Fears as student Covid cases soar

WESTCOUNTRY residents living close to one of the fastest growing coronavirus hotspots have spoken of how they are “living in fear.”

Parts of Exeter have shot into the top ten areas for the speed at which cases of Covid-19 are growing.

And while the cases are largely confined to university students, older people living in the area say they are deeply worried especially since some students have been breaching restrictions and partying despite the risks.

A small number of students have been suspended by the University, which is working with partner agencies to prevent the further spread of the virus.

The Pennsylvania and University area has entered the top 10 worst affected wards in the country in recent days. So far there is no evidence of a notable spread to the non-student community and no reason to impose a city-wide lockdown, public health officials say.

According to latest figures released yesterday, there have been 236 confirmed cases in the area, but it is not clear how distorted those figures are due a national IT glitch which undercounted statistics.

The university has been using its own private testing service on the campus, but since Monday has also permitted a temporary testing centre on the Streatham campus to be set up to provide additional capacity for Exeter students and staff.

Tracey Hibberd who owns and runs Dennyshill Care Home in Glenthorne Road in Duryard, which caters specifically for disabled people in their 80s and 90s said residents were being kept inside to stay safe.

THE owner of a care home said the noise from Exeter University students this year is the worst it has ever been.

Tracey Hibberd, who runs Dennyshill Care Home, said: “We have done so well to keep Covid-19 out of our home and have not had any cases with staff or residents. What we are having major problems with is noise.”

Charlie Davies, chair of the Devonshire Place Residents Association, where there is also a large student population, said: “The huge spike in coronavirus numbers here makes you feel very nervous. I’m 67 and my wife is 65. Next door to us is someone who is very vulnerable as they have asthma. Down from them are two people in their 80s and 90s and so on...we try to avoid students, but it is not easy.”