FIVE new deaths in patients with coronavirus have been announced by the NHS hospital trust which runs the West Cumberland Hospital.

The North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, announced five deaths yesterday.

They were recorded on November 24, November 29, December 8, December 9 and December 15.

This takes the total number of deaths at the trust in patients with coronavirus to 250 since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the University of Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust - which runs hospitals in south Cumbria and north Lancashire - announced one new death.

This was recorded yesterday (December 20).

The total death toll at the trust since the start of the pandemic is 356.

The deaths announced are patients who have died in hospitals in England and either tested positive for Covid-19 or where no positive test result was received for Covid-19, Covid-19 was mentioned on their death certificate.