The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Essex increased by 338 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 21,957 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on December 3 in Essex, up from 21,619 the same time on Wednesday.

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 Essex now stands at 1,474 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 2,556.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 14,878 over the period to 1,674,134.

Essex's cases were among the 89,499 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 1,185 over the period.

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