The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Dorset increased by by 624 the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 8,303 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (January 20) in the Dorset Council area, up by 183 from 8,120 the same time on Tuesday.

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 441 to a total of 19,156.

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 38,905 over the period to 3,505,754.

Dorset's cases were among the 171,562 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 2,377 over the period.

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