ALMOST 700 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in Dorset in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Across the county there were 683 new infections recorded in the 24 hours leading up to 9am today, (Tuesday January 5).

In the Dorset Council area there were 218 new cases, Public Health England figures show.

This brings the total to 5,647 people confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic in March 20120 - up from 5,429 the same time on Monday.

The rate of infection in the Dorset Council area now stands at 1,492 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 4,157.

Meanwhile the number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 465 in the same time period.

Public Health England figures show that 11,980 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (January 5) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, up from 11,515 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.

The rate of infection in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole now stands at 3,030 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 4,157.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 60,916 over the period, to 2,774,479.

Dorset's new cases were among the 128,277 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 2,972 over the period.

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