COVID-19 infection rates have risen to their highest levels yet in Carlisle and Eden, says Cumbria s most senior public health expert. Colin Cox, Cumbria s Director of Public Health, spelled out the scale of the local coronavirus challenge as it was confirmed that Carlisle now has the highest infection rate in the county, with nearly 600 cases. Government data shows that in the last week, 585 people in the Carlisle local authority area tested positive for Covid-19. The area s infection rate per 100,000 of population is 538.3 - just above Eden. Mr Cox said in recent days the new variant of the virus - up to 70 per cent more infectious - has fuelled a marked rise in new cases.
FRONTLINE staff at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary were this week said to be near “breaking point” as the hospital trust which runs it battled to care for more than 100 seriously ill Covid-19 patients. With the new variant of the virus fuelling a sharp rise in infections across the UK, the hospital has seen a surge of covid admissions, with some patients being treated in ambulances outside the infirmary for up to an hour because A&E was so busy. There are growing fears the worst is yet to come given that the full medical impact of infections picked up over the Christmas period is yet to be seen.