Devon covid almost double national average

Infections soaring

Rates of covid infection continue to rise well above the national average as Devon braces itself for an influx of visitors over the bank holiday.

Every authority in Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay, reported an increase in infection in the seven days to Sunday 22 August, the last complete data set. The average rate of infection across the county is now 602 per 100,000 people, 72 per cent higher than the UK average of 350 per 100,000.

The highest increase in infection rates was in West Devon where cases rose  more than 160 per cent to 743 per 100,000 of the population. The 257 new cases in the district mean that West Devon has an infection rate 112 per cent higher than the national average.

Devon is now one of the UK’s biggest covid hotspots, a fact partly blamed on the recent Boardmasters festival in Cornwall where more than 5,000 people picked up the virus.

Speaking earlier this week Mike Wade, deputy regional director and NHS regional director of public health from Public Health England South West, warned “Covid-19 has not gone on holiday”, and asking visitors to take lateral flow test before coming to the region and to stay at home if they have symptoms.

Hospitalisations 

According to the latest available data (Tuesday, 24 August), 130 patients are hospitalised in Devon with covid, 10 more than last week.

Derriford Hospital is looking after 52 covid patients, which the Trust that runs it says is pushing it to breaking point. On Thursday [27 August] the Plymouth hospital announced a critical incident because of bed shortages. The hospital now has more people with covid than at any time previously during the third wave of the pandemic. It expects occupancy to rise further in the coming days.

Elsewhere, the RD&E is looking after 40 patients, whilst Torbay and North Devon have 19 each. Ten patients in Devon are on mechanical ventilation beds.

Deaths

Deaths are increasing in the county too. Twenty-four people died within 28 days of a positive covid test in Devon in the most recent complete seven day period (to 22 August), 16 more than the previous week.

The Devon County Council area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay, recorded 14 deaths. In Plymouth, six people died within 28 days of a positive test, whilst four lost their lives in Torbay.

Vaccinations

In the Devon County Council area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay, 88 per cent of people have had one dose, whilst 80 per cent have had both jabs. 

In Plymouth, 84 per cent of over-18s have had one dose of the vaccine, while 74 per cent have had both.

In Torbay, 86 per cent of adults have had one dose. Seventy-eight per cent have had both doses.

Data for the UK as a whole now includes over-16s. It shows that 88 per cent have had one dose of the vaccine. Seventy-eight per cent have had both jabs.