THERE have been a further 39 new positive coronavirus cases confirmed in Dorset over the last 24 hour period.

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in the Dorset Council area increased by 16, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 11,407 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (March 9) in the Dorset Council area - up from 11,391 the same time on Monday.

Meanwhile the number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 23 in the same time period.

Public Health England figures show that 24,826 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (March 9) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, up from 24,803 the same time on Monday.

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 5,766 over the period, to 4,228,998.

Dorset's cases were among the 213,240 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 314 over the period.

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