THE number of new coronavirus confirmed across Devon and Cornwall have fallen by 40 per cent in the last week and to the lowest level since early September – with Devon having England’s lowest infection rates.

A total of 176 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week – the first week with less than 200 since the week ending September 12 – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 47,305.

Infection rates in Devon at an upper tier authority level are the lowest anywhere in England – falling to 9.2/100,000 – and the first time it is in ‘single figures’ since September 21 – with rates in Cornwall and Plymouth as low as they have been since September 18 and Torbay since September 20.

Cases confirmed in the last week fell almost everywhere compared to the previous week, including more than halving in Plymouth and Cornwall, although West Devon rose from four to five, and Torbay, rising from 19 to 26.

Government stats show that 176 new cases have been confirmed across the region in the past seven days in both pillar 1 data from tests carried out by the NHS and pillar 2 data from commercial partners, compared to 292 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 292 new cases confirmed since April 2, 53 were in Cornwall, with 10 in East Devon, 12 in Exeter, 12 in Mid Devon, 3 in North Devon, 32 in Plymouth, 9 in South Hams, 11 in Teignbridge, 26 in Torbay, 3 in Torridge and 5 in West Devon.

This compares to the 292 new cases confirmed between March 26 and April 2, of which 92 were in Cornwall, with 23 in East Devon, 25 in Exeter, 17 in Mid Devon, 9 in North Devon, 74 in Plymouth, 11 in South Hams, 15 in Teignbridge, 19 in Torbay, 3 in Torridge and 4 in West Devon.

For specimens from between March 29 and April 4, Torridge has the second lowest infection rates in England at a lower tier level, with West Devon, East Devon, North Devon, South Hams, and Teignbridge all have rates below 10/100,000.

Infection rates are highest in the 20-39 age group across Devon, but in the 0-19s in Torbay, Plymouth and Cornwall – although at a lower rate than when schools went back in March.

East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon and West Devon are seeing the highest rates in the 20-39s, Teignbridge in the 0-19s, North Devon in the 40-59s, and South Hams and Torridge in the over 80s, but both those rates in those two areas relate to one infection in someone 85-89.

It comes as two of Devon’s four hospitals currently have no patients who have been admitted following a positive COVID-19 test.

As of Tuesday morning (April 6), there were 14 patients across the county in hospital after a positive test, down on the 19 as of the previous Tuesday – the lowest number since the start of October.

Both North Devon District Hospital and Torbay Hospital had no patients inside their walls beds following a positive COVID-19 test – the former for the second Tuesday running, while the latter for the first time since October 5.

Derriford Hospital in Plymouth has three patients (the same as last week) while the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital had 11 patients (down on 13 last week).

In Cornwall, there were seven patients in hospital – the same as last week – with five patients in Royal Cornwall Hospitals and two in Cornish Partnership Trust hospitals.

And the number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds across the two counties is down as well to just one, from four last week, with only one patient at the RDE.

The figures show the amount of patients in hospital following a positive COVID-19 test who are currently occupying a bed.

In the last week, there has been two deaths in Devon and Cornwall hospitals of patients within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, one in Exeter and one in Cornwall.

by Daniel Clark, Local Democracy Reporter