THE NUMBER of recorded coronavirus cases in Reading increased by 21 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 1,037 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (October 6) in Reading, up from 1,016 the same time on Monday.

READ MORE: Reading's Covid-19 cases rise significantly as official figures revised up due to a data error

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 641 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 807.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 14,542 over the period to 530,113.

It comes after an error which saw 15,841 cases go unreported between September 25 and October 2 because of problems in handling an Excel spreadsheet.

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Reading's cases were among the 46,815 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 659 over the last 24 hours.

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