FEWER than 50 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Hampshire in the last 24 hours, latest figures show.

Data released by the government shows 44 cases were confirmed across the county in the 24 hours leading up to 4pm on Monday, April 5.

The Southampton area recorded the highest number of cases in the county with 15, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 14,489.

In the seven days leading up to March 31, the latest rolling seven-day period, 166 cases were confirmed in Southampton, giving a rolling infection rate of 65.7 per 100,000 people.

Eastleigh recorded eight new cases of coronavirus, with the area now totalling 5,794 cases since the start of the pandemic.

The rolling infection rate fort the Eastleigh area is 50.2 per 100,000, with 67 cases recorded in the seven days leading up to March 31.

The Rushmoor region had five new cases of the Covid-19 virus, taking its total to 7,701. The infection rate stands at 21.1 with 20 cases confirmed in the past week.

Basingstoke, Havant and Test Valley all recorded three cases, taking their totals to8,148, 7.011 and 5,305 respectively.

Some 50, 74 and 34 cases have been recorded at the three council areas in the past week, meaning their respective infection rates sit at 28.3, 28.5 and 26.9.

Two cases were confirmed in Fareham and the New Forest, taking the totals for two areas to 5,217 and 6,121.

The rolling infection rates stood at 18.9 and 22.8 per 100,000 with 22 and 41 cases confirmed in the seven days preceding March 31.

Four areas in Hampshire recorded just one positive case – Gosport, Hart, Portsmouth and Winchester. The total number for these areas amount to 3,837, 4,294, 14,197 and 4,902 respectively.

The infections rates for Gosport, Hart, Portsmouth and Winchester stand at 25.9, 47.4, 31.2 and 14.4 with the respective number of positive cases recorded in the week leading up to March 31 totalled at 22, 46, 67 and 18.

East Hampshire was the only area within the county to record no new cases of the Covid-19 virus, with its total remaining at 4,832.

The rolling infection rate stood at 19.6 per 100,000 with 24 cases confirmed in a week.

Across the UK, the number of new people tested who positive the Covid-19 virus on Monday, April 5 was 2,762, taking the UK’s total since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,362,150.