Cornwall's Covid-19 case rate is one of its highest since start of pandemic
The latest weekly figures show it has reached over 630 per 100,000 people
Last updated 24th Aug 2021
The coronavirus case rate in Cornwall has reached over 630 per 100,000 people, which is one of the highest levels since the pandemic began.
Young people in the Duchy are being urged to get vaccinated, amid the current surge in cases.
At a briefing on Monday (August 23rd) Cornwall Council's Public Health team revealed that there are almost 5,000 cases with a link to Boardmasters.
Three quarters of those are young people under the age of 21.
In a new statement, festival organisers, say they will continue to work with health officials to understand how the event had an impact.
What do the figures show?
The latest weekly figures, for the seven days to Wednesday 18th August, show Cornwall had recorded 3,653 new cases of coronavirus.
That is a case rate of 634.7 per 100,000 people.
Cornwall Council's Public Health Team says there are around 4,700 cases where people have a link to Boardmasters, but they will not know the true picture for another few days.
Three quarters of those cases are among 16 - 21-year-olds and 800 of the cases are here in Cornwall, with the rest among people who travelled down for the festival.
Health bosses in Wales have confirmed at least 56 people who have tested positive in the Swansea Bay area had recently returned from the event at Newquay and Watergate Bay.
Around 30 people with Covid-19 are being treated in Cornwall's hospitals right now, including some in their 30s. Of those patients, 60% have not been vaccinated.
Over the weekend, Cornwall recorded two coronavirus related deaths and 1,904 new cases.
Coronavirus cases and case rates for each area of Cornwall can be found on Public Health England's interactive map.
Director of Public Health in the Duchy, Rachel Wigglesworth, said: "In Cornwall we have a much higher rate amongst the 16 to 29-year-olds who are often less vaccinated and clearly the cases in those people are affecting that high rate in Cornwall, in the main.
"There are currently around 30 people who are residents of Cornwall in our hospitals with Covid-19, compared to over 160 at the beginning of January when we had those very high rates so it does indicate that the vaccines are working to protect the most vulnerable people.
"Of those people that are in hospital, around 60% are unvaccinated so we clearly know that having a vaccine has a really important impact on preventing illness and hospitalisation".
Public health officials say the spike in cases is down to a number of reasons, including hospitality, the Delta variant being highly transmittable, Boardmasters and an influx of summer tourists.
Cornwall Council is urging residents, especially young people, to book their vaccine and test regularly.