Four supermarket employees are self-isolating after one tested positive for coronavirus.

One case of coronavirus has been reported within the workforce at Kempshott Sainsbury's, the Gazette can confirm.

The supermarket chain finally confirmed the news two days after this newspaper was first contacted by a concerned employee.

The employee was sent home when they started showing symptoms, a spokesman has said.

Three further employees are now self-isolating after coming into contact with the worker.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said safety is their "highest priority". 

Read more: Coronavirus in Basingstoke - a timeline of the days that changed the world 

Basingstoke Gazette: Sainsbury's in Kempshott Sainsbury's in Kempshott

In a statement to The Gazette, the spokesman said: "“One case has been confirmed at our Kempshott store. The colleague was sent home as soon as they showed symptoms and we immediately implemented additional cleaning on site. Three other colleagues are self-isolating as a precaution.”

“Safety is our highest priority and we have strict social distancing measures in all our stores as well as hand sanitiser stations, Perspex screens and PPE for all our colleagues. We continue to support Test and Trace and remain in close contact with them.”

Between September 1 and September 7, there were 7 cases per every 100,000 people in the area of Basingstoke and Deane. This is lower than the average area in England which had 16.

In that time period, 12 cases were reported up from three the previous week.

In total since the start of the pandemic, there have been 987 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Basingstoke and Deane and 117 coronavirus-related deaths. 

The first known case of coronavirus in Basingstoke was reported by The Gazette in March when employees at Italian coffee company Lavazza fell ill with the disease. 

  • Speak to a reporter in confidence by emailing newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk 

How many new coronavirus cases are there in Hampshire?

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Hampshire increased by 18 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 5,551 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Thursday (September 10) in Hampshire, up from 5,533 the same time on Wednesday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

The rate of infection in Hampshire now stands at 402 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 549.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 2,919 over the period, to 358,138.

Hampshire's cases were among the 39,378 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 199 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.