THERE are no current plans to dismantle a temporary mortuary in Hampshire, it has been revealed.

County bosses have confirmed that the morgue set up at Southampton Airport last month will remain in place for the time being.

As previously reported, the temporary mortuary was set up on one side of the airfield known as the Grayson Site and it is completely separate from the passenger terminal and airport operations.

Plans were put in place to serve Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton in the fight against coronavirus.

But although the number of Covid-19 deaths across the county has begun to decrease, the morgue will remain in place.

In a statement a spokesperson for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (HIOW LRF) said: “Hampshire’s temporary mortuary is still in situ at Southampton Airport and there are currently no plans to stand it down. The situation is being kept under review, and any decision to alter the current arrangements will be made following careful consideration of current infection rates, as well as any potential further peaks.”

The news comes as on Monday official data revealed that only one new death linked to Covid-19 was reported by NHS trusts in Hampshire.

Last month the HIOW LRF - which is made up of representatives from the emergency services, the NHS and local authorities - said “robust” security arrangements were in place across the airport as it continued to operate flights transporting essential goods to the Channel Islands.

A spokesperson for Southampton Airport confirmed airport bosses remain in talks with members of the Local Resilience Forum over the future of the temporary mortuary.

The spokesperson for Southampton Airport also said that more discussions are expected in the coming weeks and added: “It has been hugely important for us to support the LRF, and we will continue to do so, carefully balanced against recommencing normal operations at the airport and the need of our passengers and staff.”

As reported, police officers patrol the area during the day and night and the public does not have access to the site.

According to the latest figures a total of 574 deaths in Hampshire have now been linked to Covid-19.

At University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), the total of 181 patients have died after testing positive for coronavirus, while at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust there have now been 152 deaths.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust has recorded 17 patient deaths while at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust the figure is 222.