The UK's coronavirus R rate has risen slightly to between 0.7 and 0.9, according to the latest figures.
Weekly government figures released this afternoon show the infection rate has risen from between 0.6 and 0.9 a day a week ago amid fears a third wave of the virus could hit the UK in the summer.
R represents the average number of people each Covid-19 positive person goes on to infect.
When the figure is above 1, an outbreak can grow exponentially, but when it is below 1, it means the epidemic is shrinking.
An R value between 0.7 and 0.9 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 7 and 9 other people.
While the growth rate of between -5 per cent and -2 per cent means that the number of new infections is shrinking by between 2 per cent and 5 per cent every day.
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England alone has an R rate of 0.8 to 1.0, with a growth rate of -4 to 0.
London and the South West both remain below 1, though like all regions have seen a slight week-on-week rise.
The regional breakdown is as follows:
- East of England 0.7 to 1.0 and -5 to 0
- London 0.7 to 0.9 and -5 to -1
- Midlands 0.7 to 1.0 and -5 to 0
- North East and Yorkshire 0.8 to 1.0
- North West 0.7 to 1.0 and -4 to -1
- South East 0.7 to 1.0 and -5 to 0
- South West 0.7 to 0.9 and -6 to -1
The latest Government figures brings the total number of UK deaths to 126,445 and infections since the pandemic to 4,319,128.
Yesterday, another 63 people died after testing positive for coronavirus and a further 6,397 new cases were reported.
Falling death rates have also been recorded this week.
It comes as Public Health England's weekly surveillance report showed case rates in England have risen among children and teenagers.
The public health body said that the rate for 10 to 19-year-olds stood at 100.7 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to March 21.
As previously reported, experts have, meanwhile, warned the UK could experience an 'exit wave' of coronavirus infections when lockdown is lifted.
But they claim an increase in cases is unlikely to lead to an uncontrollable spike in hospital admissions or deaths.
Scientists are making the forecast despite the bleak predictions of a SAGE model released last week.
Warwick University researchers, who made the projection, said there was "no doubt infections will rise" when pubs and restaurants reopen as people will start mixing again.
However they say the vaccination programme had "solved the problem of serious disease".
The comments came after modelling by Government scientists suggested last week there could be a final peak where more than 1,000 people die a day later in this year despite the vaccination programme progressing well.
As of Wednesday, a total of 28,991,188 in the UK have had their first vaccine dose.
