Covid-19 rates drop in Bridport area

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 Thursday, January 21 – the latest period for when figures are available.

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 map reveals the current amount of reported coronavirus cases in any given area, along with its rolling rate - which is calculated from the amount of people who have tested positive per 100,000 population in the rolling 7-day period.

Bridport North, which covers the town centre, northern sections of the town and Bradpole parish, reported highs of 22 active cases on Thursday, December 31, with a rolling rate of 335.7.

Bridport North has 21 reported cases on December 31

But latest figures show the area currently has six cases of coronavirus, with a rolling rate of 91.6, down more than 70 per cent from the late December figures.

Burton Bradstock and Chideock has reported four cases of coronavirus up to January 21, down from the 14 cases it reported on December 31. a drop of 71 per cent. The R rate is currently 53.1, down from 185.7.

There are currently less than three cases in Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale - when MSOAs report fewer than three cases, Public Health England do not show specific data to protect individuals' identities - this is a drop from the ten cases reported in the area at the end of December.

Beaminster has also seen a drop over the past month, falling from 14 cases to 10. The rolling rate has dropped from 103.2 to 144.5.

The only area in west Dorset which has not seen a decline in coronavirus cases over the past month is Bridport South, which had four active cases at the end of December and currently has six reported cases.

The interactive map allows users to type in their postcode and see how many cases were reported in their area and whether the area has seen an increase or decrease in cases from the previous week. The darker the colour on the image, the more positive test results have been recorded.

All areas in west Dorset are currently classed as 'below average' when compared to the national average.