THE number of weekly number of coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall has dropped nearly 40 per cent and down to the lowest levels since mid-September

A total of 380 new cases were confirmed across the two counties in the last week – the lowest since the week ending September 25 – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 45,964

Cornwall has the second lowest infection rates of any upper tier authority in England, with Devon third, only behind the Isle of Wight, and at a lower tier level, the four of the five lowest infection rates are in Devon.

Government statistics show that 380 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 650 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 380 new cases confirmed since February 26, 78 were in Cornwall, with 67 in East Devon, 29 in Exeter, 23 in Mid Devon, 14 in North Devon, 86 in Plymouth, six in South Hams, 24 in Teignbridge, 41 in Torbay, six in Torridge and six in West Devon

This compared to the 650 new cases confirmed between February 19 and 25, of which 174 were in Cornwall, with 65 in East Devon, 70 in Exeter, 47 in Mid Devon, 22 in North Devon, 104 in Plymouth, 12 in South Hams, 37 in Teignbridge, 103 in Torbay, 10 in Torridge and six in West Devon.

A total of 308 of the cases in the past week have a specimen date between February 26 and March 4, with 63 in Cornwall, 56 in East Devon, 23 in Exeter, 21 in Mid Devon, 10 in North Devon, 71 in Plymouth, four in South Hams, 16 in Teignbridge, 33 in Torbay, six in Torridge and five in West Devon.

In the last week, there have been eight deaths in Devon and Cornwall hospitals of patients within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test, with three in Cornwall, three in Plymouth, one in Torbay, and one in North Devon.