INFECTION rates of Covid-19 have dropped across Hampshire in the past seven days.

Five different areas have seen a fall in Coronavirus infection rates with Southampton decreasing from 4.7 to 3.6.

The latest figures released by Public Health England show the rate has also dropped in Winchester from 1.6 to 0 and in Eastleigh from 1.5 to 0.8.

In the New Forest, there has been a decrease from 1.1. to 0.6 new cases for every 100,000 residents in the seven days ending July 14.

While in Portsmouth it has gone from 2.8 to 1.9.

However, in the Test Valley, there has been an increase from 1.6 to 2.4

These figures are compared to the seven days running up to July 14.

New data is released each week and shows how rates of positive coronavirus tests are changing in each area.

The figures are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

The rate is expressed as the new number of new cases per 100,000 population.

In Leicester, the rate has dropped from 126.1 in the seven days to July 7 to 92.9 in the seven days to July 14.

It was 132.3 in the seven days to June 30.

Second on the list is Blackburn with Darwen, where the rate has gone up from 38.3 to 49.0, and where 73 new cases have been recorded in the seven days to July 14.

Other areas reporting notable week-on-week jumps include:

– Herefordshire (up from 2.1 to 44.8, with 86 new cases recorded in the seven days to July 14, linked to an outbreak on a farm near Worcester)

– Braintree (up from 4.0 to 33.0, where 50 new cases have been recorded in the seven days to July 14, linked to an outbreak in a care home)

– Luton (up from 14.0 to 29.4, where 63 new cases have been recorded in the seven days to July 14)

– Peterborough (up from 23.9 to 29.8, with 60 new cases recorded in the seven days to July 14)

The list is based on Public Health England figures updated on July 17 on the Government’s coronavirus online dashboard.

Data for the most recent three days (July 15-17) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.