NEW Year’s Day saw the highest daily total of positive cases of Covid-19 in Basingstoke and Deane since the start of the pandemic, with 175 confirmed cases reported yesterday.

The figure represents an increase of more than 159 per cent from the day before, when 82 people tested positive.

The increase comes as Basingstoke hospital has announced it will be postponing some planned operations, following a “sharp rise” in Covid-19 patients. Read the full story here.

Chief executive Alex Whitfield said the hospital had made the “difficult decision” to start postponing planned surgery, adding: “Over the coming days it is likely that more of our patients will be affected.”

Current figures show there are 122 patients in hospitals run by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) with Covid-19, three of whom are on ventilation.

One person died yesterday of Covid-19 in Basingstoke and Deane.

The government’s interactive map shows that Popley had 45 new positive cases of Covid in the seven days up until December 27 – an increase of 25 per cent.

Old Basing had an increase of 136 per cent, with 26 confirmed cases in the same time period.

Basingstoke and Deane’s rolling rate (cases per 100k resident population) is currently 284.9.

Nationally, 53,285 people tested positive on January 1, making the country’s rolling rate 401.

A total of 613 people died on New Year’s Day.