Honiton covid cases drop while vaccination rollout continues in earnest

The number of coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall has fallen in the previous seven days – but not everywhere.

A total of 3,521 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week as the total for the two counties now stands at 39,061 – the third highest weekly figure.

The number of cases confirmed have fallen everywhere except in West Devon, where there has been a rise on cases.

Below are the number of recorded cases between Jan 11-17 in Honiton and surrounding area.

Area: Cases Infection rate

Honiton North and East: 29 479.5

Honiton South and West: 16 290.9

Dunkesewell, Upottery and Stockland: 15 258.4

Ottery St Mary and West Hill: 22 247

Feniton and Whimple: 18 205.5

Government statistics show that 3,521 new cases have been confirmed across the region in the past seven days, compared to 4,390 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 3,521 cases confirmed since January 15, 221 were in East Devon.

This compares to the 4,390 cases confirmed between January 9 and 15, of which 345 were in East Devon.

By specimen date, only West Devon and Plymouth are not seeing a fall in cases, with the sharpest drops in East Devon, North Devon and Torridge.

The latest positivity rates for tests carried out at 6.1% in East Devon.

As of Tuesday morning, there were 426 patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test, up from 350 as of last Tuesday.

There were 95 patients at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (down from 99 as of Jan 12), 44 at the Nightingale (up from 34), 34 at Torbay Hospital (up from 25), 110 in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth (up from 72), 7 at North Devon District Hospital (down from 9), and 136 in Cornwall (up from 111), although not all patients are local given some have been transferred to the region from elsewhere.

And as a percentage of total acute beds available, 2% of beds in North Devon are occupied with Covid patients, 5% in Torbay, 10% in Cornwall, 12% in Plymouth, and 16% in Exeter, with only Derriford having seen a rise in the past week.

North Devon and Torbay have the lowest percentage occupancy rates anywhere in England, while at a partnership level, Devon is the lowest with Cornwall second lowest.

In the last week, there have been 49 deaths within hospitals in Devon and Cornwall within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 death, with 21 in Exeter, 11 at Royal Cornwall Hospitals, seven in Plymouth, five at Cornish Partnership Trust Hospitals, three in Torbay and two in North Devon.

The areas in each region with the highest number of cases are Tiverton East (21), Helston (58), Exmouth Littleham (41), Middlemoor and Sowton (31), Lynton and Lynmouth (17), City Centre, Barbican and Sutton Harbour (45), Ivybridge (29), Ogwell, Mile End and Teigngrace (35), Wellswood (33), Bideford South and East (11), and Tavistock (31).

In terms of infection rates per age range, case rates are highest in the over 80s age range, although only marginally ahead of the 20-39s.

Infection rates are highest in the 20-39s in Torbay, Cornwall, Mid Devon, South Hams, Torridge and West Devon, with Exeter, East Devon, Teignbridge and Plymouth seeing their highest infection rates in the over 80s. North Devon meanwhile is in the 40-59 age ranges.

7.2 per cent of Devon's residents have received first jab

Across Devon, NHS figures show that as of January 17, 98,234 vaccinations had occurred, with that figure having risen further in the most recent days.

Just over 85,000 people had been vaccinated, with nearly 12,000 of those having had their second dose. Of those having had one dose, 39,880 of them are over 80s with 46,469 under 80, mainly in health and care professions.

Just over 50 per cent of Devon's over 80s had, as of Sunday, had their first dose, with more than 13 per cent having had the second dose as well.

The majority of care home residents have also now been vaccinated.

Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, has pleaded with residents to follow the new national lockdown restrictions.

He said: "We are a critical phase. The numbers are stabilising but it shows the importance of people adhering to the national lockdown restrictions.

"While compared to the national figures, we have relatively low numbers, they are high compared to where we were, and while there are reasons to be optimistic, we cannot take our foot of the gas.

"Hope is on the horizon. The vaccine programme is rapidly gathering pace and everyone in our care homes and the rest of the over 80s should have had the chance to have a first dose over the next few weeks."