NEW Covid-19 cases have spiked in four areas of Hampshire over the past seven days.

Coronavirus infection rates in Southampton have shot up from 2.8 to 4.7 new cases for every 100,000 residents in the seven days ending July 21.

In two areas of the county, they have doubled.

In Portsmouth from 1.4 to 2.8 and in the Test Valley from 0.8 to 1.6 cases.

The New Forest has also seen a rise from 1.7 to 2.8 cases.

Meanwhile, in Winchester, rates have stayed constant at 1.6.

However, the latest figures released by Public Health England show the rate has dropped in Eastleigh from 4.6 to 2.3.

These figures are compared to the seven days running up to July 21.

New data is released each week and shows how rates of positive coronavirus tests are changing in each area.

It is based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent three days (July 22-24) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

In Blackburn with Darwen, the rate has jumped from 52.4 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to July 14 to 90.6 in the seven days to July 21, with 135 new cases recorded.

Second on the list is Leicester, where the rate has gone down from 96.8 to 63.9, and where 227 new cases have been recorded.

Other areas reporting notable week-on-week jumps include:

– Hyndburn (up from 7.4 to 47.0, with 38 new cases)

– Rochdale (up from 35.9 to 47.7, with 105 new cases)

– Oldham (up from 13.6 to 28.4, with 67 new cases)

– Sandwell (up from 14.1 to 26.6, with 87 new cases)

The list is based on Public Health England figures updated on July 24 on the Government’s coronavirus online dashboard.