20% of Devon's COVID-19 cases in care homes
The rate in over 80s stands at 396 per 100,000 according to the latest official figures
Around 20% of all positive Covid-19 cases in Devon in the last week have been in care homes.
Steve Brown, Devon’s Director of Public Health, told Thursday’s Team Devon Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting that the cases rates in the over 80s had seen a big increase in recent weeks with some large outbreaks within care homes.
Across the county, the over 80s age range, based on the week of specimens from January 2 to January 8, had an infection rate of 396 per 100,000 population, the highest of any age range, with the 20-39s at 331/100,000, the 40-59s at 270/100,000, the 60-79s at 124/100,000 and the 0-19s at 108/100,000.
But in Exeter, case rates for the over 80s are at 693/100,000, 445/100,000 in the South Hams, while in Teignbridge, they are 728/100,000, with rates for the over 90s in Teignbridge at 2,069 per 100,000.
"We are seeing increasing in outbreaks in care home and have had some significant outbreaks with 70 or 80 per cent of residents or staff testing positive. Some are asymptomatic but some have symptoms and in hospital, and about 20% of Devon’s cases are care homes.
"It is important to re-emphasise the stay at home message and to stay at home unless it is essential to go out, but every time you leave the front door, you risk coming into contact with someone who may have Covid and could be a crucial link in chain of transmission."
Steve Brown - Devon’s Director of Public Health
Simon Chant, Public Health Specialist, added that while Devon’s case rates were at the highest they had seen, they were still only a third of the rate of the national average, and there were some positive signs that growth in cases has slowing.
"It needs to be treating with a bit of caution as rates have fluctuated over Christmas so too early to know definitively if the peak has happened, but there are promising signs at the moment.
"But we have seen a big increase in the 80+ cohort where there is a greater likelihood of hospitalisation and more severe outcomes for the age group, and we are seeing outbreaks in care homes again."
Simon Chant - Public Health Specialist
At an MSOA level, the areas with the highest infection rates at present are Alphington and Marsh Barton, Cullompton, Ogwell, Mile End and Teigngrace, Exmouth Littleham and South Brent and Cornwood, with Mr Chant saying that some of these areas are where outbreaks in setting and care homes have occurred.