The South West has the highest coronavirus infection rate in Britain as an R number for each region has been published for the first time.
The North East and East Midlands are estimated to have the next highest rates followed by the North West. The “reproduction rate” number is crucial to the pace lockdown is lifted across the country.
If it goes above 1 new restrictions could be put in place as it means the outbreak is increasing. Ministers had refused to publish a breakdown by region but Labour’s Manchester Mayor Andy Burnam released them today.
The data was compiled by the Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Follow all coronavirus updates on our live blog here Mr