Coronavirus cases in Plymouth and Torbay are starting to fall
Both areas had some of the highest rates in the country last week
Covid infection rates are falling in some parts of Devon, mirroring the national picture.
According to government data for the week to Thursday 22 July, the rates fell across all three of the county’s upper tier authority areas – Devon, Torbay and Plymouth.
However, there were some increases in district areas. Torridge, West Devon and North Devon all saw cases rise. At 476 cases per 100,000 people, North Devon’s infection rate is now above the national average of 417.
There was also a small increase in Exeter, but the city remains just shy of the UK-wide figure.
Mid Devon’s cases have fallen most in the last seven days of data, down 25 per cent to a rate of just over 291 per 100,000.
Despite the falls in Torbay and Plymouth of ten and four per cent respectively, the case rates in both areas remain well above the average at 590 and 707.
The slight falls across some parts of Devon are starting to mirror the drop in cases across the UK, which has seen a 30 per cent reduction compared with the previous seven days.
Although the fall appears promising, the prime minister has urged people to “remain cautious” with claims the reduction could be down to factors including increased mixing outdoors – where the virus is transmitted less – and the start of school holidays.
The impact of infection rates rising in previous weeks has led to more people being treated in hospital for covid.
The latest figures (up to Tuesday 20 July) show 52 patients with the virus in Devon’s hospitals, an increase of 18 people from the previous week. This remains some way below the number of patients being treated for covid during last winter’s peak.
Of the 52 patients, 23 are at Derriford Hospital, 16 are at the RD&E, 11 are in Torbay and two are being cared for in North Devon.
No further deaths within 28 days of a positive test have been recorded in the past week across the county.
A total of 1,046 people in Devon have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began. This includes 209 in Plymouth and 157 in Torbay. Across the UK, 129,303 people have died within four weeks of testing positive.
The number of adults aged 18 or over who have received at least one dose of a vaccine has increased to more than 87 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 85 per cent in Torbay and 83 per cent in Plymouth.
The proportion of people who are now fully vaccinated with both jabs is now 71 per cent in Devon, 72 per cent in Torbay and 64 per cent in Plymouth.