Covid case rate for BCP area is now below the England average

In an update on Friday, February 26, local health authority Public Health Dorset said the conurbation’s rate for the seven days to February 20, was 114.1 infections per 100,000 people which is below the England average of 118.3.

However, the rate for both BCP and Dorset Council area – which had a rate of 77.7 during the same period - is still above the average for the South West of 70.2.

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A Public Health Dorset spokesperson said: “This means we all need to keep working together to bring these rates down further. In line with the reduction in case rates, COVID-related hospitalisations and deaths across the county have also decreased.”

The number of patients being treated for Covid in Dorset hospitals has fallen from 194 to 147.

Meanwhile, a total of 451 cases were recorded across the BCP area between February 14 and 20, which is down from 629 the previous week.

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And there were 294 new cases in the wider Dorset area, compared to 349 previously.

Up to February 21, 275,006 doses of the Covid vaccine had been administered to people in Dorset.

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The spokesperson added: “Over a quarter of a million people in Dorset have now received a COVID-19 vaccine.

“This is great news and we'd like to thank everyone involved in the rollout of the vaccination programme. However, we must remain vigilant and continue to follow the rules - even if you've had the vaccine - to avoid an increase in cases.”