Devon covid still above national average

And it's rising

The widespread increase in covid cases has continued across Devon, with over 15,000 infections in the last week of data.

Figures for the week to last Sunday [20 March] show the rates in the Devon County Council area, Plymouth and Torbay all rose by at least a third.

It means Devon remains well above the national covid rate, despite infections going up across the board.

The UK average is 878 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 1,289 in the county council area, 1,286 in Plymouth and 1,379 in Torbay.

At a district level, the biggest rise was in Torridge where cases went up by 75 per cent. North Devon saw an increase of almost two-thirds, with smaller jumps in other areas.

North Devon continues to be the most prevalent area for the virus in Devon at 1,568 cases per 100,000, however the figures are similar across all districts – each has a rate over 1,000.

The rise in cases has continued since all covid restrictions ended in England at the end of February, including the legal requirement to self-isolate with the virus. Free mass testing will also stop from next Friday.

While there will no longer be access to free lateral flow tests from Friday 1 April, Public Health Devon hopes that people will continue to use up the tests they currently have, ‘to greatest effect.’

Steve Brown, Devon’s director of public health said: “If you have a supply of tests at home, please consider taking a test before visiting older or vulnerable friends or relatives, or before visits to GP surgeries or to hospital.

Lateral flow tests will to be available to buy from local pharmacies and online.  PCR tests will continue to be free for care home residents, hospital patients and other vulnerable groups, if they have symptoms of coronavirus.

HOSPITALISATIONS

A record 416 people with covid were in Devon’s hospitals on Thursday [24 March], the county council’s chief executive revealed – 30 per cent higher than any other point during the pandemic. Official government figures are only correct up to Tuesday 22 March.

Forty per cent of those infected were admitted to hospital for other conditions and then tested positive, Dr Phil Norrey said, with six in intensive care.

DEATHS

Twenty-four more people died in the county within 28 days of testing positive for covid in the latest complete weekly period (up to Saturday 19 March). Thirteen were in the Devon County Council area, six in Torbay and five in Plymouth.

A total of 1,696 people in Devon (including Plymouth and Torbay) have now died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began (as of 20 March).

VACCINATIONS

The number of people aged over 12 who have received their booster (third) covid vaccination is 72 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 66 per cent in Torbay and 61 per cent in Plymouth.

Take-up for at least one dose of a vaccine is 89 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 86 per cent in Torbay and 85 per cent in Plymouth.

The proportion of people who have had two jabs is 85 per cent in Devon, 82 per cent in Torbay and 80 per cent in Plymouth.

The national rates are 92, 86 and 67 per cent respectively.