OVER 30 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Dorset in the latest 24-hour period.

Government figures reveal that 31 new cases were recorded across the county before 4pm on Wednesday, March 17.

The BCP area recorded 12 new cases, taking the area's total to 24,977 since the start of the pandemic.

In the seven days leading up to March 12, the latest rolling seven-day period, 140 cases were confirmed in BCP, giving a rolling infection rate of 35.4 per 100,000 people.

The Dorset Council area recorded 19 new cases, taking the total to 11,535.

The rolling rate stood at 30.1 per 100,000 after 114 cases were confirmed in a week.

Elsewhere, six cases were confirmed in the New Forest, taking the total to 6,019.

The rolling rate was 22.2 per 100,000 after 40 cases were confirmed in the week leading up to March 12.