FEWER THAN 20 coronavirus cases were confirmed across Dorset in the last 24 hours, latest figures show.

Data released by the government shows 18 cases were recorded in the county in the 24 hours leading up to 4pm on Wednesday, April 7.

In the BCP Council area, eight cases were confirmed, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 25,203.

In the seven days leading up to April 2, the latest rolling seven-day period, 84 cases were recorded in BCP, giving a rolling infection rate of 21.2 per 100,000.

The Dorset Council area recorded 10 new cases, taking its total to 11,784.

The rolling rate for the council area stood at 11.4 per 100,000 people with 43 cases confirmed in a week.

Elsewhere, only six cases were confirmed in the New Forest, taking the total to 6,1320.

The rolling rate was 19.4 per 100,000, after 35 cases were confirmed in the week preceding April 2.

Across the UK, 2,763 new coronavirus cases were confirmed, taking the total number of reported Covid-19 cases in the UK to 4,367,291.