The latest Covid-19 case information for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has been published.

In the most recent update, as of 7.05pm today (Sunday, December 12), the local authority area is shown to have 48 new cases recorded in the preceding 24 hours.

The government website states that the total number of cases in the local authority area now sits at 4,043.

The website is currently still showing the same as yesterday's rolling seven-day cases figures of 104 cases. Data from the most recent five days is not shown due to being incomplete.

This represents a weekly rate of 18.2 cases per 100,000 people.

The UK has had 20,263 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,869,666 nationally since the start of the pandemic.

The total number of hospital deaths in Cornwall stands at 97, with 71 of them at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and remaining 26 taking place at the Cornwall Partnerships NHS Trust earlier in the year.

The most recent hospital death in the county was on Wednesday, December 2.

Nationally a further 179 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 44,464.

A further 179 people, who tested positive for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 44,464.

Patients were aged between 40 and 99 years old.

All except four - aged 74 to 92 years old - had known underlying health conditions, according to NHS England.

The dates of their deaths ranged from December 5 to 13 and their families have been informed.

Of these, 11 deaths were reported in the south west, but none of them were in Cornwall.

In other coronavirus-related news:

One of the first people in the world to have the Covid vaccine has revealed that she suffered from a full range of side effects following her injection but said she was so 'proud and privileged' to have been able to have it.

Donna MacKinnon, aged 47 and head of care at Roscarrack House Care Home in Falmouth, together with her 18-year-old daughter Erin Lilly, who also works as a carer within the home, were the first people in Cornwall to receive their Covid-19 vaccination in last Wednesday.

Read the full story here.

A new variant of coronavirus has been identified by experts, Matt Hancock has told MPs.

The Health Secretary told the Commons a new variant of coronavirus has been identified in England which may be responsible for the “faster spread” in South East England.

Read the full story here. GP practices across England will begin giving out Covid vaccinations from this week as the roll out of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history gains further momentum.

Practices in more than 100 parts of the country are taking delivery of the vaccine today, with some kicking off their clinics this afternoon and the majority starting on Tuesday.

Read the full stoy here.