Covid 19: 26 more coronavirus cases recorded in Central Bedfordshire over the bank holiday weekend

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Central Bedfordshire increased by 26 over the bank holiday weekend, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 16,023 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (May 4) in Central Bedfordshire, up from 15,997 the same time on Friday.

The health body recently changed the way it records the figures.

Cases identified through a positive lateral flow test – those which can deliver results within half an hour – will no longer be counted if the person then takes a PCR test, which is sent to a lab to be checked, and receives a negative result within three days.

The rate of infection in Central Bedfordshire now stands at 5,551 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England average of 6,867.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 7,173 over the period, to 4,423,796.

Central Bedfordshire's cases were among the 389,470 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 578 over the period.

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