North West R rate rises above 1

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham

Despite no new deaths related to coronavirus being recorded by hospitals yesterday (Sunday), the R rate in the North West stands at 1.01.

The R rate measures the average number of people one infected person could infect and if it's above 1 an outbreak can grow exponentially. 

That's why it's so important the UK keeps the R rate as far below 1 as possible because this means the outbreak will shrink. 

Yesterday was the first time since lockdown that there were no new Covid-19 deaths recorded in Greater Manchester hospitals, but figures from previous weeks show that there's sometimes a lag in recording deaths at the weekend. 

The figures also don't include deaths related to the virus outside of a hospital setting including in care homes.

So far, 1,925 lives have been claimed by the virus in our region's hospitals.

The Mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region held an emergency press conference yesterday in response to the North West's coronavirus transmission rate. 

Both Andy Burnham and Steve Rotherham agree that the area needs regular, real-time data to be able to tackle the spread of infection. 

They've also called on the government for regular regional R data to be released, greater flexibility in regions to adapt to their R rate, schools reopening only when it is appropriate for their area, a review of shops reopening in the North West on June 15, local furlough schemes if local lockdowns are introduced.

Burnham has previously shown reservations in the introduction of local lockdowns, but he is urging people in Manchester to stay at home and not take advantage of the new freedoms from the government in order to bring the R rate back down. 

In a joint statement, the two Mayors said: "We ask everyone to make a renewed commitment to follow the official guidance and to stay at home as much as possible.

"In fact, we would go further and advise people to err on the side of caution and to use the new freedoms carefully and safely.

"Staying at home is the best way we can protect ourselves, and each other, and get the R number in the North West back below 1."

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