"An extremely serious situation" – that was the message from Cumbria's public health director after the county experienced its worst week so far for new Covid-19 infections.

In the week ending January 8, 3,489 people tested positive for Covid-19 – a 39 per cent rise on the previous week.

Infection rates wee high across the county, especially in Carlisle where the infection rate was 1,151 per 100,000 population.

Hospitals remain under intense pressure, particularly in the north of the county where there has been a 63 per cent increase in the number of Covid-19 patients since last week.

It has been said by the public health director that Furness General Hospital is also very stretched at the moment.

Sadly, a further 59 people have died from Covid-19 in the seven days to January 12. This brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Cumbria since the start of the pandemic to 833.

The full weekly Covid-19 situation report can be found at www.cumbria.gov.uk/stopthespread

Colin Cox, Cumbria’s director of public health, said: “We remain in an extremely serious situation.

"In the very latest provisional data, there are some early signs that the rate of increase in new infections may be slowing, but the infection rate is still very high.

“Even if that trends continues, we can expect the very high numbers of people requiring hospital care, and increasing deaths, to continue for some weeks.

"This is putting our local NHS system under intense pressure.

“I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is that we all follow the lockdown rules.

"The virus spreads when people come into contact; we must do everything we can to stop unnecessary contact with other people.

"Where being in contact with others is unavoidable, keep your distance, wear a mask, wash your hands – it does make a difference.”

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Speaking about the recent reports from ONS figures that showed that 14.5 per cent of all deaths in Barrow and 12.8 per cent of all deaths in South Lakeland in 2020 were Covid-related, Mr Cox said that these sorts of statistics were expected, as he explained the percentage increase across Cumbria in deaths was around 16 per cent in that year.

"It doesn't sound unexpected or all that different to the county as a whole," he said.

"But absolutely it is a high cause of death, when you look at Covid as a cause of death it is certainly a substantial cause.

"It is an awful lot higher than, say, seasonal flu is each year.

"It has killed an awful lot more people than seasonal flu and put a lot more people in hospital."