There have now been 81 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the east of England - with the number of cases in Suffolk at three.

Latest figures released by the government indicate the virus - officially known as COVID-19 - has begun to spread further in the region, with the number at 71 for yesterday.

The data covers the whole of the NHS region for the east of England, which includes Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and a number of other counties.

As well as the three cases in Suffolk, there are two in Norfolk and 20 in Essex, a rise on the previous day’s figures.

There have been 55 deaths in the UK and 52 people have recovered.

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The news comes as prime minister Boris Johnson announced new measures to combat the spread, such as avoiding non-essential contact and mass gatherings.

Throughout the UK, 1,543 people have tested positive for the virus with 55 deaths.

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