COVID-19: UK’s R number rises slightly to between 1.1 and 1.3

The R number in the UK is estimated to have gone up to between 1.1 and 1.3, according to the SAGE group of government advisers.

The growth rate range of COVID-19 is estimated to be between +1% to +6%.

Last week, the number was put at between 1.1 and 1.2 with a growth rate of between between 1% and 4%.

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When England emerged from November’s lockdown the number was 0.8 -1 – the lowest since August.

The R number is the rate at which the infection is passed on.

The news comes on the day the government warned more parts of England could wake up in Tier 4 from Boxing Day – as fears grow over the spread of the new VUI-202012/01 mutation of coronavirus.

When the prime minister announced his Tier 4 restrictions, he warned the new variant alone could increase the R value by more than 0.4.