Cases up in West and East of county

NEW coronavirus figures for Devon show the spread of the virus across the county.

While boroughs in Exeter had the highest numbers of new

Covid cases during the summer, as the year draws to a close it is areas of West Devon and East Devon that have the highest numbers of new positive coronavirus cases in Devon.

Data released on Sunday reveals the number of new positive cases of coronavirus recorded in different areas of the county from December 16 to December 22, and shows the areas with the highest number of new positive cases are Chagford, Princetown & Dartmoor (64 cases), Cranbrook, Broadclyst & Stoke Canon (33 cases), Exmouth Littleham (28 cases) and Cullompton (28 cases).

At the other end of the scale, Seaton, Tiverton West, Salcombe, Malborough & Thurlestone, Chillington, Torcross & Stoke Fleming, Kingsbridge, Marldon, Stoke Gabriel & Kingswear, Ipplepen & Broadhempston and Watcombe have the lowest number of new positive cases in the county, with zero or 0-2 cases.

Earlier this month, Dartmoor Prison confirmed a number of positive Covid-19 cases.

Dartmoor Prison has not confirmed what proportion of the area’s cases are within its walls, but has stressed there is no evidence its outbreak has spread to the wider community.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Robust safeguards are in place at Dartmoor following a number of positive cases and we have seen absolutely no evidence to suggest outbreaks in prisons have driven a significant increase in cases in the wider community.”