THE number of recorded Covid cases in Essex has increased by nearly 400 over the past 24 hours.

Public Health England figures show that 104,584 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on today (Wednesday, February 3) in Essex, up from 104,187 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.

The rate of infection in Essex now stands at 7,023 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the England average of 6,023.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 19,202 over the period, to 3,871,825.

Essex's cases were among the 345,528 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 1,764 over the period.

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