THE number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Berkshire is now over the 20,000 mark.

Latest figures from Public Health England show 708 lab-confirmed cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours in areas including Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham, West Berkshire, Slough and Windsor and Maidenhead.

These figures, correct as of 4.00pm on December 20, bring the county's lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 tests to 20,376, according to Public Health England.

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The local breakdown for the past 24 hours as follows:

Reading - 146 cases, 3,888 total

Bracknell - 108 cases, 2,335 total

Wokingham - 113 cases, 3,141 total

West Berkshire - 77 cases, 2,399 total

Slough - 158 cases, 5,456 total

Windsor and Maidenhead - 116 cases, 3,157 total

There have now been 2,040,147 people across the UK who have tested positive for Covid-19 - an increase of 35,928 cases in the past day.

The latest seven-day rate per 100,000 people locally are as follows:

Reading - 336.3

Bracknell - 319.1 

Wokingham - 260.6 

West Berkshire - 244.2 

Slough - 466.1

Windsor and Maidenhead - 208 

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In today's national coronavirus news:

Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said: “This sharp and sudden increase is of serious concern. Most of the new cases reported today are concentrated in London and the South East, although it is too early to tell if this is linked to the new variant.

“What we do know is that the way to control this virus is the same, whatever the variant. It simply will not spread if we avoid close contact with others. Wash your hands, wear a mask, keep your distance from others, and reduce your social contacts.

“By working together we have tackled this virus before. By holding the line over the next few weeks, it is possible we can do so again, as we continue to roll out the vaccine to the most vulnerable.”

Of the 32,155 new positive cases reported for England on Sunday, the overwhelming majority (95%) were tests conducted in the last four days.