The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Thurrock increased by 98 over the weekend, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 17,306 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday (February 22) in Thurrock, up from 17,208 the same time on Friday.

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.

The rate of infection in Thurrock now stands at 9,927 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the England average of 6,422.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 30,881 over the period, to 4,126,150.

Thurrock's cases were among the 367,465 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 2,293 over the period.

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