Cases drop to lowest level in months

THE number of weekly coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall has dropped by 25% and is now down to the lowest levels since the start of October, writes Daniel Clark

A total of 650 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week – the lowest since the week ending October 2 – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 45,589.

Cornwall has the lowest infection rates of any upper tier authority in England, with Devon second and Plymouth third, and at a lower tier level the four lowest infection rates are all in Devon.

Government statistics show that 650 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 835 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 650 new cases confirmed since February 19, 174 were in Cornwall, with 65 in East Devon, 70 in Exeter, 47 in Mid Devon, 22 in North Devon, 104 in Plymouth, 12 in South Hams, 37 in Teignbridge,

103 in Torbay, 10 in Torridge and 6 in West Devon.

This compares to the 835 cases confirmed between February 13 and 18, of which 241 were in Cornwall, with 81 in East Devon, 92 in Exeter, 57 in Mid Devon, 23 in North Devon, 127 in Plymouth, 13 in South Hams, 65 in Teignbridge, 119 in Torbay, 11 in Torridge and 6 in West Devon.

Case rates are highest in the 20-39 age ranges across Devon and Cornwall. Two more hospital deaths, both at the Royal Devon & Exeter, were recorded yesterday.