The rate of coronavirus infection in the UK has risen according to the Government’s scientific advisors.
Boris Johnson said last week that the reproduction rate (R number) was 0.5 to 0.9.
But new figures from the Scientific Advisory Group for the Government (SAGE) said the number is now between 0.7 and one.
The rise means that the number of new infections across the UK is still expected to fall but at a slower pace.
Scientific advisors to the UK Government said that the outbreak is now concentrated in hospitals and care homes.
It comes just days after the Prime Minister took the decision to ease a number of restrictions to the lockdown in England.
The UK Government dropped its previous ‘Stay at Home’ message in favour for ‘Stay Alert’.
However, it is too soon to suggest that the decision made by Boris Johnson has had any impact on the reproduction rate of the virus.
Both the Scottish and UK governments are relying on the R number to draw up strategies in tackling the outbreak of Covid-19.
If the reproduction number rises above one then the number of infections in the country is anticipated to rise.
Nicola Sturgeon revealed on Monday this week that the R number in Scotland was “uncomfortably close to one”.
The First Minister chose to remain cautious on the easing of restrictions as the Scottish Government chose to retain the ‘Stay at Home’ message.
Restrictions on the number of times Scots can exercise was altered to more than once a day by the Scottish Government on Monday.
