Coronavirus: Positive test at Hampshire care home

Oakridge House Care Home in Basingstoke has since been closed to visitors after the person tested positive for Covid-19, the BBC reports.

Hampshire County Council has not confirmed if the person was a resident or a staff member, but the person has been taken to hospital.

The council’s director of public health Simon Bryan told the BBC: ‘The county council's care homes operate rigorous infection control procedures at all times to ensure that our residents and staff remain as safe as possible.

‘We will also be taking any further clinical measures that may be required, as per Public Health England's advice.’

It comes after Public Health England said the total number of people who have been diagnosed with the disease in the country is now at 456.

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, confirmed today (March 11) that eight people who tested positive with the coronavirus have died.

In Hampshire there are 13 cases of coronavirus – although none have been reported in Portsmouth.