Voices from across the county have spoken in unison on the vital need for cooperation across Cumbria to put a halt to rising Covid-19 cases.

Every person in Cumbria is now "strongly advised" to keep interactions to a maximum of two households at any one time, in a bid to arrest rising Covid-19 cases.

Doctors, politicians and a top police officer have all spoken as one to implore that the advice is heeded, as all of Cumbria is now registering climbing Covid-19 numbers.

The calls come as a report yesterday by BBC Radio Cumbria indicated that 19 of the care homes run by Cumbria County Council currently have Covid-19 cases.

The report also indicated a total of 27 school populations throughout the county have also had positive Covid-19 cases, and six with two or more cases.

The need for everyone in the county to take the risk of rising cases seriously is clear.

Dr Jon Sturman, clinical director for intensive care across North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, sought to remind Cumbria that "people can individually think they are invulnerable or invincible but we all know somebody who is not".

"Just because you might have a mild illness or no illness at all we are all potential transmitters of this virus.

"It’s a team effort in terms of the public and health care system.

"On a big scale we don’t want to be overwhelmed in healthcare and on a smaller scale we don’t want our older elderly relative friend, mother, father, grandparents affected by this because you just would not want to have it. It’s a horrible illness.”

Dr Colin Patterson, lead GP for NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, added: “There is no doubt that limiting your personal involvement in contact between households will help reduce your chances of being exposed to Covid.

"Cases are increasing here in Cumbria and this is one additional way we can protect ourselves and protect each other.”

Leader of Carlisle City Council, John Mallinson said: “We need to take steps to protect our local communities and our most vulnerable residents.

"By following this advice, we’ll all be helping to save lives and will reduce the risk of transmission. We urge all Carlisle residents to follow these steps - it’ll make a difference.”

Mike Johnson, deputy leader of Allerdale Borough Council added:“It’s important that all sections of society work together to help stop the spread of Covid-19 in Cumbria and we support the new advice issued today on limiting household contact. As a council we will continue to support the work of our partners in public health, the police, the NHS and others to help protect our communities.”

Cumbria Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable 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 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.”

Eden District Council’s housing and health portfolio holder, Judith Derbyshire, said: “While confirmed infection rates in Eden remain low, we must acknowledge that residents in our district move frequently across the county for work, education and social reasons.

"We are not immune to the risks of coronavirus and must take action now to prevent the spread of infection in our communities.

“This new guidance has been issued, ahead of the potential introduction of new government imposed restrictions, in order to protect the people of Cumbria and in the hope of preventing the need for another lockdown, with the devastating damage that would wreak on our local economy. I urge everyone to familiarise themselves with the new guidelines and to adhere to them, immediately.”

Pat Graham, Chief Executive of Copeland Borough Council, said: “We are urging the Copeland community to follow this advice in order to protect themselves and one another.

“Please act now and work together to reduce the rate of transmission to help keep Copeland safe.”