Cornwall has 'third lowest coronavirus infection rate' in the country
That is out of all upper tier authorities in England
The lowest weekly number of coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall since the start of October has been recorded – with West Devon averaging less than one case a day.
A total of 835 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week – the lowest since the week ending October 2 – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 44,939.
Devon also has the lowest infection rates of any upper tier authority in England, with Plymouth second and Cornwall third, and at a lower tier level, the four lowest infection rates are all in Devon.
Government statistics show that 835 new cases have been confirmed across the region in the past seven days in both pillar 1 data from tests carried out by the NHS and pillar 2 data from commercial partners, compared to 1,169 new cases confirmed last week.
Of the 835 new cases confirmed since February 12, 241 were in Cornwall, with 81 in East Devon, 92 in Exeter, 57 in Mid Devon, 23 in North Devon, 127 in Plymouth, 13 in South Hams, 65 in Teignbridge, 119 in Torbay, 11 in Torridge and 6 in West Devon.
At upper tier level, Devon has the lowest infection rate in England at 46.1/100,000, and is the lowest since September 30, with Plymouth having the second lowest and Cornwall third.
The latest positivity rates for tests carried out at 2.2 per cent in Cornwall, 2.1 per cent in East Devon, 2.9 per cent in Exeter, 3.1 per cent in Mid Devon, 0.9 per cent in North Devon, 1.7 per cent in Plymouth, 0.9 per cent in South Hams, 1.7 per cent in Teignbridge, 2.5 per cent in Torbay, 0.5 per cent in Torridge and 0.9 per cent in West Devon. Every single area has seen positivity rates fall since last Friday except East Devon and Exeter
In terms of infection rates per age range, case rates are highest in the 20-39 age ranges across Devon and Cornwall, with only North Devon (40-59s) and Plymouth and Cornwall (80+) having infection rates higher in different age groups. Infection rates though are falling in age groups, and in Torridge, no-one aged, 0-14, 20-24, 30-39, 45-49, 55-64 or over 70, and in West Devon, no-one aged 5-24, 30-34, 50-54, 65-79 and over 85 have tested positive in the last week.
The number of patients in all of Devon’s hospitals following a positive Covid-19 test has fallen to its lowest figure since October – with no patients at all in North Devon Hospital – and a fall everywhere in Devon and Cornwall.
It comes as more than a third of the adult population of Devon and Cornwall. have now had their first Covid-19 vaccine, latest NHS England figures show.
Cornwall has seen 163,549 vaccine first doses given, a total of 34.4 per cent of its adult population.