The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Essex rose by 28 over the weekend, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 5,697 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday (August 3) in the Essex county council area, up from 5,678 the same time on Friday.

There were was increase of five cases in Southend over the same time period, taking the total to 711. 

In Thurrock, the number increased by four, to 581. 

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 386 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 471.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 2,442 over the period, to 305,623.

Essex's cases were among the 24,924 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 146 over the period.

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

Statistics from Public Health England show how the infection rate has changed across the UK.

The figures, for the seven days to July 30, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent three days has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

Some areas of the UK have seen lockdown tightened as cases rose.

In Blackburn with Darwen, the rate has risen slightly from 77.2 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to July 23 to 79.9 in the seven days to July 30.

A total of 119 new cases have been recorded.

Oldham is in second place, where the seven-day rate has jumped from 41.6 to 62.8, with 148 new cases.

Bradford is third, where the rate has risen from 46.9 to 53.4, with 287 new cases.

The rate in Leicester continues to fall, down from 66.2 to 52.6, with 187 new cases.