THE number of new positive Covid-19 cases in Dorset has increased by 74 over the last 24 hours, figures show.

Latest government website data shows 49 new cases have been confirmed, up to 4pm on Monday, October 19, in the BCP Council area.

This brings the total number of people testing positive in BCP since the start of the pandemic to 2,383.

Meanwhile, 25 new cases in the Dorset Council area have been recorded for the same period, bringing the total cases there to 1,289.

A further 14 people have tested positive in the New Forest, bringing that district's rolling total to 841.

Data released by NHS England on Monday afternoon showed another 76 patients have died with Covid-19 in hospitals in England, between October 9-18.

The total number of confirmed reported deaths in England has now risen to 31,047.

NHS England said the patients were aged between 47 and 99-years-old and all except one person, aged 85, had known underlying health conditions.

Just two of the deaths occurred in hospitals in the south west.