the first time since the start of the pandemic, according to official figures released Tuesday.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that Britain could endure the Omicron wave of the coronavirus without re-entering lockdown, but he added that the coming weeks would be challenging.

"We have a chance to ride out this Omicron wave without shutting down our country," Johnson said at a news conference. "But the weeks ahead are going to be challenging, both here in the UK and across the world."

(With input from Reuters)