BREAKING NEWS

UK estimated COVID R number dips, now between 0.6 and 0.8

The estimated COVID-19 reproduction "R" number in Britain is 0.6-0.8, down from 0.7-0.9 last week, with the epidemic estimated to be shrinking a little more quickly than it was before, the health ministry said on Friday.

An R value between 0.6 and 0.8 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 6 and 8 other people.

The daily growth rate of infections was estimated between -7% and -4%, compared to -5% and -3% last week.