England's Covid-19 weekly reproduction “R” number was estimated to have fallen to between 0.8 and 1.0, the government has said, and the epidemic could be shrinking in the country.

An R number between 0.8 and 1.0 means that for every 10 people infected, they will on average infect between 8 and 10 other people. Last week the R number was estimated between 0.9 and 1.1.

The daily growth of infections was estimated to have fallen to between -3 per cent and -1pc, suggesting the pandemic is shrinking, down from -1pc and +1pc last week.