ANOTHER three Covid-related deaths have been recorded in Hampshire hospitals as the virus continues to inflict grief on families across the county.

On Saturday it was revealed that a patient being treated by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which has sites in Winchester, Basingstoke and Andover, had died after testing positive for the virus.

On the same day a coronavirus-related death was also reported by Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.

Yesterday the same trust reported another death linked to the virus.

Daily Echo:

Over the weekend no deaths were recorded at the Southern NHS Trust, the Solent NHS Trust and University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, which means the total number of Covid deaths remain at three, 21 and 227 respectively.

More than 400 new cases have been recorded in the county over the past two days.

Figures released by Public Health England showed that, as of 4pm yesterday 212 more people had tested positive for the virus in a 24-hour period. It comes after 214 new cases were reported in the 24 hours to 4pm on Saturday.

Covid is continuing to affect classrooms across Hampshire, with cases confirmed at a further 34 schools over the past week.

People who have been in close contact with the affected staff and students will have been contacted by the schools and told to isolate.

The second national lockdown ends on Wednesday and is due to be replaced by a new system of tiers.

Last week it was announced that the region will be moved from Tier 1: Medium Alert to Tier 2: High Alert with tight restrictions on bars and restaurants and a ban on households mixing indoors.

Pubs in Tier 2 areas can open only if they serve "substantial" meals - and customers must leave once they have finished their food.

Daily Echo:

Conservative MPs across the south spent the weekend deciding whether to take part in a backbench rebellion when MPs vote on the plans tomorrow.

Yesterday Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tried to persuade Tory rebels to back the tier system, saying England could face a third wave of coronavirus "if we don't get the balance right".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also sought to head off a Tory revolt.

In a letter to Conservative MPs he said: "Let's make 2021 the year we kick Covid out, take back control of our lives and reclaim all the things we love."