London (UK), January 31: London is continuing to see a steady decline in COVID-19 infection rates, as more than half of its 32 boroughs are now seeing seven-day infection rates below 400 per 100,000 Londoners, local media reported Saturday.
The infection rates are falling in every single borough. The highest is in Brent in northwestern London, with a rate of 588.9 in the week to Jan. 25, marking a 30 percent decrease on the rate of 838.2 over the previous seven days, the London-based Evening Standard newspaper reported, citing the latest figures.
The figures, for the seven days to Jan. 25, are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community, said the newspaper.
On Jan. 28, the daily number of new people tested positive for COVID-19 in London was reported as 4,367. The total number of COVID-19 cases identified in London is 641,178 as at Jan. 27, data published by the Greater London Authority showed.
Meanwhile, Britain's coronavirus reproduction number, known as the R number, is estimated at between 0.7 and 1.1, the British government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said Friday.
Last week, the R number was estimated at between 0.8 and one, according to SAGE.
The R, which refers to the number of people an infected person will pass the virus on to, is one of many indicators scientists use to determine how fast COVID-19 is spreading in the country.
England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.
Source: Xinhua
