THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Thurrock increased by 53 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 3,609 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (December 9) in Thurrock, up from 3,556 the same time on Tuesday.

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 2,070 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 2,690.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 16,578 over the period, to 1,766,819.

Thurrock's cases were among the 97,789 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 1,420 over the period.

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