The coronavirus transmission rate could now be as high as 1.4 in the UK, official figures show.
The R (reproduction) number is between 1.1 and 1.4, according to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), showing there is "widespread growth of the epidemic across the country".
This means the number of new coronavirus infections is growing by between 2% and 7% every day.
Last week's estimate for the R number was between 1.0 and 1.2 – the first time it rose above 1.0 since early March.
The R number represents the average number of people each person with coronavirusgoes on to infect.
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So a reproduction rate of between 1.1 and 1.4 means that on average, every 10 people who have the virus will go on to infect between 11 and 14 others.
Scientists advising the government say the R number needs to remain below 1.0 to keep the pandemic under control.
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