The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Gloucestershire increased by 156 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 17,235 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Friday (January 15) in Gloucestershire, up from 17,079 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 Gloucestershire now stands at 2,705 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 5,126.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 55,761 over the period, to 3,316,019.

Gloucestershire's cases were among the 159,958 recorded across the South West, a figure which rose by 2,836 over the period.

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