THESE are the five areas in Test Valley with the highest coronavirus rates, the latest Government data has revealed.

This comes after the health secretary revealed ministers are "absolutely open" to delaying the June 21 unlocking in England if the Indian variant worsens the country's ability to recover from coronavirus.

And Matt Hancock admitted the latest scientific advice is that the Indian variant - also known as the Delta variant - is 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent strain, he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show yesterday (June 6).

In Test Valley, 31 infections were recorded in the week to June 1 - up by 23 on the previous week.

This means the borough had a rolling rate of 24.6 cases per 100,000 people and had an above average case rate compared to the UK average.

The area with the highest weekly rolling rate in Test Valley was Andover Newbury Road, which had 65.2 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to June 1; the infection rate was classed as above average compared to the England average.

The area had five infections - up by three on the previous week.

Andover London Road & East Anton had the second-highest weekly rolling rate in the borough, with 53.1 cases per 100,000 people.

It had nine infections - up by seven on the previous week.

However, three other areas in Test Valley also saw rising cases during this period.

They were:

  • Andover South (four cases; up by two on previous week; rolling rate of 49.6)
  • Abbotswood & West Wellow (four cases; up by two on previous week; rolling rate of 47.1)
  • Andover Charlton & Bourne Valley (three cases; up by one on previous week; rolling rate of 42.5)

The remaining ten areas in the borough documented fewer than three cases, meaning these areas were nearly Covid-free.

The data for these places was suppressed to protect individuals' privacy.

However, compared to the UK's worst coronavirus hotspot, Blackburn with Darwen, Test Valley's infection rate was significantly smaller.

Blackburn with Darwen recorded 730 cases in the seven days to June 1 - up by 183 on the previous week.

This means the area had a weekly rolling rate of 487.7 cases per 100,000 people.