MORE than 600 people have tested positive for Covid-19 across Dorset in the past 24-hours.

Latest data on the government website shows 624 new cases were recorded across Dorset up to 4pm on Wednesday, January 20.

A total of 441 cases were confirmed across the BCP Council area, bringing the cumulative total to 19,156.

In the seven days leading up to January 15, 3,224 people have tested positive for the coronavirus across the conurbation giving a rate of 815.5 cases per 100,000 people.

In wider Dorset, 183 new cases were reported which means since the start of the pandemic 8,303 positive tests have been recorded.

In the seven days leading up to January 15, 1,165 cases were recorded giving a rate of 307.8.

Elsewhere, 93 new cases have been recorded in the New Forest in the past day, bringing the overall total since March to 4,694.

In the same seven day period 614 cases were recorded, giving a rate of 340.9 per 100,000 of the population.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the UK currently stands at 3,505,754 after 389,05 people tested positive in the past 24 hours.