THE Wiltshire Council area has one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the country, the latest government figures can reveal.

As of 6.18pm on May 19, a total of 508 confirmed cases were recorded in Wiltshire, a rate of 102 per 100,000 people.

This makes Wiltshire the 16th local authority with the lowest infection rate in the UK.

Swindon, with its 438 cases, has a rate of 197.3 - higher than Wiltshire but still well below the rate for England which currently stands at 259.0.

Neighbouring Hampshire has a rate of 231.3 while the figure for Southampton stands at 223.5.

The local authorities with a rate lower than Wiltshire's are: South Somerset (100.7), Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (98.7), Arun (95.7), West Devon (95.4), East Devon (94.2), North Devon (93.6), Dorset (93.5), North East Lincolnshire (92.6), South Hams (91.6), Rother (91.0), West Lindsey (82.2), Rutland (80.6), Mendip (54.0), Hastings (52.8) and Torridge (52.8).

Figures specifically for Salisbury are not available.