The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Dorset increased by 92 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

This includes 29 in the Dorset Council area and 63 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Public Health England figures show that in the Dorset Council area 3,255 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am today, up from 3,226 the same time yesterday.

The rate of infection in this part of the county now stands at 860 cases per 100,000 people - which is far lower than the England average of 2,535.

Meanwhile in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 7,287 people tested positive for Covid-19 by 9am, increasing from 7,224.

The rate of infection in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole now stands at 1,843 cases per 100,000 people.

The cases were among the 80,760 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 649 over the period.

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

The rise in new Dorset cases is a significant increase since yesterday when 60 new cases were recorded.

This can be accounted for because Public Health England 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.

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