Good news is no excuse to forego our responsibilities.

It is wonderful that the rate of coronavirus deaths in the country's hospitals appears to be slowing down.

It is even better news that there appears to have been no coronavirus deaths in a south Cumbria hospital yesterday - that would be the first death-free day in the south of the county since March.

However, there are two points that must be raised.

The first is that statistics are fallible, especially when they are raw and ever-changing.

As it happens, the way NHS England reports coronavirus deaths means that some are not verified for days afterwards, and can be counted towards a day's total nearly a week after that day has passed.

That could be the case here - next week a death could be counted towards yesterday's death total. Despite this, it is clear the number of deaths each day is fewer than it was a few weeks ago.

The second point to raise is that while this may be cause for hope, it is not cause to relax caution and responsibility.

It is imperative that the measures which appear to be working are maintained, or else we run the risk of a 'second peak'.

However frustrating it may be, normality is a long, long way off.