BARROW has the highest recorded rate of new Covid cases as infection figures continue to fall across Cumbria.

While there was some variation between districts, the infection rate in Cumbria remains below the national and regional averages.

As the county prepares for the next step in the easing of lockdown rules, new Covid-19 cases have dropped to numbers last seen in September, with 81 new infections recorded in week ending April 2, down from 134 the previous week.

For the seventh week in a row, Allerdale had the greatest number of new cases.

Barrow replaced Copeland in having the highest rate of new cases (28 new cases per 100k population), according to Government figures. Rates in all Cumbrian districts were below both the national and regional average rates (38 and 44 new cases per 100k population respectively).

New cases decreased from the previous week in all Cumbrian districts except Barrow.

The 50-59 age group accounted for the greatest number of new cases in Cumbria, followed by the 30-39, 12-18 and 40-49 age groups.

The number of patients in hospital and new admissions to hospital also decreased.

The vaccination programme continued to roll out across the county, with data up to week ending 1 April showing almost two thirds of eligible Cumbrians having had their first vaccine dose.

The recent announcements relating to the AstraZeneca vaccine are not anticipated to significantly affect the programme.

Easing lockdown restrictions from April 12 will see non-essential retail reopen along with outdoor opening of hospitality venues.

Social contact rules remain unchanged, people can still only meet in groups of up to six people, or two households, outdoors.

Colin Cox, Cumbria’s Director of Public Health, said: “The number of new cases remains low and that is excellent. Restrictions will ease a little more from Monday and I’d just ask people to remember to follow the social contact rules to help drive infections down even further.

“The announcements about the AstraZeneca vaccine this week may be causing some people concern, but I’d want to reassure people that the vaccine remains very safe and effective and that this is actually our medicines regulation system doing its job. Even for younger people the balance of risk is still strongly in favour of vaccination and because we have multiple different vaccines have the flexibility to tweak the programme as issues arise. If I am offered the AstraZeneca vaccine, I will certainly accept it.”