The number of recorded coronavirus cases in increased by 270 in Essex and 30 in Southend over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 12,144 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Thursday (October 29) in Essex, up from 11,874 the same time on Wednesday.

In Southend, today’s stats show that 1,418 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Thursday (October 29) in Southend, up from 1,388 the same time on Wednesday.

The rate of infection in Essex now stands at 816 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 1,420. In Southend it now stands at 774 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 1,420.

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.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 23,065 over the period to 965,340.

Essex's cases were among the 51,686 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 1,044 over the period.

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