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The coronavirus ‘R number’ for the UK is estimated to be between 1.2 and 1.5, government advisers say.
Last week, it was between 1.1 and 1.4 (1.0 to 1.2), according to scientific advisory body SAGE.
It is now believed that there is a “widespread growth of the epidemic throughout the country”, with new infections increasing between 4% and 8% each day.
The R number indicates the average number of people for each person with coronavirus. continues to infect and must remain below 1.0 to keep the pandemic under control.
A number between 1.2 and 1.5 means that every 10 infected people, on average, will infect 12 to 15 more.
The figure represents transmission in recent weeks due to the delay between infection, symptoms and the need for medical attention.
“Estimates of R and growth rates are shown as a range, and actual values are likely to be within this range,” says SAGE.
England’s latest R number is estimated to be the same as the UK’s, while Scotland raised its range to between 1.2 and 1.6 on Thursday.
Wales also increased their number this week to between 0.7 and 1.2.
Northern Ireland now only gives one figure, and on Thursday it raised it from 1.2 to 1.5.
