Concerns raised following a spike in weekly Coronavirus cases across Devon and Cornwall

Nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the last seven days across Devon and Cornwall.

The total confirmed number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic has shot up to 12,001 across the two counties today.

Government statistics show that 1,946 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 1,662 new cases confirmed last week.

The worst affected areas are North Devon, where cases have nearly doubled, and in East Devon and Torbay, where cases have more than doubled.

A more positive pattern is emerging in Teignbridge, which has seen the number of new cases fall in the previous seven days.

Cornwall, Mid Devon, Torridge and West Devon have seen small rises, as has the South Hams, with three more cases confirmed this week than last week.

Plymouth is still the area where the highest number of new cases were confirmed, but the total only rose by one compared to last week, while Exeter saw the exact same number of new cases as it did the previous week, and is also no longer the area with Devon County Council’s boundaries where the most cases are – that for the last week was East Devon.

Of the 1,946 new cases confirmed since October 30, 341 were in Cornwall, 207 in East Devon, 196 in Exeter, 73 in Mid Devon, 113 in North Devon, 427 in Plymouth, 79 in the South Hams, 103 in Teignbridge, 305 in Torbay, 41 in Torridge and 51 in West Devon.

This compares to the 1,662 new cases confirmed between October 24 and 30, which saw 311 in Cornwall, 124 in East Devon, 196 in Exeter, 52 in Mid Devon, 64 in North Devon, 426 in Plymouth, 76 in the South Hams, 117 in Teignbridge, 213 in Torbay, 35 in Torridge and 38 in West Devon.

Of the 1,946 new cases, 1,395 had a specimen date of between October 30 and November 5, there were 245 in Cornwall, 136 in East Devon, 136 in Exeter, 52 in Mid Devon, 86 in North Devon, 307 in Plymouth, 55 in the South Hams, 69 in Teignbridge, 241 in Torbay, 29 in Torridge and 39 in West Devon.

Maps by specimen date show cases are rising in East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, Torbay, Torridge and West Devon, while are trending fairly flat for Cornwall and Exeter, while Teignbridge and Plymouth are seeing slight falls.

The number of people in hospital in the South West has risen to 514 from 386 as of last week and there are currently 67 people on a mechanical ventilator.

Across Devon and Cornwall, those in hospital following a positive COVID-19 test has risen by 50 per cent in the last week.

The NHS England figures, released this morning, give the latest details of the admissions and diagnoses of coronavirus patients by hospital trust.

It shows that as of Tuesday, November 3, the most recent date the information is available for, there were 156 people in Devon’s hospitals and six in Cornwall. This compares to 99 and four as of October 27’s figures.

Of the 156 patients, there were 38 in Torbay Hospital (up from 33), 38 in Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (23), 16 in North Devon District Hospital (11), 64 in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth (32), six at the Royal Cornwall Hospital (4), but no-one in Cornish Partnership Trust hospitals.

And the numbers of patients in Mechanical Ventilation beds has doubled in the last seven days, with as of November 3, 18 patients, compared to nine as of October 27.

There was one patient in Torbay Hospital and the RD&E, two in the Royal Cornwall Hospital, six in Derriford Hospital, and eight in North Devon District Hospital.

The figures show the amount of patients in hospital following a positive COVID-19 test who are currently occupying a bed.

In the last seven days, nine people have died in hospitals in Devon following a positive COVID-19 test, with one in Exeter, three in Torbay, and five in Plymouth.

But NHS 111 data for Devon and Cornwall is down slightly based on last Friday, and the R Rate for the South West has fallen from 1.2-1.5 to 1.2-1.4,

In total, Torridge has had 211 positive cases, West Devon 271, with 429 in the South Hams, 478 in North Devon, 492 in Mid Devon, 727 in Teignbridge, 913 in East Devon, 1260 in Torbay, 2086 in Exeter, 2490 in Plymouth, and 2644 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

It comes as Devon’s Director of Public Health, Dr Virginia Pearson, has made an appeal for one more effort and urging everyone to “Act now to stop the virus in its tracks” and help prevent local health services from being overwhelmed this winter.

“Local people and businesses made huge sacrifices during the first lockdown and this really helped to keep the number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths down in the county,” said Dr Pearson.

“We now need to come together again with one more big effort to help stop the second wave of the virus in its tracks. So please, keep alert to risk at all times. Follow the rules, use common sense and keep yourself and your family safe by not dropping your guard.”

In terms of the latest MSOA cluster maps, that cover the period between October 26 and November 1, Cranbrook, Broadclyst & Stoke Canon (21), Pennsylvania and University (28), St James’s Park & Hoopern (25), City Centre, Barbican & Sutton Harbour (27), Mutley (24), Millbay & Stonehouse (24), North Prospect (21), Higher Brixham (28), Brixham Town (25), and Wellswood (20) are the clusters of 20 or more.

The worst hit areas across the other parts of the region are Kingsand, Antony & Maryfield and Bude & Stratton (both 11), Cullompton (16), Braunton (19), Yealmpton, Modbury & Aveton Gifford (13), Starcross & Exminster (18), Westward Ho! & Northam South (9) and Hatherleigh, Exbourne & North Tawton and Okehampton (both 15)

The COVID-19 cases are identified by taking specimens from people and sending these specimens to laboratories around the UK to be tested. If the test is positive, this is a referred to as a lab-confirmed case.

Confirmed positive cases are matched to ONS geographical area codes using the home postcode of the person tested.

Cases received from laboratories by 12:30am are included in the counts published that day. While there may have been new cases of coronavirus confirmed or people having tested positive, those test results either yet to reach PHE for adding to the dataset or were not received in time for the latest daily figures to be published.