COVID case rates remain high in the BCP area and it is “too early to relax or become complacent”, Dorset’s public health authority has warned.

Data released by Public Health Dorset on Friday, February 5, showed the case rate for the BCP area in the last seven days is 369.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 592.4 previously.

And in Dorset, the rate is 207.4 which is down from 264.5.

A spokesperson for Public Health Dorset said: “Case rates have continued to decline over the last week, and we'd like to thank everyone who has played their part in this by following the lockdown rules.

“The rates are still high which means it is too early to relax or become complacent - for comparison, at the end of the second lockdown on 2 December, case rates in the Dorset Council area were around 40 per 100,000 and around 70 per 100,000 in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area.”

Bournemouth Echo:

The rate for the BCP area remains above the average for England at 260.6 and the south west at 178.4.

In terms of cases, the BCP has seen infections drop from 2,342 to 1,462 with the wider Dorset area seeing them fall from 1,001 to 785.

Currently there are 386 patients with Covid in hospital beds across Dorset, which has fallen from 537.

Public Health Dorset said: “The number of patients in hospitals across Dorset with COVID-19 has started to fall. However, this number is falling from a very high level so our health system continues to be very busy and any increase in cases could cause pressure to increase quickly again.

“Sadly, due to the number of patients who have been in hospital with COVID-19 and outbreaks in care settings, COVID-related deaths have continued to rise.”

Up to January 31, 154,168 Covid vaccine doses had been administered to people in Dorset with 92.1% of over 80s across the county receiving their first dose, along with 88.4% of people aged 75-79.

Public Health Dorset urged residents to continue to follow the national lockdown rules which have been in place since January 5 in a bid to protect the most vulnerable.

A spokesperson added: “Please continue to follow the rules - it really does make a difference. We are still in a national lockdown so only leave home for essential reasons.

“With one in three people not having any symptoms, any breaking or bending of the rules could easily see a rise in cases again.

“You may feel fine but if you're not following the correct measures you can easily pass the virus on to someone vulnerable with serious consequences.”