The latest data detailing cases of Covid-19 in Cornwall has been published.

As of 4.40pm today (Thursday, December 17), the local authority area has had 62 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours.

The government website states that the total number of cases recorded in the local authority area since the start of the pandemic now sits at at 4,206.

There were 174 cases recorded in the seven days lead up to December 11. Data from the most recent five days is not shown due to being incomplete.

This represents a weekly rate of 30.4 cases per 100,000 people.

The UK has had 35,383 new cases reported in the previous 24 hours - compared to yesterday's figure of 25,161.

The government website attributes this dramatic rise to the inclusion of around 11,000 previously unreported cases for Wales as a result of system maintenance in the NHS Wales Laboratory Information Management System.

This brings the total of cases to 1,948,660 nationally since the start of the pandemic.

The total number of hospital deaths in Cornwall remains at 99, with 73 of them at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and the remaining 26 taking place at the Cornwall Partnerships NHS Trust earlier in the year.

The most recent hospital deaths in the county were recorded yesterday (Wednesday), with both patients dying on Saturday, December 12.

Nationally a further 340 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 45,466.

Of these, 12 deaths were reported in the south west.

Patients were aged between 46 and 101 years old. All except eight (aged 66 to 96 years old) had known underlying health conditions.

Date of death ranges from November 2 to December 16 with the majority being on or after December 14.

Their families have been informed.

In today's other news relating to coronavirus:

Cornwall is to remain in Tier One the government has announced this morning.

All the rules that relate to Tier One are listed in our guide.

Read the full story here.

Seven extra coronavirus clusters have broken out in Cornwall since the weekend, with a 35 per rise in the number of weekly cases.

Read the full story here.

Mawnan C of E VA Primary school has closed following four positive cases of Covid-19. It has not been revealed if the cases involve pupils or staff.

Read the full story here.