THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Oxfordshire soared by eight over the last 24 hours.

The latest data from Public Health England shows that 3,536 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday in the county.

The figure was up from 3,528 the same time on Tuesday.

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 Oxfordshire now stands at 511 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England average of 520.

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Oxford Health announced last week that the city is on 'amber alert' due to the increase in coronavirus cases.

This means that the city is 'heading in the same direction' as other locations that required intervention, said Oxfordshire County Council.

Ansaf Azhar , the county council's director for public health, said: "It feels to me like some people now believe the virus is gone for good.

"My appeal to everyone in Oxford – and 18 to 29 year olds in particular – is to remember what got us out of lockdown.

"Do we really want to end up with the kind of local control measures we have seen introduced in various parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Leicester and Aberdeen?"

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 1,508 over the period, to 338,676.

Oxfordshire cases were among the 38,030 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 103 over the period.

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