Devon’s latest Covid hotspot
Devon’s Coronavirus cases have risen rapidly in the week leading up to 9 July.
Case rates are now above 400 per 100,000 in Newton Abbot, Torquay, Plymouth, Honiton, Seaton and Braunton, where cases have risen by 500 per cent.
On Wednesday 7 July, 1046 new cases were reported in Devon, reflecting a national trend that Chris Whitty suggested meant “we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast”.
We could get into trouble again surprisingly fast”
Newton Abbot reported the largest daily spike, with 44 new cases, whilst St James Park in Exeter stands as an anomaly with a 25 per cent decrease in cases.
Death rates remain at zero in Devon, whilst the national R rate has decreased to between 1.2 and 1.4, despite a 17 per cent increase in the more contagious Delta variant.
Solicitor General Lucy Frazer stated this week that the Government could not rule out additional restrictions if this trend continued to an “unacceptable” level, with one is every 95 people in the UK now testing positive.
Editor: Meg Allan