CORONAVIRUS cases in an area of Dorset have surged within the space of a week, according to the latest available data.
An interactive map, which uses Public Health England data, shows how many people have tested positive for the virus in each area of the county over the seven-day period up to Tuesday, November 16.
Public Health England breaks down the numbers of coronavirus cases into neighbourhoods called 'Middle Super Output Areas' (MSOAs), which are smaller than council wards and based on population rather than geographical area.
The interactive map allows users to type in their postcode and see how many cases were reported in their area and if it has increased or decreased from the week before. The darker the colour on the image, the more positive test results have been recorded.
In the seven days up to Tuesday, November 16, Shaftesbury has reported 101 cases in the area, an increase of 33 on the seven days before.
The fresh active cases in the North Dorset town have risen by 33 per cent and has reported a rolling case rate per 100,000 people of 1.124.1 which is above the case rate for the Dorset Council area of 569.5.
Shaftesbury has the most Covid-19 cases and highest rolling case rate of any areas in the Dorset Council territory and higher than locations in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council area.
Furthermore, other areas of North Dorset have recorded high Covid-19 cases in the same time period.
Gillingham has reported 80 Covid-19 cases, which is an increase of 12 on the week before. The area also has the second-highest case rate across Dorset at 1,048.8.
The nearby Gillingham Outer, Bourton & Motcombe MOSA area has also reported 80 Covid-19 cases, which is an increase of 25 on the week before, with a case rate of 865.6.
Around the neighbouring areas over the same seven-day period, 34 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Child Okeford & Iwerne Minster, Mere & East Knoyle has reported 50 cases, Sturminster Newton and Stalbridge saw 59 positive tests and Templecombe, Hentsridge & Milborne Port has reported 53 cases.
Looking across the map, cases in areas around Dorset have started to increase as both Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council areas reported a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Latest data shows 2,163 people tested positive for coronavirus across the Dorset Council area in the seven days up to Tuesday, November 16. In the wider BCP Council area, 2,397 new cases have been confirmed in the same time period.
Cases across Dorset rose by 909 – 488 cases in Dorset Council and 421 cases in BCP Council area.
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