Coronavirus in Berkshire round up - Thursday, December 17

MORE than 500 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Berkshire in the past 24 hours, according to the latest data.

Public Health England has recorded 573 lab-confirmed cases in the past 24 hours in areas including Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham, West Berkshire, Slough and Windsor and Maidenhead.

These figures, correct as of Thursday, December 17, bring the county's lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 tests to 18,819, according to Public Health England.

The local breakdown for the past 24 hours as follows:

Bracknell - 79 cases, 2,090 total

Wokingham - 110 cases, 2,910 total

West Berkshire - 70 cases, 2,215 total

Slough - 137 cases, 5,

Windsor and Maidenhead - 62 cases, 2,917 total

Reading - 115 cases, 3,591 total

There have now been 1,948,660 people across the UK who have tested positive for Covid-19.

The total number of deaths - those with Covid-19 listed on their death certificate - across the UK has now reached 76,287.

Locally, there were four deaths in Berkshire in the past 24 hours.

There were two deaths in Wokingham, one death in Slough and one death in Windsor and Maidenhead.

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

Bracknell - 240.7

Wokingham - 192.3

West Berkshire - 174.2

Slough - 384.5

Windsor and Maidenhead - 152.6

Reading - 245.4

In today's national coronavirus news:

Large swathes of southern England will be placed under Tier 3 restrictions from Saturday due to rising coronavirus levels.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock set out the findings of the first full review of England's tier allocations, with very little good news for areas already under tough restrictions.

Instead he was forced to place more areas under the toughest measures, closing pubs, restaurants and cinemas.

The changes mean a total of 38 million people will be living in Tier 3 from Saturday - 68 per cent of the population of England.

Mr Hancock said areas moving into Tier 3 are: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Peterborough, the whole of Hertfordshire, Surrey with the exception of Waverley, Hastings and Rother on the Kent border of East Sussex, and Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant in Hampshire.

But Bristol and North Somerset will move from Tier 3 to Tier 2, while Herefordshire will move from Tier 2 to Tier 1.

Mr Hancock said the UK has "come so far" and "mustn't blow it now".

Making a statement in the Commons, he told MPs: "As we enter the coldest months we must be vigilant and keep this virus under control."

The cautious approach comes amid mounting concern about the prospect of a surge in cases following the easing of restrictions over the Christmas period.

Explaining the tougher measures Mr Hancock said case rates in the South East of England are up 46 per cent in the last week while hospital admissions are up by more than a third.