THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Cumbria increased by 411 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England (PHE) figures show that 14,259 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Thursday (December 31) in Cumbria, up from 13,848 the same time on Wednesday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

The rate of infection in Cumbria now stands at 2,852 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 3,802.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 55,892 over the period, to 2,488,780.

Cumbria's cases were among the 368,447 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 4,746 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.