JUST 34 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Dorset over the last 24 hour period.

The figures for the county include 12 new cases in the Dorset Council area according to latest official figures.

Public Health England figures show that, since the start of the pandemic, a total of 11,267 people have been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (March 2) in this part of the county, up from 11,255 the same time on Monday.

Meanwhile the number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 22 in the same time period.

Public Health England figures show that 24,687 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (March 2) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, up from 24,665.

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 6,391 over the period, to 4,188,400.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's cases were among the 211,311 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 276 over the period.

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