THE number of coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall has fallen by a quarter in the last week and to the lowest level since the start of December

A total of 1,169 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week as the total for the two counties now stands at 44,104– the lowest weekly total for nine weeks.

Devon also has the lowest infection rates of any upper tier authority in England, with Plymouth second and Cornwall third, and at a lower tier level, the seven lowest infection rates are all in Devon.

Government statistics show that 1,169 new cases have been confirmed across the region in the past seven days in both pillar 1 data from tests carried out by the NHS and pillar 2 data from commercial partners, compared to 1,547 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 1,169 cases confirmed since February 5, 425 were in Cornwall, with 90 in East Devon, 68 in Exeter, 101 in Mid Devon, 24 in North Devon, 145 in Plymouth, 39 in South Hams, 105 in Teignbridge, 149 in Torbay, 11 in Torridge and 12 in West Devon

This compares to the 1,547 cases confirmed between January 29 and February 5, of which, 592 were in Cornwall, with 108 in East Devon, 51 in Exeter, 105 in Mid Devon, 27 in North Devon, 242 in Plymouth, 55 in South Hams, 114 in Teignbridge, 203 in Torbay, 11 in Torridge and 39 in West Devon

While the numbers in Exeter have risen slightly, and are unchanged in Torridge, they are two of the three areas with the lowest infection rates in Exeter, and only Mid Devon is not seeing cases fall by specimen date.

A total of 895 of the cases in the past week have a specimen date between February 5 and 11, with 348 in Cornwall, 75 in East Devon, 60 in Exeter, 66 in Mid Devon, 18 in North Devon, 99 in Plymouth, 27 in South Hams, 76 in Teignbridge, 111 in Torbay, 7 in Torridge and 8 in West Devon.

Torridge is the area in England with the lowest infection rate (17.6/100,000), with North Devon second (23.7/100,000), Exeter third (37.3/100,000), West Devon fourth (46.6/100,000), South Hams fifth (52.9/100,000), East Devon sixth (54/100,000), Plymouth seventh (67.5/100,000), Teignbridge 11th (76/100,000), with Cornwall at 80.8/100,000, Torbay and 126/100,000 and Mid Devon at 142.1/100,000.

At upper tier level, Devon has the lowest infection rate in England at 56.6/100,000, and is the lowest since October 1, with Plymouth having the second lowest and Cornwall third.

Nearly 300,000 people in Devon – more than a quarter of the population – have had their first Covid-19 vaccine, latest NHS England figures show.