IT'S alarming to see the number of Covid-19 cases across Cumbria continuing to rise.

When the world, experienced the first signs of the virus outbreak in March, everybody tried to play their part in reducing the spread of the deadly virus as strict lockdown measures were imposed.

However, these restrictions were gradually lifted from July and we all tried to get back to our ‘new normal’ - or as close to normality as possible.

There is widespread dread of the country going back into an enforced lockdown as Covid-19 cases start to rise dramatically again, and this has to be looked as a last resort.

Yet the latest figures for the county are alarming.

For cases in Cumbria to go up by 100 from 109 to 209 cases is a significant jump.

Cumbrians need to heed the advice of the county’s director of public health, Colin Cox, and help drive down the figures by abiding to government guidelines to avoid tougher lockdown measures being introduced.

Social distancing needs to be stuck to, and social mixing needs to be limited too.

We all need to remember we have a part to play.

Without sticking to the rules as a community we will never get on top of this horrible virus and our normal life will take even longer to return.