UK’s R rate jumps showing just how fast virus is now spreading
The estimated R rate for coronavirus across the UK has risen back above 1, according to the latest official figures.
Figures published by the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) estimate the figure to be between 1.1 and 1.2.
It was estimated to be between 0.9 and 1 last week.
The R number represents the average number of people each Covid-19 positive person goes on to infect. When the figure is above 1, an outbreak can grow exponentially.
The estimates for R and the growth rate are provided by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), a sub-group of Sage.
The growth rate, which estimates how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day, is between plus 1% and plus 4% for the UK as a whole.
It means the number of new infections is growing by between 1% and 4% every day.
Estimates for R and growth rates are shown as a range and the true values are likely to lie within this range, according to the experts.
Sage also said the figures published on Friday more accurately represent the average situation over the past few weeks rather than the present situation.
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