England's Covid 'R' rate has risen to 1.2 from 1.0, official figures released today show.
The number measures the virus transmission rate and shows the rate is between 0.9 and 1.2, according to the latest Government figures.
Last week, it was between 0.8 to 1.
When the figure is above 1, an outbreak can grow exponentially. When it is below 1, it means the epidemic is shrinking.
An R number between 0.9 and 1.2 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 9 and 12 other people.
Young people are being urged to get vaccinated as England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty warns 'sick' youngsters are being hospitalised.
But fresh hope came today as the government announced the UK has approved a promising new treatment for the virus.
Ronapreve, which is injected or delivered by blood transfusion, is given to people infected with Covid shortly after symptoms develop and can stop virus cells entering the throat and lungs.
The “first-of-its-kind” Covid-19 treatment is hoped to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed this winter.
While the latest figures show the 'R' rate is growing, nationwide statistics show the number of deaths and severe illnesses leading to hospitalisation are nowhere near levels seen at the pandemic's peaks.
The UK's vaccination rollout has lessened the blow of the virus' spread by drastically reducing numbers of severe cases and deaths.
A study earlier this week revealed an estimated 95% of adults in England have Covid antibodies.
However the continued spread of the highly infectious delta variant has led the NHS to brace for winter pressures on hospitals once again.
Double-jabbed people are still able to catch and spread the virus, but are largely experiencing milder illness.
Prof Whitty warned not yet vaccinated young people they can still fall seriously ill.
He urged youngsters to get the jab as he revealed there are some “very sick” young adults in hospital with the virus.
He tweeted: “The great majority of adults have been vaccinated.
"Four weeks working on a Covid ward makes stark the reality that the majority of our hospitalised Covid patients are unvaccinated and regret delaying.
"Some are very sick including young adults. Please don’t delay your vaccine.”
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates one in 80 people in England tested positive in the week to August 14, decreasing only slightly from one in 75 last week.
Cases in Wales rose from one in 220 last week to one in 230 this week.
Official data this week suggested the fall in cases around the start of the school holidays has begun to reverse.
This latest case numbers rise is from the period just before isolation rules were ditched.
On Monday the rules changed, and double-jabbed adults in England no longer have to isolate in most cases if a close contact tests positive.
R rate by area
- North West: 0.9 - 1.1
- North East and Yorkshire: 0.9 - 1.1
- East of England: 0.9 - 1.2
- Midlands: 0.9 - 1.2
- London: 0.9 - 1.1
- South East: 0.9 - 1.2
- South West: 0.9 - 1.2
