NEARLY 900 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded across Dorset as total cases in the county near 20,000.

Data released by the Government shows 878 people tested positive across the county in the 24 hours leading up to 4pm on Friday, January 8.

Public Health England figures show that 250 cases have been reported in the Dorset Council area. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 6,201 people have been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19.

The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council area has confirmed 628 new cases, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 13,518 cases.

Public Health England's statistics include 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 68,053 over the period to 2,957,472.

The county's cases were among the 139,206 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 4,273 over the same period.

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