The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Dorset increased by 68 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

In the Dorset Council area, 34 new cases were confirmed.

Public Health England figures show that 11,136 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (February 24) - up from 11,102 the same time yesterday.

Meanwhile the number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole also increased by 34 in the same time period.

Public Health England figures show that 24,532 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (February 24) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, up from 24,498 the same time on Tuesday.

The health body 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.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 9,938 over the period, to 4,144,577.

Dorset's cases were among the 209,282 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 385 over the period.

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