Devon covid deaths down

Second week in a row

Coronavirus deaths in Devon and Cornwall has fallen for the second week in a row, despite them still being at one of the highest levels throughout the pandemic.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that between 30 January and 5 February, 92 of the 433 deaths registered had covid-19 on the death certificate. This means that the death rate is the fourth-highest total for a single week, with the previous two weeks and the week of 11 April last year recording higher totals.

The numbers are beginning to drop and from next week, figures from the ONS should start to show the impact of the third national lockdown. This is because of the difference in time between infection and death.

Of the deaths registered between the end of January and 5 February, 53 of them were in Devon. Exeter and East Devon had 16 deaths between them; Teignbridge, Torbay and the South Hams had a total of 33 deaths; Mid and North Devon had a total of 5. No deaths were recorded in West Devon.

In both counties, 47 deaths occurred in care homes, 41 in hospitals with three at home, and one in a hospice.

47 of the deaths occurred in care homes, 41 in hospitals, with three at home, and one in a hospice.

These figures bring the total number of deaths across both counties from coronavirus to 1,483. Hospitals saw the biggest number of deaths, with 822 taking place. 556 deaths occurred in care homes and 95 took place at home. A further 3 took place in a hospice, three in a communal establishment and four "elsewhere".

Communal establishments, as defined by the ONS, include places such as defence bases, places of education, prisons, hotels and hostels and religious premises. The ONS define elsewhere as places not covered in the other categories, such as in shops or walking down the street.

The total number of deaths from coronavirus since the beginning of 2021 in Devon is now 333.