UK sees’ great progress’ as Covid-19 infection rate falls significantly

‘We still have lots of work to do to defeat this virus, but we’re making great progress,’ said Health Secretary Matt Hancock

The UK is seeing levels of Covid-19 infection falling. AFP

The UK is confident it is beating the coronavirus outbreak, as all four nations see levels of infection reducing.
For the first time since last July, when the UK was emerging from its first lockdown, the R rate has dropped below one.

The R rate measures the ability of the disease to spread.

While at 0.7-0.9 the R rate is still high, it now means that for every 10 people infected with the virus they are passing it on to between seven and nine others.
"We still have lots of work to do to defeat this virus, but we're making great progress," Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Twitter.
"There's still over 25,000 people in hospital with coronavirus right now.

"Everyone can have confidence that the plan is working, that what we're collectively doing is having a positive impact but there's still a long way to go." 
The figures are a boost for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he tries to navigate a way out of the cycle of lockdowns that has paralysed economic activity and forced large sections of the population to stay at home.

In London, which was hit particularly badly during the winter wave of infections, the R rate is estimated at 0.6 to 0.8.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics figures, one in 80 people in England has the virus, one in 75 in Northern Ireland, one in 85 in Wales and 1 in 150 in Scotland.

London has the highest proportion of people likely to test positive for coronavirus in any region of England, at about one in 60.

But the government warned that case numbers remain high and people should stick to lockdown measures.

Scientists are also urging ministers to take a cautious approach and only begin easing lockdown when cases reach very low levels.

The UK reported 15,144 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 4,013,799 – the highest number in Europe.

More than 14 million people in the country have now had their first dose of a vaccine.

That puts the government on course to meet its target to vaccinate the most vulnerable 14.6 million people and carers by February 15.