More than 100,000 Covid infections have been identified in Barnet since the pandemic began, figures show – as reinfections are included in official statistics for the first time.

Since Monday, 31st January, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has changed the way it reports coronavirus cases.

Now, if an individual tests positive for the virus more than 90 days after their original infection, two separate infection episodes will be recorded.

The change has led to a significant rise in the number of cases recorded across the UK.

A total of 103,007 cases were confirmed in Barnet when the UK coronavirus daily dashboard was updated to reflect the change. This number was up from 96,747 on the previous Friday. Reinfections were not included in the figures.

The rate of infection in Barnet now stands at 25,816 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England average of 26,252.

Across the UK, a total 17,315,893 coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic were recorded on Monday, an increase of 981,913 compared to Friday.

Another change is that people with a positive lateral flow test (LFT) result no longer need to take a follow-up PCR test to confirm the infection, unless they have coronavirus symptoms.

UK case numbers currently only include LFT results for England and Northern Ireland, with LFT data for Scotland due to be added in the coming weeks.

There were also two more coronavirus deaths recorded over the weekend in Barnet. The dashboard shows 875 people total have died of Covid-related illness in the area by 31st January.

The figures include anyone who died within 28 days of a positive test result for Covid, and whose usual residence was in Barnet.

Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death. Figures reported on a Monday are likely to be lower as a result of a lag in reporting deaths over the weekend.