A Covid-19 outbreak is putting pressure on hospital services in Cumbria.

North Cumbrian Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which manages hospitals in Carlisle and Whitehaven, said earlier this week the outbreak had forced it to move patients.

A number of patients were transferred from the Cumberland Infirmary to the West Cumberland Hospital.

A spokesman for the trust said: "There is currently significant pressure at the Cumberland Infirmary.

"This is due to an increase in demand alongside the fact the trust has had to close some beds to admissions to manage a Covid outbreak.

"Due to these pressures it was necessary, as part of our normal operational procedures, to transfer a small number of patients from one of the closed Covid wards to the West Cumberland Hospital at the beginning of this week.

"The environment at the West Cumberland Hospital meant that each patient was transferred to single bedrooms.

"This enabled us to fully reopen a ward at the Cumberland Infirmary and ease pressure.

"Patient safety remains our utmost priority."

There were 892 people testing positive for coronavirus in the UK yesterday.

Nationally, 1,152 people were in hospital due to the virus, with 77 of them in ventilator beds.

There were 65 deaths in the UK due to Covid-19 yesterday.

The Cumbrian trust has reminded people how to help ease pressure on services.

“The public can help by choosing services wisely, contacting 111 which provides 24 hour advice on any healthcare need," the spokesman said.

"Going to your GP for ongoing or persistent medical issues and attending A&E or calling 999 for life threatening and serious emergencies only.”