THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Somerset increased by 96 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 21,904 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (July 7) in Somerset, up from 21,808 the same time on Tuesday.

The health body recently changed the way it records the figures.

Cases identified through a positive lateral flow test – those which can deliver results within half an hour – will no longer be counted if the person then takes a PCR test, which is sent to a lab to be checked, and receives a negative result within three days.

These cases are now being removed daily.

The rate of infection in Somerset now stands at 3,896 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 7,701.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 32,048 over the period, to 4,990,916.

Somerset's cases were among the 254,582 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 2,009 over the period.

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