MORE than 180 fresh cases of coronavirus have been reported across Dorset in the last 24 hours.

Public Health England figures show by 9am on Wednesday (October 21), the number of COVID-19 cases in the Dorset Council area increased by 47.

1,392 people have now tested positive for Covid-19. The rate of infection in Dorset now stands at 367.8 cases per 100,000 people.

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole authority area jumped by 138 over the last 24 hours.

Figures show that 2,650 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday, up from 2,512.

This means 185 people have tested positive for Covid-19 across Dorset. 

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 26,687 over the period to 789,229.

Public Health England 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.