Two new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Basingstoke today, according to the latest figures.

This takes the number of active cases of Covid-19 in the Basingstoke and Deane area up to 953. 

It comes as eight more people have died in the UK from the disease, taking the death toll up to 46,201. 

This includes 161 people who have died at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the organisation that runs Basingstoke, Winchester and Andover hospitals 

No further deaths have been reported in Hampshire in the past 24 hours by NHS England. 

Public Health England, the public body who releases the data each day, recorded 13 new coronavirus cases across the county of Hampshire.

This included:

- Two new cases in Basingstoke and Deane

- One new case in East Hampshire

- One new case in the Test Valley, which covers Andover and Romsey

- One new case reported in Winchester 

- Three new cases in the New Forest 

- Two new cases in Rushmoor

- Two new cases in Southampton

This means the total figure of coronavirus cases in Hampshire now stands at more than 7,000.

In national developments, housing secretary Robert Jenrick cast doubt on reports of so-called “nuclear” options under consideration for avoiding a second national lockdown.

The Times reported the Prime Minister held a “war game” session with chancellor Rishi Sunak on Wednesday to run through possible options in the event of a second wave of infections, measures that are said to include lockdown-like conditions for London, with the M25 acting as a barrier around the capital.

But Mr Jenrick told Times Radio the mooted proposals, such as asking those as young as 50 to shield from society, were “just speculation”.