A HUGE surge in coronavirus cases in multiple areas across Dorset show why both Dorset Council and BCP Council areas were moved to higher Tiers.

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 Saturday, December 26.

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, which can be found through this link, 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.

Dorset Echo: Cases of coronavirus in Dorset have surged in recent days.Cases of coronavirus in Dorset have surged in recent days.

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

Varying levels of coronavirus have been reported across Dorset according to Public Health England's data. 

In the seven days up to Saturday, December 19, Dorset reported 1,507 cases. The case rate compared to the UK average is, however, below average, but the national average has been steadily increasing in recent weeks. 

Only one area, Milborne, Winterborne and Okeford Fitzpaine, which covers a number of rural Dorset parishes and villages, has reported less than two cases in recent days. 

Note: This article includes the most recent data available at the time of publication.

The following 27 areas in Dorset have seen ten or fewer confirmed cases in the last week:

  • Alderholt and Sixpenny Handley - 10 cases
  • Beaminster, Maiden Newton and Halstock - Six cases 
  • Blandford Outer and Tarrants - 10 cases
  • Bovington, Wool and Lulworth - Three cases
  • Bridport South and West Bay - Three cases 
  • Bridport North - Nine cases 
  • Broadwey and Littlemoor - Six cases
  • Burton Bradstock and Chideock - 10 cases
  • Child Okeford and Iwerne Minster - 10 cases 
  • Colehill - Nine cases
  • Corfe Castle and Langton Matravers - 10 cases
  • Dorchester East - Four cases 
  • Ferndown West and Canford Bottom - Eight cases
  • Gillingham - Eight cases
  • Gillingham Outer, Bourton and Motcombe - Nine cases
  • Jumpers Common and Fairmile - Eight cases 
  • Kinson West - Seven cases
  • Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Marshwood Vale - Four cases
  • Milborne, Winterborne and Okeford Fitzpaine - Suppressed 
  • Shaftesbury - Seven cases
  • Southwell and Weston - Seven cases 
  • Sturminster Marshall & Crichel - Nine cases
  • Swanage - Eight cases
  • Throop and Muscliffe - Nine cases
  • Overmoigne, Broadmayne and Winterbourne - Eight cases
  • Underhill and The Grove - Three cases
  • Weymouth West - Four cases

The following 10 areas have seen the most confirmed cases in the last week:

  • Boscombe West - 42 cases
  • Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks - 29 cases
  • Broadstone - 45 cases 
  • Central Bournemouth - 47 cases 
  • East Cliff - 40 cases
  • East Southbourne and Hengistbury Head - 32 cases
  • Parkstone - 28 cases 
  • Penn Hill - 27 cases
  • Southbourne West - 33 cases
  • West Cliff - 45 cases