The number of deaths relating to coronavirus in Devon and Cornwall has fallen by 25 per cent and to the lowest level since the beginning of 2021.

The figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which relate to the week of February 6 to 12, but registered up to February 20, show that 75 of the 347 deaths registered in the two counties had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.

Deaths in Devon have dropped nearly 40 per cent week-on-week, but Cornwall has seen its numbers slightly rise.

The 75 deaths is the lowest total for five weeks, but is still the eighth highest weekly total since the pandemic began.

But the numbers across the two counties as a whole have now fallen for four weeks in a row as the ONS figures see the impact of the third national lockdown due to the time lag between infections and deaths, as well as the start of the vaccine effect following the rollout that began at the end of 2020.

Of the 75 deaths registered in week 6 (February 6 to 12), there were 40 deaths of people from Cornwall, 9 in Plymouth, 7 in Torbay and Teignbridge, 4 in East Devon, 3 in Exeter and Mid Devon, 1 in Torridge and West Devon. No deaths in the Isles of Scilly, North Devon, or the South Hams were registered.

33 of the deaths occurred in care homes, 39 in hospitals, with three at home.

The deaths included two in a care home, one at home, and four in hospital of someone from Teignbridge.