The latest Covid-19 infection rate for the county shows cases continuing to climb.

Government data updated Saturday shows the number of new cases last week at 630, with the infection rate at 126 per 100,000 people.

The week previously the rate was 83.8 with 419 new positive cases.

In terms of district breakdowns, Carlisle has reported 174 new cases last week with a rate of 160.1.

This is followed by Eden with 107 new cases and a rate of 200.9.

In Allerdale there were 78 new cases with a rate of 79.8 and in Copeland their were only 15 new cases with a rate of 22. In South Lakeland there were 184 and a rate of 175.1 and in Barrow there were 72 new cases with a rate of 107.4

Across the border, in Dumfries & Galloway the number of new cases was 39 and the rate was 26.2.

New positive tests bring the total number of cases seen in Cumbria since the start of the pandemic to 11,645.

Carlisle accounts for 2,980, Copeland contributed 1,239 to the overall figure, Allerdale accounted for 1,640, Eden for 1,110, South Lakeland for 2,499 and Barrow for 2,177.

In Dumfries & Galloway there has been 1,258.

The UK daily rate of infection on December 19, was 35,928 bringing the total number of people infected to 2,040,147.

The number of deaths, recorded within 28 days of a positive test, stands at 606.

Cumbria deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate is 750.

The daily rate for the UK is 326 for deaths within 28 days of positive test, the total is 67,401.

UK weekly death rates for those with Covid-19 on the death certificate is 3,160 with a total of 76,287.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson cancelled Christmas for millions in London and the South East after scientists said that a new coronavirus variant was spreading rapidly.

The rest of England will also see the Christmas “bubble” policy – allowing up to three households to meet up over the holiday period – severely curtailed, applying on Christmas Day only.

GP practices across the county received and started to administer the Covid-19 vaccine recently.

Doses of Pfizer’s vaccine against coronavirus were handed to GP practices last week.

Deliveries are being made to more than 100 areas across England, bringing hope to many.