THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Cumbria increased by 648 over the weekend, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 23,646 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday (January 25) in Cumbria, up from 22,998 the same time on Friday.

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 4,729 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 5,698.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 85,751 over the period, to 3,669,658.

Cumbria's cases were among the 504,935 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 10,648 over the period.

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