THE 'R rate' for the South West has decreased for the third consecutive week and the growth rate also appears to be falling.

The fresh data, which has been released by the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) on Friday, February 6 rates the ability to spread Covid-19 and the number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to, on average.

The updated 'R rate' for the South West, including Dorset, is now between 0.7 - 0.9, which is lower than the latest R number range for the UK of 0.7 - 1.0.

The Government say an R value between 0.7 and 0.9 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between seven and nine other people.

The current growth rate in the South West is set at -6 to -2. The size of the growth rate indicates the speed of change.

A growth rate of -6 per cent indicates the epidemic is shrinking faster than a growth rate of -5 per cent.

Last week, the South West had an R rate of 0.8 - 1.1, with a growth rate between -4 per cent to +1 per cent.

The R rate for the South West is no longer among the highest in the country, as the R rate for North East and Yorkshire stands at 0.8 - 1.0.

These are the latest R estimates by NHS England regions: 

Region - R Growth rate - per day

England: 0.7 to 0.9, -5 to -2

East of England: 0.7 to 0.9, -6 to -3

London: 0.6 to 0.8, -8 to -4

Midlands: 0.7 to 0.9, -6 to -2

North East and Yorkshire: 0.8 to 1.0, -4 to 0

North West: 0.7 to 1.0, -4 to -1

South East: 0.6 to 0.9, -7 to -4

South West: 0.7 to 0.9, -6 to -2