Covid Infections in U.K. Leveling Off After Sharp Lockdown Fall
- Cases rising slightly among teenagers, official data show
- U.K. reproductive rate reaches 0.7-0.9, 1.0 in most of England
Coronavirus infections in the U.K. are leveling off after a sharp downturn in recent weeks -- and even rising slightly among teenagers this month, according to data released Friday.
The official estimate of the “R rate” -- the reproductive factor which measures how many people each infected person passes the virus on to -- increased to between 0.7 and 0.9 across the whole of the U.K, up from 0.6 to 0.9 last week.
But the upper level reached 1.0 in all areas of England apart from London and the southwest, suggesting the virus is close to spreading exponentially again. The Department of Health said the figures did not yet fully reflect the reopening of schools in England this month -- signaling the rate is likely to go up in the weeks ahead.
The data comes amid a surge in infections across much of Europe, forcing many governments on the continent to extend or impose national lockdowns.