EIGHT new cases have been recorded across Teignbridge, but the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the last week is unchanged from the previous seven days as infection rates remain among the lowest in England.

A total of 132 new cases were confirmed across the two counties for the second successive week – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 48,551 – with Plymouth and Cornwall seeing an increase while cases in Devon have fallen.

The 132 though is still the second lowest weekly total since 154 were recorded in the week of September 6-12, with the week of August 30-September 5 was the last time the total was lower, when 96 cases were recorded.

Infection rates in Cornwall though of 2.8/100,000 are the lowest in England, and the lowest the county has been since late August, with Devon’s rate of 7.7/100,000 also in the bottom ten and the lowest the county has been since early April and before step 2 of the roadmap.

Contrary to the rest of England, cases in Devon and Cornwall do not yet appear to be rising following the relaxation of restrictions under step 3, with only one person in hospital across the two counties.

Government stats show that 132 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 132 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 132 new cases confirmed since May 28, 27 were in Cornwall, with 8 in East Devon, 15 in Exeter, 9 in Mid Devon, 6 in North Devon, 34 in Plymouth, 6 in South Hams, 8 in Teignbridge, 13 in Torbay, 3 in Torridge and 3 in West Devon.

This compares to the 132 confirmed between May 22 and 28, of which 16 were in Cornwall, 7 in East Devon, 18 in Exeter, 9 in Mid Devon, 7 in North Devon, 24 in Plymouth, 18 in South Hams, 11 in Teignbridge, 13 in Torbay, 8 in Torridge and 1 in West Devon.

Latest Public Health England data shows that less than five cases in total of the Delta variant have been recorded in Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and Teignbridge, with five cases in Exeter. East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, the South Hams, Torridge and West Devon have had no cases.

Infection rates are highest in the 20-39s in Devon, while in Cornwall, reflecting the overall low infection rates the county has, they are in the over 80s, but that equates to two cases, with infection rates in the 0-19s having fallen in both counties.