Public Health England has recorded 498 lab-confirmed cases in areas including Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham, West Berkshire, Slough and Windsor and Maidenhead.

These figures, correct as of Wednesday, January 27, at 4.20pm, bring the county's lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 tests total to 47,615, according to Public Health England.

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The local breakdown for the past 24 hours as follows:

Reading - 138 cases, 9,272 total

West Berkshire - 57 cases, 5,239 total

Bracknell - 46 cases, 9,028 total

Wokingham - 68 cases, 7,071 total

Slough - 130 cases, 12,759 total

Windsor and Maidenhead - 59 cases, 7,246 total

There have now been 3,715,054 people across the UK who have tested positive for Covid-19 - a daily increase of 25,308 positive cases.

Slough Observer:

A medical worker takes a swab at a drive-in coronavirus testing facility. PA Photo.

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

Reading - 554.5 (Compared to 712.1 on Jan 19)

West Berkshire - 265.1 (Compared to 320.6 on Jan 19)

Bracknell - 327.2 (Compared to 439.8 on Jan 19)

Wokingham - 266.5 (Compared to 379.3 on Jan 19)

Slough - 757 (Compared to 1,044.5 on Jan 19)

Windsor and Maidenhead - 302.5 (Compared to 446.4 on Jan 19)

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In today's national coronavirus news:

Boris Johnson insisted schools are safe but that they increase the spread of coronavirus.

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The Prime Minister told the Downing Street press conference: “The problem is not that schools are unsafe – teachers and headteachers have worked heroically to make sure they are safe, they are Covid-secure.

“The problem is that by definition schools bring many households together and that contributes to the spread of the virus within the community and drives up the R.”