COVID infection rates across Romsey and Test Valley have started to come under control since the beginning of the pandemic, despite some areas still seeing rising cases.

An interactive Government map has shown that since January 9 - four days after the third national lockdown started - Test Valley had five areas where cases were rising.

According to a map on the government coronavirus dashboard, in the week to February 20, when the latest figures were available, three areas had fewer than three cases.

This means they were classed as suppressed, but the Government does not show data for these places to protect individuals' identities.

The areas with fewer than three cases were Romsey Cupernham and Halterworth, Abbotswood and West Wellow and Chilbolton, Clatford and Barton Stacey.

The map created by the Advertiser below, using Public Health England data, shows the comparison between the start of the national lockdown on the left, and the latest data on the right.

In the seven days to January 9, the three areas with the lowest number of cases were Chilbolton, Clatford & Barton Stacey, Andover South and Valley Park.

Click the map below to slide between the two images: Left: Jan 9. Right: Feb 20.

In the latest data shown above, Nether Wallop, King's Somborne and Dunbridge was one of the areas with the lowest number of infections, recording just three cases in the week ending on February 20.

It had 11 cases in the previous week.

However, cases were still rising in Chilworth, Nursling and Rownhams, Valley Park, Over Wallop and Shipton Bellinger and Andover South.

For reference, the map is divided into Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs), which are areas with an average population of 7,200.

It then colour-codes MSOAs depending on their seven-day rolling infection rate, with areas placed into the boundaries of 0-9 (yellow), 10-49 (light green), 50-99 (dark green), 100-199 (light blue), 200-399 (dark blue), 400 to 799 (light purple) and 800 plus (dark purple).

Anywhere labelled '800 plus' is today deemed by the Government to be a 'hotspot'.