The number of coronavirus cases in Southampton has grown to 331, more than the entire nation of Sri Lanka.
The news comes as the number of coronavirus cases in Hampshire county rose by 149 in just 24 hours. Earlier in the month, it was reported that 11 deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, had been reported at Southampton General Hospital, which is now banning regular visitors amid a national lockdown.
There are now nearly 3,000 cases of the virus in the local area of Hampshire, making it the third worst affected authority in England. There are 222 cases in Portsmouth and 67 in the Isle of Wight.
On Sunday, five further Hampshire deaths were reported in local hospitals, as the national toll nears 16,000. Medical experts have suggested that the UK will be the worst affected nation in Europe by the time the virus peaks.
