MORE than 2,000 people across Hampshire have tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend.

In total 2,269 people have tested positive for covid-19, based on figures from the government.

In Southampton alone, there were 358 recorded cases.

Meanwhile, in Portsmouth, 337 more people tested positive for the virus.

At the lower end of the spectrum, Gosport saw only 49 new cases, and Fareham, 116.

However, despite a sharp increase in positive results, only 13 hospital patients who tested positive for the virus have died over the same period.

Only one of these deaths was recorded at University Hospital Southampton, the other 12 were at Portsmouth hospitals.

As of Sunday, a further 231 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England.

This brings the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 48,542, NHS England said on yesterday.

All of the patients were aged between 30 and 103.

Furthermore, all except five, aged between 36 and 85, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between December 9 and 26.

There were 10 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.

The Government said a further 316 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Sunday, bringing the UK total to 70,752.

Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 87,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

But the figures for deaths and cases are likely to be higher as Scotland is not releasing death data between December 24 and 28.

France closed its border last Sunday following the discovery of a fast-spreading mutant Covid-19 strain in the UK, and drivers wishing to enter the country from Britain must now show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken in the previous 72 hours.

There are still long queues of lorries on the roads leading to the Port of Dover.

However, traffic flow has improved over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with French firefighters and the Polish military’s Territorial Defence Force drafted in to help some 1,100 British military personnel with testing.

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