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There are empty shelves at a supermarket in Bath, as people rush to buy toilet paper and soap amid growing fears of coronavirus.

The UK has seen its biggest day-on-day increase in coronavirus cases today (March 4), bringing the total number to 87.

There have been reports across the country, including the South West, of supermarkets running out of hand sanitiser, soap and toilet papers.

The panic buying of these products appears to have now started in Somerset, with mass buying of multi-packs of toilet paper in at least one supermarket.

Two shoppers shared photos from inside the Green Park Station Sainsbury's in Bath.

(Image: @Canuck_in_Bath)

The photos appear to show a low number of multi-pack toilet paper on the shelves.

Louise, a tourist from Wales, shared on Twitter: "On a short break in Bath and I popped into Sainsbury's to be confronted with this.

"I thought it was all media talk until I seen it for myself! WTF!! #toiletpapercrisis."

Shannon replied minutes later to say the stock was now "zero".

She posted a photo of her own of completely empty shelves (see above).

While the official guidance has been to practice good hygiene and regularly wash your hands, it's not immediately clear why people are choosing to stockpile toilet paper.

In Australia it had been suggested that people stockpile some goods in case they need to self-isolate for the recommended 14 day period.

Reports then started coming in of people buying lots of loo paper, despite reassurance that they did not need to.

The hashtag #toiletpapercrisis has been trending on Twitter, leading to people asking how toilet paper stops coronavirus.

While it's recommended to catch and bin your sneezes and coughs, toilet roll itself of course plays no direct role in fighting the virus' spread.

But some people could choose to prepare two weeks worth of food and water, as well as other household goods, if they felt it necessary.

Of course self-isolation does allow for supermarkets to deliver to your door, so this shouldn't be necessary for many of us, even if we were isolated.

Have you seen any soap or toilet paper shortages in Somerset? After reading this, have you also seen any product shortages in shops and supermarkets? Do you have any photos or video to share? Get in touch: michael.taylor@reachplc.com, tweet @JournoMikeT or call 01935 709742.

The World Health Organisation has said rising demand for medical supplies including gloves and masks, resulting in panic buying, hoarding and misuse, "is putting lives at risk from the new coronavirus and other infectious diseases".

In the UK so far hand sanitiser has been one of the products to start selling out rapidly, as government advice about hand hygiene prompts some urgent shopping.

The Bath shoppers we spoke to also said hand washing products were running out in Sainsbury's, too.