The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Thurrock increased by 74 over the weekend, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 17,098 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday (February 15) in Thurrock, up from 17,024 the same time on Friday.

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 9,807 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the England average of 6,301.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 34,044 over the period to 4,047,843.

Thurrock's cases were among the 361,294 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 2,779 over the period.

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