The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Dorset increased by 185 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Figures in the Dorset Council area rose by 56, while cases grew by 129 in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) area.

Public Health England figures show that 1,345 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (October 20) in the Dorset Council area, up from 1,289 the same time on Monday.

2,512 people had tested positive in the BCP area, up by 2,383 over the same time periods.

PHE 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 the Dorset Council area now stands at 355 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 1,150, while the BCP rate stands at 635 cases per 100,000 people.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 21,330 over the period, to 762,542.

​Dorset's cases were among the 29,255 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 1,005 over the period.

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