The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Essex increased by 17 in 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 5,483 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Friday (July 17) in Essex, up from 5,466 the same time on Thursday.

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 371 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 450.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 687 over the period, to 293,239.

Essex's cases were among the 23,983 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 59 over the period.

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

A further 13 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths in hospitals to 29,173, NHS England said on Saturday .

The patients were aged between 49 and 96 years old and all had known underlying conditions.

The Department for Health and Social Care said on Friday it was "pausing" publication of daily death figures for the whole of the UK after Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered a review into claims by researchers that there were "statistical flaws" in the way they are calculated.