The number of cases is slowly decreasing but more than a dozen areas still have case rates between 800 and 1,599 per 100,000 people. 

On the government map, the country is split up by Middle Super Output Areas (MSOA), which are small areas with an average population of 7,200, and the data is updated each weekday, with the map showing the last seven days for which complete data is available.

The map colour-codes areas depending on their seven-day rolling rate, with areas placed into the boundaries of 0-9, 10-49, 50-99, 100-199, 200-399, 400 to 799, 800 to 1,599 and 1,600 plus.

The highest bracket on the government website are areas with rates above 1,600 which appear coloured black on the map.

Read more: Covid cases falling in Dorset but health services under “significant pressure”

In the seven days to February 6, the rate for the BCP Council area was 888.9 with a total of 3,529 cases.

During the same period, there were 3,252 cases in the rest of the county at a rate of 856.3.

The previous week there were 4,429 cases in BCP at a rate of 1,115.6 with 3,668 cases in Dorset and a rate of 965.8. 

The 10 areas with the highest Covid case rates 

1. Bere Regis & Lytchett Matravers – 1,360.2, 81 cases, up 2.5 per cent

2. West Verwood – 1,351.0, 104 cases, down 5.5 per cent

3. Westham North & Radipole – 1,293.3, 114 cases, up 14 per cent

4. Bearwood - 1,233.2, 68 cases, down 13.9 per cent

5. Queens Park – 1,225.6, 106 cases, down 15.9 per cent

6. Christchurch Town - 1,122.9, 109 cases, up 18.5 per cent

7. Branksome West – 1,113.6, 84 cases, down 10.6 per cent

8. Penn Hill – 1,136.1, 115 cases, up 2.7 per cent

9. Westham South – 1,099.2, 84 cases, down 5.6 per cent

10. Alderholt & Sixpenny Handley – 1,093.6, 72 cases, up 18 per cent

The 10 areas with the lowest Covid case rates

1. Sherborne – 448.4, 44 cases, down 46.3 per cent

2. Wareham, Sandford & Holton Heath – 454.0, 40 cases, down 44 per cent

3. Swanage – 463.8, 45 cases, down 10 per cent

4. Westbourne – 527.4, 31 cases, down 24.4 per cent

5. Corfe Castle & Langton Matravers – 534.8, 27 cases, down 18.2 per cent

6. Burton Bradstock & Chideock – 546.5, 41 cases, down 32.8 per cent

7. Mudeford – 560.7, 36 cases, unchanged on previous week

8. Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale – 606.6, 44 cases, down 36.2 per cent

9. Hamworthy East - 609.1, 40 cases, down 32.2 per cent

10. Highcliffe & Walkford – 611.5, 46 cases, down 43.2 per cent