MORE than 1,500 new cases of Covid were recorded across Dorset in 24-hours, according to the latest data.

Figures on the government website show 917 new infections across the BCP Council area with 669 in the Dorset Council area up to 8.30pm on Thursday, December 30.

This means since the start of the pandemic a total of 76,921 have been recorded across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch with 54,327 in wider Dorset.

Over the last seven days, 4,319 people tested positive for the virus across the conurbation with 2,974 cases in Dorset.

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The rates per 100,000 people were 1,087.9 and 783.1 respectively.

Elsewhere, there have been 343 new cases in the New Forest in the past day with 1,611 in the last seven days. The rate is 896.7.

A total of 25,795 positive results have been returned since the start of the pandemic.

Natonally, a further 189,213 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases were recorded in the UK as of 9am on Thursday, the Government said, another new record for daily reported cases.

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The total includes reported figures for Wales covering a two-day period.

The Government said a further 332 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.

The figure includes a backlog of hospital deaths reported by NHS England covering the period of December 24-29.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 174,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.