THE UK's R number has dropped below one for the first time since early December.

It comes as Brighton and Hove saw the largest week-on-week change in cases in Sussex – far exceeding the general downturn in cases across the country.

The reproduction number, or R value, of coronavirus transmission across the UK is between 0.8 and 1, the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said.

Last week, it was between 1.2 and 1.3.

READ MORE >> Coronavirus Sussex: Covid case rates dramatically fall

R represents the average number of people each Covid-positive person goes on to infect.

When the figure is above 1, it means the outbreak is growing exponentially.

An R number between 0.8 and 1 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 8 and 10 other people.

The rate per 100,000 population in Brighton went from 713 in the week leading to January 10, to 438 in the week leading to last Sunday.

That is a weekly percentage change of 39 per cent – as compared to the England average of 21.

The Argus: Last week, it was between 1.2 and 1.3. R represents the average number of people each Covid-positive person goes on to infectLast week, it was between 1.2 and 1.3. R represents the average number of people each Covid-positive person goes on to infect

Scientists advising the government said that all regions of England have seen decreases in the R number and growth rate estimates compared with last week, and R is below or around 1 in every region.

Nationally, the growth rate, which estimates how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day, is between minus 4 per cent and minus 1 per cent for the UK as a whole.

It means the number of new infections is shrinking by between 1 per cent and 4 per cent every day.

However, they warned that despite the reductions, case levels “remain dangerously high and we must remain vigilant to keep this virus under control, to protect the NHS and save lives”.

Sage scientists said: “It is essential that everyone continues to stay at home, whether they have had the vaccine or not.

“We all need to play our part, and if everyone continues to follow the rules, we can expect to drive down the R number across the country.”