COVID-19 cases continued to drop with only 69 cases for the week ending 9 April.

As the county prepares for the next step in the easing of lockdown rules new COVID-19 cases dropped to numbers last seen in September, with 81 new infections recorded in week ending 2 April, down from 134 the previous week.

Despite a small increase in the number of new cases in the county in week ending 26 March, from 114 to 134, the overall infection rate has remained low (27/100k) and well below the England and North West regional average (56/100k and 70/100k respectively).

With lockdown rules now allowing people to meet outside in groups of up to six people, or two households, Cumbria County Council’s 11 rapid-result COVID-19 test centres are now able to offer tests to all Cumbrians.

As the country prepares for easing of lockdown restrictions from next Monday, the number of new COVID-19 infections in Cumbria dropped to 114 in week ending 19 March, a 17% reduction on the previous week.

Cumbria recorded a further 27% drop in new COVID-19 cases in the week ending 12 March, down from 186 to 136. All

Colin Cox, Cumbria's Director of Public Health, has reacted to news that some countries have paused use of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine in response to concerns about blood clotting.

The number of new COVID-19 infections in the county decreased by 50% in week ending 5 March (186 new cases), the largest single week drop since the peak of infections earlier in the year.