The UK’s R number has risen slightly to between 0.9 and 1 in the UK, according to new figures.

R represents the average number of people each person with COVID-19 goes on to infect.

Last week, the estimated R number was between 0.8 and 1.0 in the UK – its lowest level since August.

Live updates on coronavirus from UK and around world

An outbreak can grow exponentially when the figure is above 1.

The R value in England is between 0.8 and 1, but the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said it is not confident that R is below 1 in all English regions, particularly in London and parts of the South East.

It also said the data more accurately represents the average situation over the past few weeks rather than present-day.

The estimates for R are provided by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), a sub-group of SAGE.

It comes as UK recorded 20,964 more coronavirus cases on Thursday – a rise of 4,386 compared to Wednesday’s figure of 16,578.

There has been a rise in COVID-19 infections across London, Essex and Kent.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show the proportion of people testing positive for COVID-19 is estimated to have increased in London, while there are early signs rates may have risen in eastern England. Rates have fallen in all other regions, the ONS said.

Source: Read Full Article