COVID has increased across much of Devon, confirming warnings that the post-Christmas return to education may lead to a rise in infections.

Figures for the week to Thursday, January 20 show the rate in the Devon County Council area went up by more than 20 per cent, with slightly smaller increases in Torbay and Plymouth.

It comes as national rates have also stopped falling after weeks of considerable reductions, indicating the omicron wave may not simply fade away as previously hoped.

The national average is 938 cases per 100,000 people, whilst Devon’s rate is slightly lower at 911, Torbay stands at 1,243 and Plymouth’s is 1,055.

At a district level, all areas apart from North Devon recorded higher numbers of infections in the latest figures.

Teignbridge and East Devon recorded the biggest increases, both going up by around a third, while covid in South Hams and Mid Devon increased by a quarter.

West Devon now has the lowest infection rate in the county at 730, followed by North Devon (848) and East Devon (868).

Teignbridge now has the highest district rate for the virus (1,033).

Fuelling much of the rise in cases appears to be young people aged up to 19.

The rate has increased sharply in the Devon County Council area, from 1,035 cases per 100,000 on January 13 to 1,700 six days later, with similar jumps in Torbay and Plymouth.

It follows a warning earlier this month by Devon County Council’s director of public health Steve Brown as cases began to fall.

He said there could still be an uptick in cases from students returning to schools and colleges after Christmas.

HOSPITALISATIONS

As of the most recent data from Tuesday, January 18, 221 patients with covid were in Devon’s hospital, a similar number to a week ago.

Like last week, more than half (130) are being treated in Plymouth.

Elsewhere, 41 are at the RD and E in Exeter, 35 in Torbay, 13 in North Devon and two at Devon Partnership mental health trust sites.

Of the total number of patients, only two are on ventilation beds, a reduction of five on last week.

Last week, the boss of the NHS in Devon, Dr Paul Johnson, said Covid admissions were expected to peak around the end of January.

DEATHS

A total of 15 more people died in the county within 28 days of testing positive for covid in the latest complete weekly period (up to Thursday, January 20).

Nine were in the Devon County Council area, five in Torbay and one in Plymouth.

A total of 1,515 people in Devon (including Plymouth and Torbay) have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began.

VACCINATIONS

The number of people aged more than 12 who have received their booster (third) covid vaccination is 70 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 65 per cent in Torbay and 58 per cent in Plymouth.

Take-up for at least one dose of a vaccine is 88 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 86 per cent in Torbay and 85 per cent in Plymouth.

The proportion of people who have had two jabs is 83 per cent in Devon, 81 per cent in Torbay and 79 per cent in Plymouth.

Ollie Heptinstall

LDRS