OFFICIAL TALLY OF PEOPLE TESTING POSITIVE IN DISTRICT IS 168 AS ESTIMATED 17 MILLION IN UK 'ALREADY HAD THE INFECTION'

ATHERSTONE and North Warwickshire had two new cases of Covid-19 out of 40 additionally reported across neighbouring local authorities in the last 24 hours.

The official total of 168 lab-confirmed cases of the virus comes as a quarter of the UK population may have already been infected.

Researchers from the University of Manchester believe a significant number of people – around 17 million of population – had already had the disease by April 19 with the majority being symptomless.

The study – published this week in the International Journal of Clinical Practice – is the first to use the published data from 144 local authorities to assess the cumulative impact of infection since the coronavirus outbreak began.

Meanwhile, newly-released figures put the cases of people testing positive in the district at a rate of nearly 260 per 100,00 population.

The statistics are revealed in additional information on 'lower tier' local authorities provided by the Government via the Office for National Statistics more than 100 days since the first case of coronavirus was reported in the UK.

The borough sits fourth out of nine in terms of cases per 100,000 among the neighbouring local council areas bordering Atherstone.

North Warwickshire's case rate of 259.1 per 100,000 population is higher than the Warwickshire figure of 235.9 and England (250.6) while a shade under the West Midlands at 258.8. The UK figure of 343 per 100,000 population is bumped up by a Welsh rate of 377.

Solihull tops the cases per 100,000 table for authorities around Atherstone's North Warwickshire borough at nearly 300. It has recorded a total of 639 Covid cases.

Close neighbours Nuneaton and Bedworth have reported 376 cases at the second highest rate of 291.7 per 100,000 population.

Actual cases saw Birmingham's 24-hour figure rise by 24, Nuneaton and Bedworth up seven, Solihull three and all the rest an adddiional one case, apart from Athjrstone and district wih wo more.

With the inclusion of population, recorded cases and rate per 100,000 population, the full table of authorities which have a boundary touching North Warwickshire reads:

Solihull (population 214,909): Cases 639, at rate of 297.3 cases per 100,000;

Nuneaton & Bedworth (pop 128,902): Cases 376 at rate of 291.7 cases per 100,000;

Birmingham (pop 1.08 million): Cases 3,216, at rate of 281.8 cases per 100,000;

North Warwickshire (pop 64,850): Cases 168, at rate of 259.1 cases per 100,000;

Lichfield (pop 103,965:) Cases: 261, at rate of 251 cases per 100,000;

Coventry (pop 325,949): Cases 770, at rate of 209.9 cases per 100,000;

Tamworth (pop 76,678 ): Cases 159, at rate of 207.41 cases per 100,000;

Hinckley & Bosworth (pop 112,423): Cases 224, at rate of 199.2 cases per 100,000; and

North West Leicestershire (pop 102,126): Cases 138, at rate of 135.1 cases per 100,000.

Eight people in Atherstone have lost their lives to the virus, putting the town at a current rate of 75 deaths per 100,000, according to the Office for National Statistics, with only Birmingham above on 78.

The figures are relevant for coronavirus deaths between March 1 and April 17.

North Warwickshire, which finds itself surrounded by no fewer than eight other adjoining Midland authorities, has recorded 24 deaths in that timescale – with an ONS mortality rate of 35 per 100,000. Warwickshire's confirmed cases now stand at 1,347 (up 14), Staffordshire has crossed a new threshold and are on 2,022 (a rise of 18) with Leicestershire on 1,099 (increase of 19). Midland cases total 23,438 (up 248), the North West 23,090, while London is on 26,113. The total of lab-confirmed UK cases of Covid-19 now stands at 233,151 which has risen by 3,446 in the last 24 hours of recording. Some 11,041 people are in hospital – down 14 per cent from a week ago The UK death toll increased by 428 to 33,614 – the highest in Europe by more than 2,000 with Italy's tally on 31,368 fatalities. And the unofficial UK death tally has already passed the 40,000 mark, the grim milestone being released by the Office for National Statistics in referring to all fatalities where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificates this year up to the beginning of May. UK now sits fourth in the world table of recorded cases, with Russia third on 252,245 but only recording 2,305 deaths. Spain is second for cases – 272,646 with total deaths on 27,321. The US in the top position for cases and deaths with 85,991 deaths from 1.44 million people testing positive. The death tally across the globe has passed the 300,000 milestone – 301,377. Some 1.68 million have recovered worldwide out of 4.5 million recorded cases. Meanwhile, more research from the ONS reveals an average of 148,000 people in England had coronavirus at any given time between April 27 and May 10. The results of the pilot study suggest an average of 0.27 per cent of the community population, or one in 370 people – excluding health and care workers – were infected with the virus over the period. However, among people working in patient-facing healthcare and resident-facing social care roles, 1.33 per cent tested positive for Covid-19. Some 2,219,281 tests have now been carried out in the UK, including a record 126,064 yesterday. A new test to determine whether people have ever been infected with coronavirus is 100 per cent accurate, public health leaders have said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously called antibody testing a "game-changer" as it may reveal how many people have had Covid-19 and may now have a degree of immunity. Public Health England (PHE) said last week scientific experts at its Porton Down facility had carried out an independent evaluation of a new antibody blood test developed by a Swiss pharmaceutical company. The examination found Roche's serology test was "highly specific" and had an accuracy of 100% in detecting people who had ever had Covid-19. Professor John Newton, national coordinator of the UK Coronavirus Testing Programme, said although it was still unclear to what extent the presence of antibodies indicated immunity to Covid-19, it was a "very positive development".