THE first case of a Hampshire resident contracting the Covid-19 coronavirus has been confirmed, the government has said.

It comes as a further 12 patients have tested positive for the virus in England. 

The patients are from Hampshire, London, Northamptonshire, Bury, Wirral, Greater Manchester, Humberside and Kent. 

The Department of Health and Social Care has reported that eight patients had recently travelled from Italy, one from Germany, one from Singapore, one from Japan and one from Iran.

No further details have been released about the patient from Hampshire.

More details to follow...