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 – with every single region bar one seeing a rise.

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, for the second week running, West Devon saw fewer cases confirmed this week than the previous week, and despite the huge rising in infection rates, there are only nine people in hospital across the two counties, with only eight admissions in the last week.

In the week which followed the period when cases were last this high, there were 403 patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test, compared to just the nine as of Tuesday.

And Plymouth hasn’t seen a death since March 1, Torbay’s on March 21, with Cornwall’s last death on May 19, and Devon’s last death being on May 9 within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.

Government stats show that 1,801 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 1,252 new cases confirmed last week.

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 20-39s and then the 0-19s, with these age groups seeing the steepest rise, with a less of a rise in the 40-59s, and those aged 60+ only seeing a very slight increase.

In Devon’s districts, infection rates are highest in the 0-19s in Plymouth, Exeter, North Devon, Torridge and West Devon, with the 20-39s in Torbay, Teignbridge, East Devon, Mid Devon and South Hams having the highest infection rates.

From specimens between June 13-19, no-one over 80 in East Devon, Mid Devon, South Hams and Teignbridge has tested positive for coronavirus, with no-one over 60 in Torridge and West Devon recording a positive test.

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

The latest Government figures, which give the position as of Tuesday, June 22, show that across hospital trusts in the two counties, there are nine patients currently in hospital in the two counties – up from four as of June 15.

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

And in terms of hospital deaths, the most recent was at the Royal Cornwall Trust on June 10 and at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital on May 9.

The highest clusters in the regions across the rest of Devon are Cranbrook, Broadclyst & Stoke Canon (7), Tiverton North & Outer (19), South Molton (12), South Brent & Cornwood and Ivybridge (both 4), Starcross & Exminster (7), and Clifton & Maidenway (5). No area of West Devon or the Isles of Scilly reported three or more cases.

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.