Devon & Cornwall covid cases drop 25 per cent

And more than 400,000 arms jabbed

The number of coronavirus cases confirmed in a week across Devon and Cornwall has dropped by 25 per cent to the lowest levels since the start of October.

A total of 650 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in week beginning 19 February – the lowest since the week ending 2 October – brining the total since the start of the pandemic to 45,589.

Cornwall has the lowest infection rates of any county council-level authority in England, with Devon second and Plymouth [a unitary authority] third. At district council level, the four lowest infection rates are all in Devon.

Of the 650 new cases, 174 were in Cornwall, 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 six in West Devon.

In terms of infection rates per age range, case rates are highest in the 20-39 age ranges across Devon and Cornwall, with only North Devon, Mid Devon and West Devon (40-59s) and Torridge (80+) having infection rates higher in different age groups – although the Torridge figure relates to one positive case of someone aged 80-84, and the West Devon figure is one person aged 45-49 and one aged 55-59.

No figures for occupancy of patients within individual hospitals in Devon and Cornwall have been updated this week, but the number of patients in the South West are at 640, the lowest since 7 November.

In the last week, 20 people have died within 28 days of a positive covid test in Devon and Cornwall hospitals: eight in Cornwall, eight in Plymouth, three in Torbay and one in Exeter.

Up to 21 February, 404,574 vaccines have been administered in Devon, 391,325 of them being the first dose. Just under 50,000 vaccinations were carried out last week.