Coronavirus deaths rise in East Devon but fall by a quarter in Devon and Cornwall

The number of deaths attributed to the Coronavirus in East Devon has risen slightly despite the average number of deaths across Devon and Cornwall falling by a quarter.

The figures, published today, relate to all deaths that occurred between April 25 and May 1 but were registered up to May 9.

During this period nine people in East Devon died due to COVID-19, the week before (April 18 to April 24) there were only seven deaths in East Devon attributed to the disease.

Eight of this week's nine COVID-19 deaths were registered in care homes.

The Overall Figures

The number of deaths related to coronavirus in Devon and Cornwall that took place between April 25 and May 1 has dropped by a quarter on the previous week's figures.

In total, 62 deaths in which COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate were registered in that time period, in which 30 occurred in a care home, 30 in a hospital, and two at someone's home.

The previous week saw 82 deaths – six of which were registered after April 25 when the previous figures were released.

The figures show with which local authority the death was registered, so while someone may have died in Derriford Hospital, if they lived outside of Plymouth, their death would be registered with their local authority and not Plymouth.

Of the latest deaths, 20 were registered in Cornwall, nine in East Devon, eight in Plymouth, seven in Torbay, five in North Devon, four in West Devon, three in Exeter and Teignbridge, two in Torridge, one in Mid Devon, and none in the South Hams and the Isles of Scilly.

For care home deaths, for which there were 30, down on 45 in the previous week, nine were registered in Cornwall, eight in East Devon, four in Torbay, three in Plymouth, two in Exeter, one in North Devon, Torridge, Teignbridge and West Devon.

Two home deaths were registered with one in Torbay and one in West Devon.

In total, the ONS stats 419 people in Devon and Cornwall have died with COVID-19 registered on the death certificate. 33 deaths occurred at home, with 243 in hospitals and 143 in care homes.

The overall figures for deaths in 2020 related to coronavirus that occurred up to May 1 and were registered up to May 9 show 158 deaths registered in Cornwall, 54 in Plymouth, 42 in Torbay, 37 in Exeter, 30 in East Devon, 26 in Teignbridge, 22 in North Devon, 16 in Torridge, 13 in West Devon, 12 in Mid Devon, nine in the South Hams, and none in the Isles of Scilly.

Torbay, Exeter, East Devon and Torridge have seen more deaths in care homes than in hospitals, while the South Hams is yet to see a care death registered.