MORE than 60 areas across Dorset have not recorded any new coronavirus clusters, according to the latest data.

Public Health England breaks down the numbers of Covid-19 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 online, 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.

Government and Public Health England define a coronavirus cluster as an area where there are more than two coronavirus cases in a population size of 7,500 at any one time.

Some areas are coloured white and described as "suppressed", meaning MSOA level rates are suppressed and there have been zero to two cases in a seven-day period. This also protects the privacy of individuals and prevents disclosure.

Dorset Echo: The varying levels of coronavirus cases in Dorset. Picture: Public Health England.The varying levels of coronavirus cases in Dorset. Picture: Public Health England.

According to data from Public Health England in the seven days up to Tuesday, March 9, these are the 64 areas without a coronavirus cluster in Dorset:

  • Alderholt & Sixpenny Handley
  • Beaminster, Maiden Newton & Halstock
  • Bearwood
  • Bere Regis & Lytchett Matravers
  • Blandford Outer & Tarrants
  • Boscombe East
  • Branksome East
  • Bridport North
  • Bridport South and West Bay
  • Burton & Airport
  • Burton Bradstock & Chideock
  • Broadwey & Littlemoor
  • Canford Heath East
  • Canford Heath West
  • Charlton Down, Cerne Abbas & Puddletown
  • Child Okeford & Iwerne Minster
  • Christchurch Town
  • Colehill
  • Corfe Castle & Langton Matravers
  • Corfe Mullen
  • Creekmoor
  • Dorchester East
  • East Verwood
  • Ferndown Town
  • Ferndown West & Canford Bottom
  • Gillingham
  • Hamworthy East
  • Highcliffe & Walkford
  • Iford
  • Jumpers Common & Fairmile
  • Kinson West
  • Kinson East
  • Littledown
  • Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale
  • Merley
  • Milborne, Winterborne & Okeford Fitzpaine
  • Moordown
  • Mudeford
  • Northbourne
  • Overmoigne, Broadmayne & Winterbourne
  • Parkstone
  • Parley & Hampreston
  • Poole Town
  • Preston & Lodmoor
  • Shaftesbury
  • Sherborne
  • Somerford
  • Sturminster Marshall & Crichel
  • Talbot & Branksome Woods
  • Throop & Muscliffe
  • Townsend & Strouden
  • Upton & Lytchett Minster
  • Wareham, Sandford & Holton Heath
  • Westbourne
  • Westham North & Radipole
  • Westham South
  • West Highcliffe
  • West Howe
  • West Moors
  • West Verwood
  • Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell
  • Weymouth West
  • Wimborne Minster
  • Wyke Regis

On the previous week up to the seven days to Tuesday, March 2, areas of Dorset reported no coronavirus clusters, including Bovington, Wool & Lulworth and Blandford Forum Town.

Coronavirus cases across Dorset continue to decrease, with 309 Covid-19 cases recorded in the seven days up to Tuesday, March 2.

The updated 'R rate' for the South West, including Dorset, has decreased to between 0.5 - 0.8, which is below the latest R number range for the UK of 0.6 - 0.8.

The Government says an R-value between 0.5 and 0.8 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between five and eight other people.

The current growth rate in the South West is set at -8 to -5. The size of the growth rate indicates the speed of change.

A growth rate of between -10 per cent and -6 per cent means that the number of new infections is shrinking by between six and 10 per cent every day.