Cumbria's top health chief, Colin Cox, has said that the high rate of coronavirus infections in Barrow should not unduly alarm residents.

It was revealed that Barrow in Furness had the highest rate of coronavirus infection in the country at 882 per 100,000.

As we report on page two of today's Mail, Mr Cox believes the figures for Barrow should be viewed with caution, saying there are several factors to consider when reading the data.

Chief amongst those factors is the proactive response that the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, which runs Furness General Hospital and Westmorland General Hospital, has taken to testing.

The trust should be applauded for putting such extensive testing measures in place, well before most other trusts in the country.

Despite Mr Cox's caution over the data, it is still apparent that Cumbria has suffered greatly due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Therefore, Mr Cox's words should not provide a false sense of security for Barrow residents.

Neither should Prime Minister Boris Johnston's relaxation of some lockdown measures signal an end to guidelines.

The threat of spreading the virus is ever present.