The number of coronavirus cases across the county has increased by more than 50 this weekend.

All areas of Cumbria have seen an increase in the number of people testing positive since Friday - taking the total number of cases to 3,678 since the start of the pandemic.

Numbers increased by 54 from Friday to Saturday.

At least two more people have died from coronavirus in hospitals in Cumbria, figures show. During the weekend, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle and the West Cumberland Hospital, has recorded two deaths. The patients lost their lives on August 8 and August 9.

People living in Cumbria are being strongly advised that groups of six should include people from no more than two households.

The new advice was agreed by local political leaders through the county’s Area Outbreak Board, following recommendations from the multi-agency Health Protection Board. It will be reviewed on an weekly basis by the Health Protection Board. Cumbria Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable, and chair of Cumbria’s Strategic Co-ordinating Group, Andrew Slattery, said: “The time has come for us all to take personal responsibility for doing everything we can to limit the spread of the coronavirus in our communities. We are strongly urging people to take heed of this advice and to limit their social interactions with people from other households.

“A failure to do this will significantly increase an individual’s chance of contracting the coronavirus and spreading it to other people - most likely their own family. We are seeing an increase in hospitalisations and we will also see an increase in deaths if people do not make changes to significantly reduce their social interactions.”

The greatest number of new positive cases are those aged 15to 29 years, however, cases are increasing across most age groups.