TWO more families are mourning loved ones who died after contracting of Covid-19.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust recorded the latest deaths in the 24-hour period up to 4pm on Friday.

The figures, from NHS England, show that this takes the total number of Covid-19 deaths recorded by the trust - which runs Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven - to 212.

County-wide the number of lives claimed by the virus has surpassed 500.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there have been 519 deaths since the start of the pandemic, of people who had a positive test result for Covid-19 and died within 28 days.

Yesterday 59 new cases were confirmed across the county - including 14 in Carlisle, 13 in Copeland, nine in Eden and two in Allerdale.

In the most recent seven day period, up to Tuesday November 16, there were 1,037 cases - a rate of 207.4 per 100,000 population - recorded in Cumbria. The R number estimated to be 1 to 1.1.

Colin Cox, Cumbria's director of Public Health, said now is a "critical time" and he urged people across the county to help bring infection rates down.

"I really urge everyone in the county to stick to the current rules and do all you can to avoid unnecessary social contact, keep your distance, cover your face and keep washing hands," he said.

"If we do, then we can reduce the pressure on our hospitals and give ourselves the best chance of restrictions being loosened in time for Christmas."