THIRTEEN areas across Dorset have five or less confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to Public Health England data.

An interactive map on the government website shows just how many people have tested positive for the virus in each area of the county over the seven-day period up to Saturday, October 28.

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.

The map highlights which areas of the nation have three or more confirmed cases of the virus and colour co-coordinates the areas by how many cases they have.

The 13 areas are:

  • West Moors – Five cases
  • Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Marshwood Vale – Five cases
  • Burton Bradstock and Chideock – Five cases
  • Broadwey and Littlemoor – Five cases
  • Corfe Castle & Langton Matravers – Four cases
  • Blandford Forum Town – Four cases
  • Alderholt and Sixpenny Handley – Four cases
  • Weymouth west - Four cases 
  • Child Okeford and Iwerne Minster – Three cases
  • Yetminster, Bradford Abbas and Longburton – Three cases
  • Gillingham Outer, Bourton & Motcombe – Three cases
  • Shaftesbury – Three cases
  • Preston and Lodmoor - Three cases

The 'R rate' for the South West is currently between 1.2 - 1.5, which is higher than the latest R number range for the UK of 1.1 - 1.3.

The current growth rate in Dorset is set at +4 to +7, meaning that new infections are growing between four per cent to seven per cent every day.