Coronavirus R number for Hampshire and south east has risen again

The R number shows how the virus is reproducing – so how many new cases are caused by one infected person. If it stays below one, then the overall number of cases will begin to dwindle.

Government figures released on Friday September 18 show the rate for the south east region, including Hampshire, is now between 1.1 and 1.4.

That number has increased in the last seven days, when figures showed the rate was between 1.0 and 1.2.

Yesterday Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out the possibility of a second national lockdown, while Boris Johnson said the country was now ‘seeing a second wave’ of coronavirus cases.

In England the new ‘rule of six’ is in force which means people cannot meet in groups of more than six, except in specific circumstances.

For the UK as a whole the R number range is now 1.1 to 1.4, an increase on the previous rate of 1.0 and 1.2.

The growth rate

The growth rate shows whether the stats indicate that the number of new infections is shrinking or growing each day.

For the south east, the growth rate is between +3 and +7, which means the number of new cases is somewhere between growing by three per cent and seven per cent.

SEE ALSO: The 14 areas of Hampshire with the most coronavirus cases last week

Seven days ago the growth rate was 0 to +4.

The UK growth rate range is now +2 to +7, up from between -1 and +3.

Both the R number and the growth rate come from analysing averages to look for trends, so are not intended to be an accurate count.

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