R number above 1.0 in UK as coronavirus cases double every week in England

We’ve been watching the virus ‘R’ or reproduction rate steadily creep up.

Well, today it rose above 1.0 across the UK. Also today lockdown rules tightened in Britain’s second largest city Birmingham. Cases are doubling in England every week.

In the last 24 hours, the total number of people testing positive for coronavirus has risen by 3,539 – this is the highest since May.

There have been six more deaths reported, bringing the total number to 41,614.