New Covid-19 cases in Cornwall surge to more than 3,000 in one week
Newquay has one of the highest case rates in the UK, amid reports of positive tests linked to Boardmasters
Last updated 23rd Aug 2021
Over 3,000 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Cornwall in the space of one week.
The latest weekly figures, reported on Sunday (August 22nd), showed 3,049 positive tests and a case rate of 529 per 100,000 people.
It was almost THREE TIMES as high in parts of Newquay, amid reports of cases linked to Boardmasters.
The weekly figures cover the seven days to last Tuesday (August 17th), which includes the recent spike across the Duchy.
Daily totals in the Duchy, which peaked at 953 new cases on Friday, have seen a drop over the weekend.
However, Cornwall Council is urging people to remain vigilant and to make testing a top priority.
The council says the increase is due to a combination of factors including the lifting of national restrictions and the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, as well as the high number of visitors and the abundance of hospitality venues in tourist destinations such as Falmouth and Newquay where people can mix.
In a statement released on Friday (August 20th) the authority said that although it is still too early to gauge the final impact of Boardmasters, the Public Health team is "expecting the event to have contributed to the increase in case numbers, particularly amongst young people".
The latest weekly and daily coronavirus figures for Cornwall can be found on Public Health England's interactive map.
Rachel Wigglesworth, Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Covid cases have been rising steadily across Cornwall over recent weeks – particularly in our tourist hotspots. This is an inevitable consequence of the lifting of restrictions and the delta variant’s increased transmissibility. It is quite a different picture to last summer.
“Of course, big events and mass gatherings like Boardmasters are now permitted and our Public Health team worked closely with the organisers over many weeks to ensure the event was as Covid-safe as possible, with measures going above and beyond national guidance.
“We will continue to monitor the data as it becomes available, but we expect the festival will have contributed to the rise in cases we’re currently seeing.
“That’s why we’re continuing to encourage everyone to get both of their jabs as soon as they can as this not only protects themselves but also diminishes the virus’s ability to spread.
“Our advice to residents, visitors and anyone who attended Boardmasters also remains the same – if you have Covid symptoms then isolate immediately and book a PCR test. If you have no symptoms, please continue to test twice a week with rapid Lateral Flow Tests which are available for free from pharmacies or can be delivered to your home.
“It is also advisable to wear a face covering in crowded areas, indoors or on public transport, keep your distance from other people where possible, and wash and/or sanitise your hands regularly".
Health bosses in Wales say at least 56 people in the Swansea Bay have tested positive for coronavirus, after recently returning from Boardmasters.
In terms of local figures, Cornwall Council says Covid cases in Newquay were high before the festival and "the high case rate in the town at present cannot be attributed to Boardmasters".
The organisers of Boardmasters also released a statement last week, saying they were "monitoring the data".
It states: "Like any town, we cannot eliminate risk entirely and, while it is still too early to see from the data if there has been any impact on Covid-19 cases, there are likely to be anecdotal reports of some people who were at the festival among those who test positive in the days following.
"Cornwall Council’s public health team will be closely monitoring the data in the coming weeks, as will we".