Covid cases in Devon: where are they happening, and in what age groups?

The number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the last week is the highest since mid-January.

A total of 1,801 new cases were confirmed across the two counties for the second successive week – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 52,048.

It is the highest weekly total since mid-January in terms of the number of new cases, although the number is only a third of what was seen in the January peak when 5,120 cases in a week were recorded.

However, there are only nine people in hospital with Covid across the two counties, with only eight admissions in the last week.

In the week after the last period when case numbers were this high, there were 403 patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test. Tuesday.

The last Covid death in Devon within 28 days of a positive test was on May 9.

Which areas – and which age groups - have the most new Covid cases?

Since June 18, of the 1,801 new cases confirmed 877 were in Cornwall, with 96 in East Devon, 238 in Exeter, 82 in Mid Devon, 44 in North Devon, 221 in Plymouth, 32 in South Hams, 53 in Teignbridge, 65 in Torbay, 82 in Torridge and 11 in West Devon.

This compares to the 1,252 cases in the week of June 11-17, of which, 750 were in Cornwall, 38 in East Devon, 123 in Exeter, 45 in Mid Devon, 31 in North Devon, 129 in Plymouth, 21 in South Hams, 42 in Teignbridge, 30 in Torbay, 31 in Torridge and 12 in West Devon.

Infection rates across Devon and Cornwall are highest in the 20 to 39 age group, and next highest among those aged up to 19, with these age groups seeing the steepest rise. There has been less of a rise in people aged 40 to 59, and only a slight increase among those aged 60 and over.

But despite the large spike in cases, it has not yet translated into a rise in hospitalisations, with just nine patients across the two counties in hospital as of Tuesday following a positive Covid-19 test.

There are five in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital – up from three last week, with only two admissions in the most recent week.

But there still have been no Covid patients in the hospital in North Devon since April 3, while Torbay Hospital has been free of Covid patients since April 13 – the only day since March 30 it housed a Covid patient.

Derriford Hospital in Plymouth is also currently free of Covid patients, with the sole patient admitted in the last week having been discharged on Friday.

Cornwall's two hospital trusts currently have four Covid patients in them as of Tuesday – all at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust – one of whom is in a mechanical ventilation bed, the only patient in the region who is.

It comes as more than 80 per cent of adults in Devon and Cornwall have had their first Covid-19 vaccine, with around two thirds having had both doses.