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The coronavirus breeding number in the UK has dropped slightly to a high of 1.2, government scientists have said.
Nationally, the breeding number (R) is now between 1.0 and 1.2, down from between 1.1 and 1.3 last week, according to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).
The number of new COVID-19 cases are increasing between 1 and 3% each day, they added.
The R number is a key indicator used to determine how fast coronavirus it is spreading, which represents the average number of people each person with the virus infects.
R rates differ across the country. The North West of England currently has the lowest level, between 0.9 and 1.1, followed by the North East and London, both in line with the national figure of between 1.0 and 1.2.
The South West, South East and East of England have the highest R numbers, with a maximum of 1.4.
But SAGE says that “the R estimate for the whole of the UK has become less significant in recent weeks” due to different restrictions in each of the four nations.
They also warn that while the R has dropped in some areas, the number of cases remains “very high.”
“Significant levels of demand for health care and mortality will persist until R is lowered and remains below 1 for an extended period of time,” they say.
A breakdown of R numbers in England
Southeast 1.2 to 1.4 (no change)
Southwest 1.2 to 1.4 (no change)
East of England 1.1 to 1.4 (unchanged)
Midlands 1.1 to 1.3 (unchanged)
Northeast and Yorkshire 1.0 to 1.2 (down from 1.1 to 1.2)
London 1.0 to 1.2 (down from 1.1 to 1.3)
Northwest 0.9 to 1.1 (down from 1.0 to 1.1)
Elsewhere, an ONS infection survey showed 654,000 people contracted coronavirus outside of the hospital between October 31 and November 6.
This equates to approximately 1.2% of the population.
The most recent figures represent a jump of 618,700 people, or 1.13% of the population, which was estimated coronavirus in the previous week.
But the ONS said that while the infection rate has increased in recent weeks, “the rate of increase is slower than in previous weeks.”
Case rates for the most recent period were highest among high school-age children, older teens and young adults, according to the report.
