The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Thurrock increased by 42 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 1,216 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Thursday (October 22) in Thurrock, up from 1,174 the same time on Wednesday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

The rate of infection in Thurrock now stands at 698 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 1,221.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 21,238 over the period, to 810,467.

Thurrock's cases were among the 45,196 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 974 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.