A CORONAVIRUS continues to spread, we've put together seven updates on cases, rates and excess deaths in Basingstoke.

All the data is correct as of Friday October 30.

  1. According to Public Health England figures, 29 confirmed cases were reported in the Basingstoke and Deane area in the latest 24-hour period. It brings the total number of infections since the start of the pandemic to 1,490.

2. In the week to October 23, 151 cases were recorded compared to 107 the week before. It means the rate of infection rose from 60.6 per 100,000 to 85.5.

The figures are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

3. Basingstoke has recorded over 26 per cent more deaths in the first nine months of this year than last. Office for National Statistics figures show 1225 deaths were recorded in Basingstoke between January and September this years, compared to 968 deaths recorded over the same time period in 2019. Of these 'excess deaths', 111 occurred last month, 12 more than in September 2019.

4. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths at Hampshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Which includes Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester hospitals) stands at 167. The latest death recorded was on Monday October 26.

5. Elsewhere in Hampshire, the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust has had 214 deaths in total.

6. Daneshill, Little Basing, Popley and Hatch Warren have the highest seven–day rolling rate of new cases in the area according to a map on the government coronavirus dashboard. They are shown in blue, the colour used to identify areas with rates between 101 and 200 per 100,000. The figures refer to the seven days to October 24.

7. Some 25,000 people could be in hospital with coronavirus by the end of next month if cases continue to rise, the Government’s former chief scientific adviser has warned.

Professor Sir Mark Walport suggested the death toll will continue to increase as there are “still very many people that are vulnerable” and relatively few people have had the virus.

The Sun reports Sage analysis suggests the highest level of restrictions, Tier 3, may be needed across all of England by mid-December.