THE ' R rate' - which indicates how fast the Covid-19 virus is spreading - continues to fall across the South West, according to figures released today (Friday).

The latest data released by the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has the R rate in the region as between 0.6 and 0.8.

That means that on average, every 10 people with the virus will infect between six and eight other people.

The R rate in the South West is below the England-wide range of 0.7-0.9

The current growth rate in the South West is -8 to -5, which indicates that the number of new infections is shrinking by between five and eight per cent every day.

Last week, the South West had an R rate of 0.6 - 0.8, with a growth rate between -7 per cent to -4 per cent.

Here are the R rates for each region and England as a whole, along with the growth rates:

  • England: 0.7 to 0.9, -5 to -3;
  • East of England: 0.6 to 0.8, -8 to -4;
  • London: 0.6 to 0.8, -7 to -4;
  • Midlands: 0.7 to 0.9, -5 to -3;
  • North East and Yorkshire: 0.7 to 1.0, -5 to -2;
  • North West: 0.7 to 0.9, -6 to -4;
  • South East: 0.6 to 0.8, -8 to -4;
  • South West: 0.6 to 0.8, -8 to -5.