The number of new coronavirus cases is now doubling every week in England as the virus threatens to spin out of control. An official study for the government estimates Covid-19 took just 7.7 days to 'double' between August 22 and September 7.
The scientists behind the study even estimated the R rate has rocketed to 1.7 - in other words, between 1.4 and 2.0. Downing Street and Health Secretary Matt Hancock seized on the report, saying it showed why they had to impose a new law banning gatherings over six people.
The study by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI was based on testing more than 150,000 volunteers. It is only the third of its kind since the outbreak began and looked at the spread of the virus in England.