The number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the previous seven days has nearly doubled.

A total of 1,615 new cases were confirmed across the two counties – the highest since the week ending November 13 – in a week that saw the Devon County Council area reach 10,000 confirmed cases.

Clusters recorded in Honiton and surrounding area Dec 7-13

Area - total - infection rate:

Honiton North and East - 17 - 281.1

Feniton and Whimple - 19 - 216.9

Dunkesewell, Upottery and Stockland - 5 - 86.1

Of the 1,615 new cases confirmed since December 11, a total of 238 were in East Devon.

By specimen date, cases are rising everywhere except Exeter and Torbay – although the rise in Plymouth is very shallow.

Positivity rates in East Devon are 4.2.

As of Wednesday morning, there were 249 patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test.

There were seven patients in Mechanical Ventilation beds, with five at the RD&E and two at Derriford Hospital.

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

But not every patient would necessarily have been admitted to hospital due to Covid-19, with a number of patients either contracting the virus inside the hospital, or being admitted for unrelated reasons but subsequently testing positive asymptotically when given routine tests.

In the last week, there have been 28 deaths within hospitals in Devon and Cornwall within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 death, with 20 in Exeter, six in North Devon, one in Plymouth, and one in Cornwall. No deaths in the last seven days have occurred in Torbay.

In terms of the latest cluster maps, that cover the period of specimen dates between December 7 to December 13, Callington and Pensilva (22), Gunnislake and Calstock (15), Exmouth Brixington (25), Feniton and Whimple (19), Honiton North East (17), Cranbrook, Broadclyst and Stoke Canon (15), Exmouth Littleham (15), Wonford and St Loye's (21), Fremington and Instow (28), Roundswell and Landkey (20), Kingsteignton (18), Ogwell, Mile End and Teigngrace (15), Bideford South and East (18) and Tavistock (16) are the only areas reporting clusters of 15 or more.

Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon (Designate) added: "While we saw a decline in cases in November as a result of the national lockdown, over the last week, we have seen that decline stop and a start of a rise in some of this cases.

"What this means is now more than ever we need to do our bit to stop those rates from rising sharply over the next week. The Government informed us we will stay in Tier 2.

"I urge you all to adhere to the Tier 2 guidance over the coming weeks."

He added that the highest rates are still in the over 80s, although case numbers in that age group are falling. Other age groups have seen a rise in cases over the last weeks and that rates in North Devon and East Devon are slightly higher than the rest of the county.