THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Shropshire increased by 56 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England (PHE) figures show that 13,998 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Friday, February 19 in Shropshire, up from 13,942 the same time on Thursday.

The health body is now including Pillar Two tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar One 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 4,332 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 6,375.

The weekly infection rate in Shropshire for the seven days to February 14 stood at 143.6 cases per 100,000.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 12,027 over the period, to 4,095,269.

Shropshire's cases were among the 396,676 recorded across the West Midlands, a figure which rose by 1,342 over the period.

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