UK R number edges down to 1.1-1.3, growth rate slows

LONDON (Reuters) - The reproduction "R" number of the COVID-19 epidemic in Britain fell slightly for the second week in a row, government scientists said on Friday, adding the estimated growth rate had slowed too.

The "R" number was 1.1-1.3, down from 1.2-1.4, the UK's Government Office for Science said. That means on average every 10 people infected will infect between 11 and 13 other people.

The estimated daily growth rate of the epidemic was +2% to +4%, down from +3% to +6% last week.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)