WITHIN days of the NHS revealing 1,000 staff were off work due to Covid, Teignbridge has posted a 72.4% rise in cases.

Between March 11 and 17 March, 1,636 people had a confirmed positive test result. This shows an increase of 72.4% compared to the previous seven days.

No-one died within 28 days of a positive test in the the district between March 11 and 17.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust reports there were 40 patients in hospital with coronavirus on March 15, none of them was on a mechanical ventilator.

FIVE SIMPLE THINGS TO DO

Public Health Devon’s Director, Steve Brown, has set out five simple actions that he’d encourage everyone to do to protect themselves and others.

1. ‘If you have symptoms of coronavirus, or any infectious illness, eg a cough or high temperature, vomiting or diarrhoea, or if you have tested positive for coronavirus, please stay at home if you can and avoid seeing others until you are feeling better. Employers, I am asking you to encourage your staff to stay home if they are feeling unwell or have tested positive for coronavirus – it must be better to have one person off for a few days, than risk a team of people being off for longer.

2. ‘Face coverings are still required in health settings, such as GP surgeries and in hospitals. Unless you are exempt, please continue to wear face coverings when in indoor public spaces with people you don’t live with.  That includes public transport, hospitality and retail settings.

3. ‘Testing, to identify if you are likely to have coronavirus, is important, so with free lateral flow tests ceasing from the end of this month, I would encourage people to use their current stock to greatest effect, such as testing before visiting older or vulnerable friend and relatives, or before going to your GP practice or to visit someone in hospital. If you test positive, please stay at home for five days or until your symptoms have gone.

4. ‘Keep up with your vaccinations, because they’re proven to help protect you and others from becoming ill.

5. ‘And simple hand hygiene is also still important, not just to protect from coronavirus, but also for fighting other infectious illnesses. It’s a simple precaution, but still effective.’