COVID-19 cases have soared across Devon, with a health chief urging people to stay at home if they feel unwell.

Figures for the week up to March 10 show the rate in the Devon County Council area rose by 74 per cent, compared to 66 per cent in Plymouth and 43 per cent in Torbay.

Although cases have also gone up substantially elsewhere, Devon remains above the national COVID-19 infection rate. The UK average is 612 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 758 in the Devon County Council area, 730 in Plymouth and 753 in Torbay.

At a district level, the biggest increase was in North Devon where cases more than doubled. Torridge, West Devon and Teignbridge recorded rises of over 80 per cent.

Torridge remains the least prevalent area for the virus in Devon at 557 cases per 100,000. East Devon still has the highest rate of 873, closely followed by Teignbridge on 801.

The rise in cases comes after all COVID-19 restrictions ended in England at the end of February, while free mass testing will stop from Friday, April 1.

However, Steve Brown, Devon's director of public health, is still urging people to stay at home if they feel ill with coronavirus or symptoms of other illnesses that could be infectious.

Hospitalisations

As of the most recent government data on March 8, 217 patients were in Devon's hospitals with COVID-19, an increase of 45 from a week ago. The biggest number – 106 – were being treated in Plymouth.

Elsewhere, 62 patients were at the Royal Devon & Exeter, 31 in Torbay, 17 in North Devon and one in Devon Partnership mental health trust sites. Of the total, five people were in intensive care with COVID-19.

However, on Tuesday, Dr Paul Johnson of the NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group revealed the hospital figure had since risen to 230.

Deaths

Sixteen more people died in the county within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 in the latest complete weekly period (up to March 9). Eleven were in the Devon County Council area, two in Torbay and three in Plymouth.

As of March 13, a total of 1,657 people in Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay, have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic began.

Vaccinations

The number of people aged over 12 who have received their booster (third) COVID-19 vaccination is 71 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 66 per cent in Torbay and 61 per cent in Plymouth.

Take-up for at least one dose of a vaccine is 89 per cent in the Devon County Council area, 86 per cent in Torbay and 85 per cent in Plymouth.

The proportion of people who have had two jabs is 84 per cent in Devon, 82 per cent in Torbay and 80 per cent in Plymouth.

The national rates are 92, 86 and 67 per cent respectively.

COVID cases in the Axminster area

In line with the picture across Devon, COVID-19 cases have also increased in Axminster according to the latest available figures.

In the seven-day period up to March 12, there were 119 confirmed cases in the Axminster area, an increase of 43 on the previous week.

This means the case rate per 100,000 people was 1,252.2 – well above the Devon County Council rate of 758 and double the national average of 612.

Infections have also increased in every surrounding area.

The figures for neighbouring areas up until March12 were as follows:

Seaton – 61 (increase of 13)

Kilmington, Colyton & Uplyme – 59 (increase of 19)

Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale – 59 (increase of 26)

Sidbury, Offwell & Beer – 35 (increase of 17)

Sidmouth Town – 52 (increase of 22)

Sidmouth Sidford – 81 (increase of 21)

Ottery St Mary & West Hill – 128 (increase of 71)

Honiton South & West – 55 (increase of 17)

Honiton North & East – 46 (increase of 10)

Dunkeswell, Upottery & Stockland – 50 (increase of 28)

Chard West – 67 (increase of 21)

Chard North & East – 69 (increase of 27)

Tatworth & Combe St Nicholas – 51 (increase of 23)