Devon covid down at last

Many places now below national average

Covid cases have continued to fall across Devon, with several council areas at last having infection rates lower than the national average.

Every authority in Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay, saw rates fall in the seven days to Sunday 5 September, the latest complete data set.

Teignbridge had the biggest decline, with the number of people catching the virus falling by a quarter to 415. The case rate in the district is now 307 per 100,000 of the population, taking it well below the national average of 392. 

Every single district council in the Devon County Council (DCC) area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay, now has an infection rate lower than the national average. The average in the county council area is 345 per 100,000 – around 14 per cent lower than the UK mean.

In Plymouth, cases have fallen by 10 per cent to 1,174. The infection rate per 100,000 of the population is now 447.

In Torbay, cases have fallen by six per cent to 551. This takes the area’s infection rate per 100,000 of the population to 406.

These stats will be welcome news for health bosses in the county. Only two weeks ago Devon had some of the highest infection rates in the UK. This was in part because of the Boardmasters music festival in neighbouring Cornwall, which was linked to more than 5,000 cases.

Hospitalisations 

The fall in infection rates is starting to be mirrored by a decline in hospitalisations.

Latest figures for Tuesday 7 September show 136 people in hospital with covid across Devon, down by 10 on the previous week. 

Of these 136 patients, 56 are at Derriford, 45 are at the RD&E, 18 in Torbay, while 16 are being cared for at North Devon District Hospital.

Across Devon, 17 people in hospital with covid are being intubated.

Deaths

Sixteen people died in Devon within 28 days of a positive covid death in the most recent complete seven-day period (up to and including Sunday 5 September).

Ten people died in the Devon County Council area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay. In Plymouth, six people lost their lives with covid, whilst no deaths were recorded in Torbay.

The total number of people who have died of coronavirus across Devon is now 1,154.

Vaccinations

Eighty-seven per cent of adults have had their first dose of a vaccine in the Devon County Council area, with 80 per cent receiving both doses.

In Plymouth, 84 per cent have had one dose, while 76 per cent have had both.

In Torbay, 85 per cent have received one dose, while 78 per cent have had both jabs.

This means that vaccination rates in Devon are slightly behind the rest of the UK. Eighty-nine per cent of adults in the country have had one dose, while 81 per cent have had both jabs.