THERE has been a major increase in the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed in Dorset over the past 24 hours - as 756 people tested positive.

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in the Dorset Council area increased by 209 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 5,856 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (January 6) in Dorset, up from 5,647 the same time on Tuesday.

The rate of infection in this part of the county now stands at 1,547 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 4,354.

Meanwhile in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area, 547 new cases were confirmed during the same time period.

This brings the BCP total to 12,527 - up from 11,980 the same time on Tuesday.

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.

The rate of infection in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole now stands at 3,169 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 4,354.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 62,322 over the period, to 2,836,801.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's cases were among the 131,500 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 3,223 over the period.

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