The latest figures show COVID-19 rates have risen slightly across Devon, fuelled by a sharp rise in cases in Torbay.

As pop January 9, the county recorded 13,994 new cases – 191 (1.4 per cent) more than in the previous week.

The increase is largely due to a steep rise in infections in Torbay. The area recorded 1,868 cases, 441 (31 per cent) more than the previous week.

The infection rate in Torbay is now 1,371 per 100,000 of the population – the highest rate in Devon.

The Devon County Council area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay, saw cases fall by 113 (one per cent), recording 8,557 infections – a rate of 1,056 per 100,000.

Plymouth recorded 3,569 cases, 173 fewer (five per cent) than the previous week. The city's infection rate – 1,358 per 100,000 people – is only slightly behind Torbay's.

There are, however, small reasons for optimism. On Wednesday, January 11, 99,652 cases were recorded across the UK – the first time the daily infection number has been below 100,000 since December 22 last year.

Cases have also significant dropped in Seaton and across the local area (see below for full figures).

Devon's public health director, Steve Brown, told a meeting of the county council's health and wellbeing board that the last three of four days of data indicated a flattening or slight downward trajectory in cases.

But he warned: "Before we get too excited about that, we always know previously that when children go back – both primary, secondary, college but also universities – there's often a lag of a week to ten days before we start to see an uptick in cases.

"So reasons to be optimistic, but I think we need to be slightly cautious before we actually say that we've reached the peak of the Omicron wave.

"Even if we have reached the peak expectation from a modelling perspective, it might be a week or two before we see that peak in terms of hospitalisations and then maybe a week or two later before we see the peak in terms of deaths."

"We do expect other variants and we don't know what the impact of those will be, so whatever the modelling suggests and whatever optimism we have, there's always a degree of caution about that."

Hospitalisations

As of January 4, there were 174 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across Devon, an increase of more than 50 from the previous week. More than half (92) were at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Elsewhere, 37 were at the Royal Devon & Exeter, 28 in Torbay, 10 in North Devon and seven at Devon Partnership mental health trust sites.

Of the total number of patients, 13 were in ventilation beds.

Deaths

Fourteen people died within 28 days of receiving a positive COVID-19 test across Devon in the seven day period up until January 9 – down by four from the same time last month.

Eight people died in the Devon County Council area. Three deaths were recorded in Plymouth and in Torbay.

Across Devon, 1,486 people have now died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test since the pandemic began.

Vaccinations

Eighty-eight per cent of people aged 12 and above have had their first dose of a vaccine in the Devon County Council area, with 83 per cent receiving both doses. Sixty-nine per cent have now had their booster.

In Plymouth, 85 per cent have had one dose, while 78 per cent have had both. Fifty-seven per cent have had the booster.

In Torbay, 86 per cent have received one dose, while 80 per cent have had both jabs. Sixty-four per cent have had their third vaccine.

The national rates are 91, 83 and 63 per cent respectively.

COVID cases in the Seaton area

The latest government figures show that COVID-19 cases in Seaton have significantly dropped.

In the seven-day period up until January 11, there were 52 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Seaton, a decrease of 29 on the previous week.

This means the case rate per 100,000 people was 687.5 – well below the Devon County Council rate of 1,056.

Case numbers also decreased in almost every surrounding area, except Honiton South & West.

The figures for neighbouring areas up until January 11 were as follows:

Axminster – 59 (decrease of 59)

Kilmington, Colyton & Uplyme – 44 (decrease of 54)

Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale – 48 (decrease of 34)

Sidbury, Offwell & Beer – 34 (decrease of 5)

Sidmouth Town – 36 (decrease of 13)

Sidmouth Sidford – 75 (decrease of 29)

Ottery St Mary & West Hill – 66 (decrease of 26)

Honiton South & West – (increase of 14)

Honiton North & East – 46 (decrease of 6)

Dunkeswell, Upottery & Stockland – 40 (decrease of 14)

Chard West – 86 (decrease of 6)

Chard North & East – 86 (decrease of 15)

Tatworth & Combe St Nicholas – 63 (decrease of 20)

——————————————————————

You can submit your own news straight to Seaton News by using the 'Nub It' button on our homepage. This can also be done for free for events on our What's On page and businesses, groups and organisations on our Local List page by using the 'Nub It' button.

Please like and follow our online newspaper on your favourite social media channel. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. And don't forget to sign up to our free weekly newsletter below!