Regional differences in Covid-19 transmission rate emerge in England

London has seen steeper decline in R rate but north has slower fall in infections, and estimates vary

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Transmission rates of Covid-19 remain dangerously close to levels that could bring a second wave, even before the easing of some restrictions this week, as the focus shifts to transmission rates in the north of England.

The latest official estimate places the national R value – the rate at which people are passing on infections to others – at between 0.7 and 1. An R value above 1 means the epidemic will start to grow exponentially again, which would result in a new surge of cases.

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