More than 400 people have been seen at a coronavirus assessment centre since it opened two weeks ago.

As previously reported by the Gazette, tents were set up in the car park of Russell Howard Park to provide a place where residents who have "severe" Covid-19 symptoms could be assessed.

Dr Caroline O’Keeffe is one of the partners at CGH Partnership and the lead GP for the assessment centre and says so far, the centre is "going well."

"Although it can seem quite daunting being asked to come here as a patient, they have overwhelmingly told us that once here they feel safe and really well cared for and informed," she said.

"We’ve seen just over 400 patients here so far, and although we’ve had to refer a handful of those people to hospital, most have been able to self-manage at home, with our support.

"So that’s 400 people who have avoided needing to be seen in the Emergency Department."

The centre operates as a referral type operation, where anyone feeling unwell is asked to contact a GP practice before coming to the centre as it does not operate a walk-in service.

An assessment at the clinic is likely to include checking a temperature with a thermometer and measuring the amount of oxygen in the patient’s blood using a fingertip monitor, as well as checking the pulse and breathing rate.

Dr O'Keeffe added: "We have been really lucky as an area to have some excellent support, from all our practices working together and also from all our hospital colleagues.

"We are working more closely together than ever before, and this is something that will really help our patients as we move forward."

Figures released by NHS England show that there have so far been 114 coronavirus related deaths at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals.