COVID cases and hospitalisations are continuing to fall in Dorset – but case rates are still higher than when the county entered the second national lockdown in November.

Dorset’s health authority Public Health Dorset has called on “every single person in Dorset” to play their part in bringing the number of cases down.  

In an update on Friday, February 12, Public Health Dorset said: “Confirmed cases and hospitalisations have continued to fall across Dorset, which shows that the national lockdown restrictions are having an impact.

“Whilst this is good news, it’s important to remember that these figures have been falling from a very high level so there is still a way to go. For comparison, we still have higher case rates than when we went into the second lockdown in November.

“We really need every single person in Dorset to play their part in bringing cases down to a low level.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Between January 31 and February 6, the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area’s case rate per 100,000 people was 249.7, compared to 369.8 previously, with 987 cases confirmed which is down from 1,462.

The conurbation’s case rate remains above the average for the south west, which had a rate of 125.0, and England’s rate of 194.0.

During the same period, the wider Dorset area had a case rate of 146.4, which is down from 207.4. Cases have fallen from 785 to 554.  

The number of people with Covid-19 being treated in the county’s hospitals has fallen from 386 to 269.

Public Health Dorset said: “This is positive, but there are still many people needing hospital treatment and our health and care services continue to be very busy. Figures released by NHS England showed that almost one third of all patients who have needed hospital treatment for COVID since the pandemic began were admitted last month.

“Hospitals across the country treated a total of 242,307 patients who were confirmed to have COVID last year. That compares with 101,956 in January 2021.”

The health authority urged residents to “work together to improve the situation in Dorset as much as we possibly can”.

A spokesperson added: “Please continue to stay at home and only go out if it really is essential. Every time you leave home unnecessarily, the virus gets more chances to spread.”