Number of new Covid cases across Cornwall and Devon falls to lowest level since September
It is the first week with less than 300 cases since the week ending September 18th
Last updated 6th Apr 2021
The number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall have fallen a third in the last week and to the lowest level since mid-September.
A total of 292 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week – the first week with less than 300 since the week ending September 18– with the total since the start of the pandemic at 47,410.
Cases confirmed in the last week have risen in Exeter and North Devon – both though by a single figure total – and have fallen everywhere else in the two counties.
Government stats show that 292 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 397 new cases confirmed last week.
Of the 292 new cases confirmed since March 26, 92 were in Cornwall, with 23 in East Devon, 25 in Exeter, 17 in Mid Devon, 9 in North Devon, 74 in Plymouth, 11 in South Hams, 15 in Teignbridge, 19 in Torbay, 3 in Torridge and 4 in West Devon
This compares to the 397 new cases confirmed between March 19 and 25, of which 109 were in Cornwall, with 44 in East Devon, 19 in Exeter, 20 in Mid Devon, 7 in North Devon, 126 in Plymouth, 11 in South Hams, 16 in Teignbridge, 27 in Torbay, 9 in Torridge and 9 in West Devon.
The number of patients in hospitals across Devon following a positive Covid-19 test have nearly halved in the last week to levels last seen in early October.
As of Tuesday morning (March 30), there were 19 patients across the county in hospital after a positive test, down on the 34 as of the previous Tuesday. It is the lowest figure since early October.
And in Cornwall, the patients in hospital have also fallen, dropping from 13 last week to seven as of Tuesday, to the lowest numbers since mid-December.
In total there were 13 patients at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (down from 21 as of March 23), 3 at Torbay Hospital (down from 6), 3 in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth (down from 6), and 0 at North Devon District Hospital (down from1).
There are also five patients in Royal Cornwall Hospitals and two in Cornish Partnership Trust hospitals
And the number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds across the two counties is down as well to 4, from 6 last week, with all four being at the RDE. There are no patients in mechanical ventilation beds in Cornwall.
In the last week, there has been one death in Devon and Cornwall hospitals of patients within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test, in Exeter.
In terms of the latest MSOA cluster maps, that cover the period of specimen dates between March 22 and March 28, there are 185 areas of Devon and Cornwall with between 0-2 cases, up from 181 as of last Friday
The MSOA areas in each region with the highest number of cases are Launceston (18), Seaton (9), St James’s Park & Hoopern (6), Uffculme & Hemyock (7), Ham, Beacon & Pennycross (11), Yealmpton, Modbury & Averton Gifford (4), Newton Abbot Broadlands & Wolborough (3), Watcombe and Torquay Central (both 4), Shebbear, Cookworthy & Broadheath (4) and Hatherleigh, Exborne & North Tawton (3). No area of North Devon reported three or more cases.
It comes as more than one million Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in Devon and Cornwall.
The statistics, which provide the position as of March 28, show that there have been 1,057,602, vaccines delivered in the two counties, with 949,981 of them being the first dose.
In Devon, 642,832 people have had their first dose, with 71,795 of them having had a second dose, while in Cornwall, 307,149 people have had their first dose, with 35,826 a second dose.
It means that in Devon, 64.3 per cent of adults have had at least vaccine dose, with 7.1 per cent of adults having had a second dose, while in Cornwall, 66.2 per cent of adults have had one dose, with 7.7 per cent having had their second dose as well. These figures will have risen in the most recent days as it shows the position as of Sunday.
Of the adult population, 66.2 per cent in Cornwall, 71.7 per cent in East Devon, 51.9 per cent in Exeter, 81.7 per cent in the Isles of Scilly, 67.1 per cent in Mid Devon, 68.7 per cent in North Devon, 60 per cent in Plymouth, 70 per cent in South Hams, 71.2 per cent in Teignbridge, 70 per cent in Torbay, 70.2 per cent in Torridge, and 71.9 per cent in West Devon, have had one dose. These figures are as of March 28 and so will have risen in recent days.
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 Office for National Statistics 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 Public Health England for adding to the dataset or were not received in time for the latest daily figures to be published.