Two people die of coronavirus in Cumbria
Two people have died of coronavirus in Cumbria, it has been confirmed.
Both patients were being treated at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and are believed to have had underlying health problems.
No further detail have been released about the patients.
Director of Public Health Colin Cox announced the news on Friday afternoon. Speaking to ITV Border, he said:" I'm sorry to say I can confirm we have had our first deaths from coronavirus in Cumbria. The death of two people in the Cumberland Infirmary were confirmed to me last night.
"We always knew that this was going to happen and we are clearly ramping up in the number of cases that we have in Cumbria. At the moment the NHS is still coping. There two deaths were not because the NHS were unable to cope."
It comes on the same day retired NHS medics were urged to rejoin the health service as the UK ramps up its fight against coronavirus.
More than 65,000 staff will be told that "the NHS needs you" as part of a recruitment drive to help tackle the "greatest global health threat" in a century.
As of 20 March, there is 52 cases of the COVID-19 virus confirmed in Cumbria and the south of Scotland by Public Health England.
The number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the whole of the UK has risen to 144.
More on this as we get it.