THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Shropshire jumped by 168 over the weekend, official figures show.

Public Health England (PHE) figures show that 2,868 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday, October 26, in Shropshire, up from 2,700 the same time on Friday.

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 seven-day infection rate in Shropshire in the run up to October 18 stood at 83.6 per 100,000.

The seven-day infection rate in England in the run up to October 22 stood at 209 per 100,000.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 63,692 over the period to 894,690.

Shropshire's cases were among the 77,559 recorded across the West Midlands, a figure which rose by 5,661 over the period.

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