THE number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Reading has risen by eight over the weekend.

Public Health England figures show that 926 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday (September 21) in Reading, up from 918 the same time on Friday.

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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 Reading now stands at 572 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England average of 611.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 12,689 over the period, to 398,625.

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Reading's cases were among the 41,087 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 452 over the period.

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