COVID-19 cases have again risen in the Devon County Council area and Plymouth, but fallen slightly in Torbay.

In the latest data for the week to September 30, cases increased by 20 per cent in the Devon County Council area and six per cent in Plymouth, but were down by seven per cent in Torbay.

All three council areas remain below the national average case rate of 348 per 100,000 people.

Devon's  cases per 100,000 people now stands at 311, while the numbers in Torquay and Plymouth are 338 and 256 respectively.

Of the county's eight district areas, North and Mid Devon recorded the biggest rises of about 45 per cent, putting North Devon's infection rate now above the national average at 380 cases per 100,000.

Mid Devon's is still significantly lower at 247.

Torridge and Teignbridge also had increases of about a third (35 per cent), with the infection rate in Torridge also now above the UK figure.

East Devon mirrored the county with cases here going up by a fifth, while Exeter's cases increased by 24 per cent.

Elsewhere, South Hams recorded the only significant fall in Devon, of 27 per cent, though West Devon did see a minor drop of four cases compared to the previous week.

Last week the Covid Enhanced Response Area status for Devon and Cornwall, put in place after infections soared during the summer season, came to an end after public health officials didn't request an extension.

Hospitalisations

Despite fluctuating case numbers in some parts of the county, there seems to be a clear downward trend in the number of people being treated for COVID-19 in Devon's hospitals. The figure is again down on last week, this time by 24.

Latest figures show 73 COVID-19 patients in the county's hospitals, 28 of which were at Derriford in Plymouth, 28 at the Royal Devon & Exeter, 10 in Torbay, five in North Devon and two at Devon Partnership mental health trust sites.

Of the total number of patients, eight were on mechanical ventilation beds.

Deaths

Fourteen more people died in the county within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 in the latest complete weekly period (up to Wednesday, September 29).

Nine were in the Devon County Council area, three in Plymouth and two in Torbay.

A total of 1,225 people in Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay, have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began.

Vaccinations

The government has announced that vaccination percentages for the UK "will not be updated while we work on a solution to include 12-15 year olds".

Last week's figures showed the number of people aged over 16 who have received at least one dose of a vaccine was 87 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 86 per cent in Torbay and 84 per cent in Plymouth.

The proportion of people who were fully vaccinated with both jabs was 82 per cent in Devon, 79 per cent in Torbay and 77 per cent in Plymouth.

COVID cases in the Axminster area

Despite increases across Devon, COVID-19 cases in the Axminster area have dropped, according to the latest figures.

In the seven-day period up until October 1, there were 17 cases in the Axminster area, a decrease of 12 on the previous week.

This means the case rate per 100,000 people was 178.9 – well below the national average of 348.

The figures for neighbouring areas up until October 1 were as follows:

Seaton – 11 (no change from previous week)

Kilmington, Colyton & Uplyme – 17 (increase of 9)

Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale – 16 (decrease of 1)

Sidbury, Offwell & Beer – 15 (increase of 6)

Sidmouth Town – 10 (increase of 6)

Sidmouth Sidford – 30 (increase of 22)

Ottery St Mary & West Hill – 50 (decrease of 1)

Honiton South & West – 17 (decrease of 1)

Honiton North & East – 19 (increase of 9)

Dunkeswell, Upottery & Stockland – 11 (increase of 5)

Chard West – 21 (increase of 2)

Chard North & East – 11 (decrease of 3)

Tatworth & Combe St Nicholas – 8 (decrease of 15)