THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Shropshire increased by 31 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England (PHE) figures show that 5,793 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday, December 2, in Shropshire, up from 5,762 the same time on Tuesday.

The health body is now including Pillar Two tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar One 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 Shropshire since February now stands at 1,793 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 2,535.

The weekly infection rate in Shropshire for the seven days to November 27 was 119.8.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 16,170 over the period, to 1,659,256.

Shropshire's cases were among the 168,318 recorded across the West Midlands, a figure which rose by 1,495 over the period.

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