The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Herefordshire increased by four over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 1,021 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (September 30) in Herefordshire, up from 1,017 the same time on Tuesday.

The rate of infection in Herefordshire, since the start of the pandemic, now stands at 530 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 690.

The graph below shows the number of cases in Herefordshire by date of test, and not the day when the cases were published by PHE. There can be a few days while waiting for tests results to be returned from laboratories.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 7,108 over the period, to 453,264.

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

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It comes as Boris Johnson has said he is confident Britain will get through the latest outbreak of the coronavirus.

“I am absolutely confident that with better treatments and with the prospect of a vaccine we will get through this,” he told a No 10 news conference.

“Let’s follow the rules, wash our hands, cover our faces, observe social-distancing, download the app, and together we will fight back against this virus, protect the NHS and save more lives.”

The Prime Minister said he wanted to avoid another national lockdown.

“What we are not doing at the moment is going back to the situation we were in in March,” he said during the briefing at Downing Street.

“And, I really don’t want to do this.

“I don’t want to go back to a national lockdown where the overall guidance is stay at home, that is not what we are saying.

“We want to keep the economy moving. We want to keep young people, pupils in education.

“But the only way we can do that is if we all follow the guidance and depress the virus.”

Boris Johnson has said the latest increase in coronavirus cases showed why the Government had been forced to bring in new restrictions.

The Prime Minister told a Downing Street news conference the country was at a “critical moment” and that he would not hesitate to a bring in new measures if required.

“If we put in the work together now then we give ourselves the best possible chance of avoiding that outcome and avoiding further measures,” he said.

“I know some people will think we should give up and let the virus take its course despite the huge loss of life that would potentially entail.

“I have to say I profoundly disagree. I don’t think that is what the British people want. I don’t think they want to throw in the sponge. They want to fight and defeat this virus and that is what we are going to do.”