TWO new coronavirus cases were recorded in Basingstoke and Deane on Monday, it has been revealed.

Government data shows that the total number of people that have tested positive for Covid-19 in the borough is approaching 1,000, with 996 people having a positive test returned since early March.

It comes following four consecutive days of no positive cases being recorded - although that could be because no tests have been available recently.

Basingstoke Gazette:

In recent days, The Gazette has reported on the struggles of accessing Covid-19 tests.

Last week, this newspaper reported how there were no tests available for residents in Basingstoke.

And yesterday (Monday), the headteacher of a Basingstoke primary school said that unless access to testing improves, she may have to close her school.

Kelly Dillon, of Fairfields Primary School, and a Year 6 teacher are both in self-isolation as they have not been able to take a Covid-19 test to rule out the virus.

They were praised by readers for speaking out on what has been labelled a 'testing shambles'.

The number of positive coronavirus cases in Basingstoke and Deane has increased in the last month - the seven-day rolling average has risen to 2.1 cases per week, where it was as low as 0.1 cases per week as recently as mid-August.

It is far below the worst spike of the pandemic per year - there was an average of almost 24 cases per week at the end of March and beginning of April.

It is also well below other areas of the country - locked-down Blackburn with Darwen is currently recording 20 new cases per week.

Yesterday, nine coronavirus-related deaths were recorded across the UK.