CUMBRIA’S current coronavirus death toll is around 50 per cent higher than previous figures showed when fatalities in the county’s care homes are taken into account.

New figures from the multi-agency body spearheading the county’s fight against Covid-19 show the virus is likely to have claimed the lives of 91 people in local residential and care homes.

At present, 17 of those deaths are confirmed as caused by the virus but Covid-19 was probably a factor in a further 74 such deaths. All the fatalities have happened since April 1.

In the meantime, officials at the two NHS trusts with hospitals in north and south Cumbria have confirmed the deaths of 244 Covid-19 patients - 109 of them split between The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Cumbria’s director of public health Colin Cox said that the rate of hospital deaths in the county appeared to be decelerating - hopefully evidence that social distancing is slowing infection rates. “The rate of hospital deaths is slowing down,” said Mr Cox.

This deceleration is happening faster than some other UK areas. But in care homes at present, death rates are rising faster than in hospitals, partly because residents are typically among those most vulnerable to Covid-19, he said.

The county’s Local Resilience Forum (LRF) - made up of local councils, NHS trusts, and other key public bodies involved in emergency response such as the police - has drawn up a strategy to protect and support the county’s care home sector - both residents and staff.

“One aim is where possible to stop the virus getting into homes,” said Mr Cox.

“Where the virus is identified, we need robust action to stop the virus spreading. It’s partly about making sure we test people before they go into a home; and about making sure staff are vigilant; and being clear about infection control procedures; and getting people tested quickly.”

Mr Cox paid tribute to the county’s dedicated care home staff, some of whom had to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus. “I’m absolutely overwhelmed by how care home staff turn up for work every day, doing their job in really difficult circumstances,” he said.

“It’s not an easy job at the best of times.

“But when you’re coping with something like this, working with patients who might be very sick, when you’re scared for your own health and wellbeing, and keeping residents apart from each other and their families, it must be tough. Every one of them is a hero.”

Mr Cox added that Cumbrians should brace themselves of a long haul in the nation’s fight against coronavirus and the need to continue social distancing. He added: “It’s going to be a significant feature of life in this country, and in the world, for quite some time.”

Cumbria LRF has now gathered the first solid data on Covid-19’s impact in the county’s 112 care homes, which accommodate 3,400 people. The group’s figures show that:

* 23 of Cumbria’s care homes have had suspected or confirmed Covid-19 cases.

* 55 care home residents have tested positive for the virus

* 170 residents are classed as ‘suspected” Covid-19 cases.

Should the group’s figures be confirmed, they would bring the number of Covid-19 deaths in the county in all settings to around 335, though that figure includes some deaths reported by a south Cumbrian hospital trust which also runs a hospital in Lancaster.

As the figures were released, the LRF said it was stepping up support for the residential and home care sector. The group’s strategy includes:

* Co-ordinating all requests for support from care settings to ensure the right support as quickly as possible – including providing staff, personal protective equipment (PPE), infection control and testing;

* Managing the discharge of all patients from hospitals into care settings to minimise infection risk;

* And data gathering about all Covid-19 cases in all care settings.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Slattery, who chairs Cumbria’s LRF, said: “Residents in nursing and care homes are amongst the most vulnerable people in our community and LRF partners are working hard to support care homes and minimise the spread of infection.

“This is a serious challenge though and very sadly there have been a number of deaths from confirmed or suspected Covid-19 in homes across the county.

“Our thoughts are of course with their families and loved ones.

“We understand how distressing this situation is for residents and their families and we are doing all we can to keep families informed and keep people safe.

“Staff in homes are doing a very difficult job in quite extreme circumstances and deserve our recognition and thanks. LRF partners are supporting with additional expertise in infection control and care, supporting sourcing staffing if required, as well as ensuring homes have the critical supplies of PPE they need. Given the availability of PPE nationally this is a particular area of focus.”

Dr Colin Patterson, clinical lead for NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “Our residential and nursing care homes are a vital part of our health and care system and our GPs work very closely with them. We have also provided some CCG staff to care homes which needed urgent support, as well as advice and support around testing.

“There is no doubt our care homes are facing a massive challenge and we have to meet this together.”

The figures just released show that around 20 per cent of the county’s care homes have coronavirus cases.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust - which runs Furness General Hosptial in Barrow and a hospital in Lacaster - has reported 135 deaths. The North East based mental health trust which runs Carlisle’s Careleton Clinic psychiatric facility has reported six Covid-19 deaths.