MORE than 100 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours in Berkshire.

Public Health England has reported 102 lab-confirmed cases across Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham, West Berkshire, Slough, and Windsor and Maidenhead.

These figures, correct as of Tuesday, February 23, at 4pm, bring the county's lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 tests total to 53,338, according to Public Health England.

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The local breakdown for the past 24 hours as follows:

  • Reading - 16 cases, 10,402 total
  • Bracknell - 4 cases, 6,756 total
  • Wokingham - 17 cases, 7,774 total
  • West Berkshire - 16 cases, 6,016 total
  • Slough - 39 cases, 14,446 total
  • Windsor and Maidenhead - 10 cases, 7,944 total

There have now been 4,134,639 people across the UK who have tested positive for Covid-19 - a daily increase of 8,489 cases across the country.

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

  • Reading - 86.5 (Compared to 139.1 on Feb 15)
  • Bracknell - 92.2 (Compared to 141.2 on Feb 15)
  • Wokingham - 54.3 (Compared to 92.9 on Feb 15)
  • West Berkshire - 98.5 (Compared to 124.3 on Feb 15)
  • Slough - 224 (Compared to 246.8 on Feb 15)
  • Windsor and Maidenhead - 69.3 (Compared to 107 on Feb 15)

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In today's national coronavirus news:

Boris Johnson has said he is "very optimistic" that he will be able to fully remove all of England's coronavirus restrictions on June 21 but warned "nothing can be guaranteed".

The Prime Minister urged the nation to be "prudent" by continuing to follow the rules after publishing his road map to gradually lift the third national lockdown over the coming months.

Facing criticism from some Tory MPs over the pace of change, Mr Johnson said he was "hopeful" that all legal controls can be removed on the final date earmarked in his four-step plan.

Mr Johnson also announced that senior minister Michael Gove will lead a review into the possible use of vaccine passports to access currently closed venues, such as pubs and theatres.

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And he said Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget next week will be a "Budget for jobs and to protect people throughout the pandemic and beyond", amid calls to extend the financial packages.

Having insisted that he will be led by "data not dates", the Prime Minister expressed optimism that relaxations will be complete by June 21, as tentatively scheduled in his road map, when nightclubs could reopen and large-scale events resume.