Devon covid up around 50 per cent

Big rise in last week of 2021

Covid has risen sharply across Devon, as the county begins to replicate the rising levels of the virus across the rest of the UK.

In the week to Thursday 30 December, Torbay’s rate rose by over 50 per cent, with increases of just under half in Plymouth and the Devon County Council area.

It marks a significant change from the first half of December when covid rates were falling in Devon and the Omicron variant was not yet believed to have spread substantially. Festive mixing may have altered that.

However, infections in the county remain way below the national average of 1,597 per 100,000 people; in Devon and Torbay at or just over 850, and at 1,180 in Plymouth.

At district level, Mid Devon and North Devon recorded the largest increases – just over 65 per cent. Cases in Teignbridge and Torridge both went up by 60 per cent in the last week of December.

West Devon, which recorded the smallest increase of 24 per cent, now has the lowest covid rate of the county’s council areas at 738, with Exeter’s rate of 983 being the most prevalent part of the county council area.

HOSPITALISATIONS

As of the most recent data from Tuesday 28 December, 123 patients with covid were in Devon’s hospitals, a reduction of eight from a fortnight ago. Seventy-one people are at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, 24 at the RD&E in Exeter, 17 in Torbay and 11 in North Devon.

Of the total number of patients, 15 are in ventilation beds.

DEATHS

Twenty-three more people died in the county within 28 days of testing positive for covid in the latest complete weekly period (up to Thursday 30 December). Fifteen were in the Devon County Council area, five in Torbay and three in Plymouth.

A total of 1,459 people in Devon (including Plymouth and Torbay) have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began.

VACCINATIONS

The proportion of people aged 12 or over who have received their booster (third) covid vaccination is 66 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 61 per cent in Torbay and 52 per cent in Plymouth.

Take-up for at least one dose of a vaccine is 88 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 86 per cent in Torbay and 84 per cent in Plymouth.

The proportion of people who have had two jabs is 82 per cent in Devon, 80 per cent in Torbay and 78 per cent in Plymouth.