UK R number increases to between 1.3 and 1.6

Editorial BoardOctober 2, 2020

6 1 minute read

The coronavirus reproduction (R) number for the UK is now as high as 1.6, the latest figures have confirmed.

The R number is now between 1.3 and 1.6 – up from between 1.2 and 1.5 last week, according to the government's advisory committee SAGE.

In England, the R number is highest in London and the North East and Yorkshire, with both regions having figures between 1.2 and 1.6.

It is lowest in the East of England – between 1.0 and 1.3.

A country or region's reproduction rate indicates the average number of people each person with coronavirus goes on to infect.

So an R number of between 1.3 and 1.6 means that on average every 10 people with COVID-19 in the UK will infect between 13 and 16 other people.

The number of new coronavirus cases is also increasing by between 5% and 9% every day, the latest data reveals.