THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Shropshire increased by 27 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 6,437 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Friday, December 18 in Shropshire, up from 6,410 the same time on Thursday.

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 Shropshire now stands at 1,992 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 3,001.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 28,507 over the period, to 1,977,167.

Shropshire's cases were among the 192,586 recorded across the West Midlands, a figure which rose by 1,728 over the period.

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