The number of people testing positive for the coronavirus in some parts of Suffolk is now five times lower than it was at the start of lockdown, according to new data.

The figures come from the Office for National Statistics' weekly infection survey.

The survey excludes cases in hospitals, care homes and other institutional settings.

The latest data is a little behind the daily infection rate data provided by the government and covers the week to March 13.

The survey splits Suffolk into two areas - one area covers the East Suffolk areas, the former Waveney and Suffolk Coastal districts, while the other area covers the remaining districts with the addition of the Essex district of Tendring.

In the East Suffolk districts the number of people believed to have tested positive remains at around 1 in 331 people.

In the larger area of Suffolk, including Tendring, this number dropped to around 1 in 500 people or just 0.2% of the population.

Both sets of figures were lower than the national average.

Overall in England, the numbers also continued to fall with 1 in 340 people believed to have tested positive for the virus, around 160,200 people in total.

The number of people testing positive for the virus in the larger area of Suffolk is now five times lower than it was around the time that lockdown started in January. Data from December 28 to January 2 - the number of people testing positive in this area was up to one in 100.

East Suffolk is one of the areas in which Government daily statistics have shown increases in positive cases in the most recent data.

Director of Public Health for Suffolk, Stuart Keeble, said earlier this week that an increase in testing, particularly in areas such as schools could account for the small increase in cases that was being witnessed.

“We are testing more people in businesses, communities and schools across Suffolk and have found more cases as a result," said Mr Keeble.

"This is good news as finding these cases allows us to interrupt chains of ongoing transmission, so isolating if you give a positive result keeps other people safe."