AS THE country prepares for a second national lockdown the latest government figures show that Test Valley's infection rate is rising.

Yesterday (November 1) Test Valley saw an increase of 9 new covid cases, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 1,062.

The rate of new cases in the seven days to October 26 in Test Valley per 100,000 people is 106.2.

The rate is up significantly from the previous rate of new cases in the seven days to October 19 which was 72.1

Whilst our rolling seven-day rate is rising, the figures in Test Valley are dramatically different to the worst hit areas in England.

Blackburn with Darwen continue to have the highest rate in England, with 1,150 new cases recorded in the seven days to October 26 – the equivalent of 768.2 cases per 100,000 people.

In the last 24 hours Hampshire has seen an overall increase of 248 new positive coronavirus cases.

Public Health England figures show that 10,256 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Friday (October 30) in Hampshire, up from 10,008 the same time on Thursday.