CUMBRIA has seen a surge in Covid-19 deaths, with 38 fatalities now formally reported by the two NHS trusts that operate hospitals in the county.

Figures compiled by Health Service Journal (HSJ) show that there have now been 18 deaths at North Cumbria Integrated Care Foundation Trust, which runs The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

At University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust, which manages Furness General Hospital in south Cumbria as well as Royal Lancaster Infirmary, 20 deaths have been reported.

Commenting on the figures, Colin Cox, Cumbria's Director of Public Health, said: "I have no reason to doubt these figures and I absolutely expect the HSJ figures to be an accurate reflection of the official data.

"NHS England will be updating the figures every day."

As of this afternoon, Public Health England have reported 1,789 deaths from coronavirus across the UK. Over the previous 24 hours, the rise in deaths was 381 - the biggest rise in a single day so far.

There have been more than 25,000 confirmed UK cases, with the majority of deaths in England.

Experts have repeatedly said that the true scale of the outbreak is unknown because there has been limited testing throughout the pandemic in the UK.

At a press conference today, Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, said there were signs that the social distancing measures taken so far in the UK to slow the spread of the virus so far may be working.