COVID-19: Why should we be worried about the R-Factor?

With cases in many parts of the country increasing again, the R-factor of the coronavirus seems to have gone up. An increase in the number naturally means the virus is spreading faster than it was.

Chennai’s Indian Institute of Mathematical Sciences has been tracking the rate for the virus, and have found that the rate is now 0.88 as opposed to 0.78 in June.

Since the rate is a function of multiple factors, it moves between 0 and 1, which means the closer the rate gets to 1, the more we should be worried.

The R-rate in Kerala has been inching closer to 1, with the state seeing a sudden spate of cases over the past month. The southern state reported 20,000 plus cases over the past five days. Today, India has reported 40,134 new cases.