THE highest daily increase in new coronavirus cases was reported in the UK in the last 24 hours.

Across the UK 6,634 positive test were announced by Public Health England (PHE), as of 9am.

It brings the UK's total to 416,363.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government’s mass testing programme.

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

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This does not mean the infection rate nationally matches the peak of the outbreak in April and May, however, with testing in the community far greater than then.

Imperial College researchers have suggested during this period there were more than 100,000 new infections a day.

A further 40 people were also announced to have died within 28 days of testing positive who have been reported across the UK, giving a total death toll of 41,902.

Figures were announced by Public Health England on twitter, with the body stating its online dashboard was 'experiencing technical difficulties'.

It means no local breakdown of cases is available.

The latest data for Oxfordshire has 3,833 positive tests in the county, with 15 new cases reported on Wednesday. Of these, nine were in Oxford.

Globally, there have now been almost 32 million cases confirmed and more than 978,000 deaths.

The highest death toll remains the US, which has passed 200,000 since the pandemic started.