The total number of deaths among Covid-positive patients across north Cumbria's hospitals has risen again today, by four.

Four deaths among Covid-19 positive patients took place on Sunday across hospitals run by the North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC) NHS Trust.

This includes the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

This brings the cumulative total of all Covid-positive patients to have died across the trust since the beginning of the pandemic to 297.

No further deaths were today confirmed across the trust running hospital services across south Cumbria.

The number of coronavirus patients in hospitals in England has risen to a record high of more than 32,000, new figures show, as the Government pleaded with people to follow lockdown rules.

Matt Hancock said the NHS is under "very significant pressure" and told the public to reduce all social contact that is "not absolutely strictly necessary" in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

The Health Secretary's warning came as NHS England data showed there were 32,070 Covid-19 patients in English hospitals as of 8am on Monday. The figure is up 20 per cent compared to last week, and up 81 per cent since Christmas Day.

In Cumbria, cases are rising rapidly and according to the Gov.uk website cases per 100,000 people for the seven-day average in Carlisle in now at more than 1,100.

The rate per 100,000 people for the seven-day average.

For each area the figures are as follows:

Allerdale - 629.1

Barrow - 574.2

Carlisle - 1,125.3

Copeland - 538.3

Eden - 736.1

South Lakes -330.2

The total number of people with at least one positive Covid-19 test result (either lab-reported or lateral flow device) since the start of the pandemic in each area:

Allerdale - 3,022

Barrow - 2,897

Carlisle - 5,739

Copeland - 1,893

Eden - 2,178

South Lakes - 3,363