Rates of coronavirus infection rose significantly across south east London in the last week, as the UK recorded the highest daily number of new cases since the outbreak began. 

Today there were 7,143 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases, while another 71 deaths attributed to the illness were registered. 

Local figures show a considerable rise of infections in the seven days leading up to September 26, with all four boroughs showing an increased rate in the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

The figures are based on tests that have been carried out both in laboratories (pillar one of the Government's testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as number of new cases per 100,000 population, based on the latest Public Health England figures updated last night.

Data for the most recent three days (September 27-29) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

Public Health England has also disclosed the number of individual new cases discovered over the period.

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Greenwich saw an alarming rise from 13.2 cases per 100,000 the previous week to 28.5. This amounted to 82 individual cases in total across the borough. 

A similar trend was observed in Bexley, which saw a rise from 16.1 cases per 100,000 to 24.6 per 100,000, a total of 61 individual cases.  

Bromley also showed an uptick, with 20.5 new cases per 100,000, compared to 15.3 the week before. This amounted to 68 new cases. 

Lewisham also showed a moderate increase, from 19 per 100,000 to 21.9 - 67 individual cases. 

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Burnley has the highest rate in England, with 279 new cases recorded in the seven days to September 26 - the equivalent of 313.8 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up sharply from 164.2 in the seven days to September 19.

Knowsley has the second highest rate, up from 177.6 to 283.0 with 427 new cases.

Liverpool is in third place, where the rate has jumped from 181.9 to 265.6 with 1,323 new cases.