THE new and highly infectious strain of coronavirus which is fuelling a fresh wave of cases across the country was present in Cumbria in early November, new research has shown.

Complex gene sequencing - which takes weeks to carry out - confirmed last weekend that the mutant strain of the virus was responsible for two infections in the county. A further seven cases caused by the same variant have now been confirmed - most of them in the Carlisle area.

Cumbria's Director of Public Health Colin Cox confirmed the findings as new figures revealed rapidly rising infection rates across the country.

Among the key facts to emerge from the latest data are:

* 741 new cases in Cumbria in a week (up from 487 in the previous week), representing a 52 per cent rise.

• Carlisle overtaking South Lakeland in having the greatest number of new cases (201).

• Eden overtaking South Lakeland in having the highest rate of new cases (295 per 100k population);

• Eden, Carlisle and South Lakeland having infection rates above the regional average rate.

• New cases increasing in all Cumbrian districts except Barrow.

• An increase in Eden of 171%.

• The 45-59 age group accounting for the greatest number of new cases locally.

Mr Cox said all of the evidence pointed towards the new variant of the virus being responsible for the latest rapid rise in infection rates - which if continued it likely to see the county moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3.

He said: "We have had genomic confirmation - genomic sequencing data - in only nine cases of the new variant. That process takes a long time. We heard last Thursday about the first two cases and had confirmation of that over the weekend. A further seven cases have since been confirmed - mostly in Carlisle."

Other data shows that as many as 30 per cent of local cases have featured an absent gene that is typical of - but not confirmation of - the new variant.

This and the pattern of spread strongly suggested the new mutated form of the virus is what lies behind the latest rises in cases in Cumbria.

Mr Cox added: "The new variant is here; it's going anywhere. Christmas may be coming but the virus doesn't know that.

"We we really need to do is double down on the efforts to protect our whole community by takign very seriously the guidance - making sure we maintain physical distancing, and social contact over the coming weeks; and keeping good hand hygiene.

"Think very carefully about the decisions your make; about how you use that freedom on Christmas Day, particularly if you have an elderly or vulnerable relative. It's only one day.

"We are close to seeing the end of this and the vaccine programme will roll out over the next few months. Let's not blow it now."

According to current figures, Covid-19 has killed 616 people in Cumbria during the pandemic. Of those, 252 were reported by north Cumbria's hospitals.