OFFICIAL figures show three more cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Worcestershire bringing the total to eight.

It comes as the Prime Minister said the UK can "turn the tide" on coronavirus within 12 weeks.

However, many more people will have symptoms but they are not confirmed as they have not been tested.

Public Health England figures show that eight people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am yesterday morning (March 19) in Worcestershire, up from five the same time the day before. A week before, there were no cases.

The eight cases puts the county in the lower half of the table of local authorities, which is headed by Hampshire with 87.

They were among the 282 cases recorded across the Midlands, a figure which rose by 48 over the 24-hour period. Herefordshire has 52 confirmed cases, Birmingham has 34, and Gloucestershire has 15.

Public Health England are not disclosing specific details about individual cases.

They were among the 282 cases recorded across the Midlands, a figure which rose by 48 over the 24-hour period.

Across the UK, 3,269 people had tested positive for coronavirus as of 9am on Thursday, up from 2,626 at the same point on Wednesday, Department of Health and Social Care figures show.

In total, 64,621 people had been tested, and, as of 1pm yesterday, 144 had died. As the Government is no longer testing people who are self-isolating with mild symptoms, many cases may now not be detected.

This afternoon, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to unveil an emergency package aimed at protecting workers’ jobs and wages as they face hardship in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Sunak has been under pressure from Labour, unions and even senior Tory MPs to do more to help workers and the stalling economy weather the crisis.

He will reveal new measures on Friday at the daily Covid-19 press conference in Downing Street, where he is expected to be joined by Boris Johnson.

The Prime Minister said he expects the tide to be turned in the fight within 12 weeks, as he urged the public to follow social distancing advice and for businesses to “stand by your employees”.

Meanwhile, frontline health and social care staff, people involved in food production and delivery, and utility workers are among a list of workers deemed “essential” to the Covid-19 response.

The Government published a list of the “key workers” whose children will continue to be cared for at school amid the pandemic just after midnight on Friday.

It includes healthcare workers such as doctors and nurses, as well as police and teachers – but unions have warned the list is so extensive that schools could struggle to cope.