THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Oxfordshire increased by 109 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 7,437 people tested positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (November 4) in Oxfordshire, up from 7,328 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 Test and Trace scheme.

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The rate of infection in Oxfordshire now stands at 1,075 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England national average of 1,660.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 25,177 over the period, to 1,099,059.

​Oxfordshire’s cases were among the 82,127 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 1,834.

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

Earlier this week it was revealed that the Covid death toll in Oxfordshire had risen again with another patient dying after testing positive.

Figures published on Tuesday by NHS England show the death took place at Oxford University Hospitals trust on November 2.

The patient was one of 225 people confirmed that day to have died in England’s hospitals with Covid-19, bringing the total number there to 33,335 since the start of the pandemic.