UK’s COVID R number between 0.7 and 1.1, says latest estimate

UK

The UK’s coronavirus reproduction number – known as R – is between 0.7 and 1.1, according to the latest estimate.

The R refers to the number of people an infected person will pass COVID-19 on to.

It means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 7 and 11 other people.

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Last week it was between 0.8 and 1, the Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said.

The greater range is thought to be down to regional variations in the number.

The latest growth rate range is between -5% and 0%, meaning that the number of new infections is broadly flat or shrinking by up to 5% every day.

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In a breakdown of the different regions of the England, some areas were seen to have a range below one – meaning the number of new infections is falling.

This included the East of England, with a range 0.7 to 0.9, London, with a range of 0.6 to 0.9, and the South East, which had a range of 0.7 to 0.9.

For the rest of English regions the range was 0.8 to 1.1.

Over three nights, Sky News will host a series of special programmes examining the UK’s response to the pandemic.

Watch COVID Crisis: Learning the Lessons at 8pm on 9, 10 and 11 February.

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