COVID-19 infections rates across Southampton are continuing to drop after the country was placed into a third lockdown, data shows.

An interactive Government map has revealed that as lockdown began on January 5 Southampton had 12 'hotspots' - with those areas having infection rates of more than 800, which equates to one in every 125 residents suffering from the virus.

Most of the city has now seen rates decrease by around 85%, with four areas recording fewer than three cases each as part of the latest data for the seven days to March 2.

Coxford and Lordshill, Hollybrook, Highfield and University, and Bitterne West have all been placed in the Government's lowest rate band, with so few cases they haven't been assigned an infection rate.

Other areas in the city are also showing very low rates, including Central Southampton West (27), Banister Park and Howard Road (33.3), Bassett Green (33.3), Bevois Town (39.9), St Denys (46.6).

Another indicator of how the city's rates are improving is looking at the current highest, and the highest two months ago.

On January 5, the area of Chilworth, Nursling and Rownhams had an infection rate of 932.1, with St Denys recording a rate of 920.4. This equates to around one in every 108 residents suffering from the virus.

However, as part of the latest data from the seven days to March 2, the highest rates in the city are Maybush (122.3), Newtown and Nicholstown (122.8), Freemantle (124.8), Harefield (131.4), Woolston (132), Hightown (136.7), and Sholing West (148.4). This equates to around one in every 769 people.

The map create by the Echo below, using the latest Public Health England data for the seven days to March 2, shows the comparison between the start of the national lockdown on the left, and the latest data on the right.

Click the map above to slide between the two images: Left: Jan 5. Right: March 2.

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).