THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Reading increased by four last Friday, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 872 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Friday (September 4) in Reading, up from 868 the same time on Thursday.

READ ALSO: IN MEMORIAM: Death notices in the Reading Chronicle last week.

On Friday, August 28, Public Health England figures showed that 852 people in Reading had been confirmed as testing positive with Covid-19 which shows numbers have increased by 20 in the last ten days.

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 Reading now stands at 539 cases per 100,000 people, higher than the England average of 525.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 1,940 over the period, to 342,351.

​Reading's cases were among the 38,265 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 138 over the period.

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

According to the government website, the number of people who had a positive test result for Covid-19 and died within 28 days of the first positive test stands at 111 in Reading.

READ ALSO: Reading has the least amount of smokers in UK.

The website explains the actual cause of death may not be Covid-19 in all cases and people who died from Covid-19 but had not tested positive are not included and people who died from Covid-19 more than 28 days after their first positive test are also not included.

NHS England figures show 190 people had died in hospital at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Monday, August 31.