The number of Covid cases has continued to fall across every council area in Devon, and some areas now have rates below the national average.

Latest figures, for the week to Thursday 2 September, show infections dropped by a fifth in the Devon County Council area and in Plymouth, while Torbay's rate fell by a quarter.

It means Devon and Torbay's infection rates of 350 and 365 cases per 100,000 people are now below the UK average of 370. Plymouth's remains higher at 436.

Of the districts in the Devon County Council area, East Devon still has the third highest infection rate, with 378 per 100,000. The South Hams has the highest, at 392.

Just over a week ago the South West was designated as an 'enhanced response area' to help combat weeks of rising infections coinciding with the tourist season. It's thought the Boardmasters music festival in Cornwall may have led to many people spreading the virus. Rates have been steadily falling since then, but the return of children to school could see another increase, as has happened in Scotland.

A slight increase in hospital admissions

Despite infections falling, Devon's hospitals have admitted more patients with the virus, with the figure up by 10 on last week.

Latest figures for Tuesday 31 August show 146 Covid patients in the county's hospitals. However, this remains some way below the number being treated during last winter's peak.

Of those 146 patients, 54 are at Derriford, 51 at the RD&E, 16 in Torbay, 19 in North Devon and six are being cared for at Devon Partnership mental health trust services. Of the total number of patients, 12 are in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of deaths among people testing positive

Twenty-eight more people died in the county within 28 days of testing positive for Covid in the latest complete seven-day period (up to and including Thursday 2 September). Eighteen were in the Devon County Council area, nine in Plymouth and one in Torbay.

A total of 1,146 people in Devon (including Plymouth and Torbay) have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began.

More young people now receiving the vaccine

Government figures for vaccinations now include people aged 16 and over.

The number of people who have received at least one dose of a vaccine is now 87 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 85 per cent in Torbay and 83 per cent in Plymouth.

The proportion of people who are now fully vaccinated with both jabs is now 80 per cent in Devon, 78 per cent in Torbay and 75 per cent in Plymouth.