The R-value, an indication of how fast the pandemic is spreading, has shown a sharp rise to close to 1.2 over the last fortnight, largely due to the cases in Kerala and Maharashtra, suggest researchers.

The R-value calculated from August 24-29 was 1.17, compared to 0.89 from August 14-17, reported researchers at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai. Sitabhra Sinha, leading the team at the institute, stated that the rise has been driven by several states having R-value above 1 over the last few days of the month of August, primarily Kerala and Maharashtra, but also Mizoram and Jammu and Kashmir. The R-value of Kerala was 1.33, while that of Mizoram was 1.36. Jammu and Kashmir had an R-value of 1.25, Maharashtra 1.06, and Andhra Pradesh 1.09… (India TV- PTI, September 3, 2021)