FEWER THAN 30 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Dorset over the last 24 hours, latest figures show.

Data released by the government shows 26 cases were recorded across the county in the 24 hours leading up to 4pm on Friday April 16.

In the BCP Council area, 15 cases were recorded, taking its the total to 25,219 since the start of the pandemic.

In the seven days leading up to April 11, the latest rolling seven-day period, 47 cases were confirmed, giving a rolling infection rate of 11.9 per 100,000 of the population.

Eleven cases were recorded in the Dorset Council area taking the total to 11,799.

The rolling infection rate stood at 15.6 per 100,000 after 69 cases were confirmed within a week.

Elsewhere, four cases were confirmed in the New Forest, meaning that 6,141 people have tested positive there since the start of the pandemic.

The rolling rate was 11.1 per 100,000 after 20 cases were confirmed in the week before April 11.

In the UK, 2,596 new coronavirus cases have been recorded, taking the total number of reported cases of the Covid-19 virus across the UK to 4,383,732.