Coronavirus latest: 440 new cases confirmed in Central Bedfordshire over weekend

The total number of cases in the district now stands at 8,737 (+440).

Yesterday (Saturday) saw 217 new cases confirmed, with another 243 added today.

The case rate in Central Beds is now 586.2 per 100,000.

Elsewhere in the county, Luton has 10,588 (+388) cases while Bedford's figure is at 6,826 (+352).

There have been 2,654,779 lab-confirmed cases across the UK, up by a daily rise of 54,990.

75,024 deaths have been recorded within 28 days of a positive test, up by 454 today.

On Wednesday, the government announced Luton would remain in Tier 4 restrictions along with most areas of England.

Under Tier 4, rules are as follows:

> Non-essential shops, gyms, cinemas, hairdressers and bowling alleys will be forced to close for two weeks;

> People will be restricted to meeting one other person from another household in an outdoor public space;

> Under the new “stay at home” order, people in Tier 4 will be told they should not stay away from home overnight;

> People should not to travel into a tier four area, though support bubbles will remain unaffected as do the exemptions for separated parents and their children.