THERE were a further 239 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Sussex over the weekend up to this morning.

The rise was recorded between 9am on Friday and 9am on today.

The greatest increase was seen in West Sussex, where 109 further confirmed cases took the region’s total to 4,396.

There were 78 further cases recorded in East Sussex, taking the region’s figure to 4,396.

In Brighton and Hove there have now been 2,556 cases.

Of these, 52 were reported between 9am on Friday and 9am today.

A further 16,982 cases were confirmed in the UK during this period.

There have now been 722,409 cases.

The Public Health England figures now include 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.

Nationally, in the 24 hours leading up to 5pm yesterday, there were 67 deaths of people within 28 days of positive coronavirus tests.

This took the UK total to 43,646.

However, the government also issues updated figures on the number of deaths in the UK with Covid-19 on the death certificate.

This figure now stands at 57,690.