Another Friday afternoon, so here's the latest round-up of coronavirus figures across Devon and Cornwall, and it probably won't come as a surprise to anyone to find out that the number of cases has risen this week - although Plymouth has seen the number fall

Government statistics show that 154 new cases have been confirmed across the region in the past seven days in both pillar 1 data from tests carried out by the NHS and pillar 2 data from commercial partners, compared to 96 new cases confirmed last week.

Thirty new cases were confirmed this week in Cornwall, with 12 in Torbay, with 71 across the Devon County Council area, and 39 in Plymouth. Cases confirmed across Cornwall and Devon doubled, in Torbay tripled, but in Plymouth, they fell, with 39 cases compared to the 40 last week

Of the 154 new cases, 30 were in Cornwall, with 18 in East Devon, 17 in Exeter, four in Mid Devon, eight in North Devon, 39 in Plymouth, seven in the South Hams, nine in Teignbridge, 12 in Torbay, six in Torridge, and two in West Devon.

However, not all of the 154 cases related to specimen dates from the last week, with only 96 of the cases having a specimen date of between September 4 and September 10, with the majority of the remaining 58 cases being from September 1-3, including some that were reported today

While there has been a lot of backdating in the figures, it is unclear yet as to whether the higher numbers of cases confirmed from Sep 2-4 will continue into the more recent days as testing backlogs are cleared, but by specimen date, they are dropping again

Of the cases had a specimen date of between Sep 4 and Sep 10, 15 of Cornwall cases 6 in East Devon, 11 in Exeter, 2 in Mid Devon, 6 in North Devon, 3 in the South Hams, 7 in Teignbridge, 34 in Plymouth, 7 in Torbay, 3 in Torridge, and 2 in West Devon, occurred in that period

By specimen date, the most recent case in Cornwall, Exeter, Plymouth, Teignbridge and Torridge is September 9, is September 7 for East Devon and North Devon, September 6 for Mid Devon, Torbay and West Devon, and September 5 for the South Hams.

Of the cases with a specimen date of between September 1 to 7, there are currently 11 clusters where three of more cases have been confirmed in a Middle Super Output Area – seven in Devon and four in Plymouth, with none still in Cornwall, for the 9th successive week

Plymouth currently has four clusters, all of three cases, in Cattedown and Prince Rock, Mutley, Plymstock Hooe and Oreston, and Honicknowle and Manadon. There is a cluster of four cases in Clyst, Exton and Lympstone, and in Cranbrook, Broadclyst and Stoke Canon, in East Devon,

three cases in Wonford and St Loyes, and Pennsylvania and University, in Exeter, a cluster of three Bishop's Nympton, Witheridge & Chulmleigh in North Devon,and four cases in Wellswood and Churston and Galmpton in Torbay.

While the number of cases being confirmed still remains relatively low, not all of the new cases are linked to returning international travellers, which has been the pattern previously.

Despite the rise in cases across the region, the number of people in hospital with coronavirus has continued to remain relatively low. In the South West, the figure has risen from 10 as of last week to 12 today, but has dropped from 13 as of yesterday, with only 2 patients an ICU

The first death in a hospital in Devon and Cornwall since June 29 was announced today, occurring in the Royal Cornwall Hospital on September 8, ending a more than two month run without one being announced.

But figures that had been released yesterday, although only covering the period up until September 3, showed there was only one person in Cornwall and no-one in Devon in hospital following a positive COVID-19 test.

Since those figures were provided, there was been the death in the Cornish hospital that was announced today and occurred on September 8 – it is unknown as to whether this death relates to the individual who was in hospital on September 3.

While the very latest figures are not available, the situation on September 3 showed that there was one person in the Royal Cornwall Hospital, with Torbay’s last patient discharged on August 22, Derriford’s on September 1, Exeter’s on July 26, and North Devon’s on June 18.

The R Rate for the South West is now being estimated as between 0.9 and 1.2, up from 0.8 – 1.1, as of last week, and is the joint lowest in the country.

In total, Torridge has had 64 positive cases, West Devon 78, with 123 in the South Hams, 143 in North Devon, 235 in Mid Devon, 238 in Teignbridge, 274 in East Devon, 291 in Exeter, 318 in Torbay, 793 in Plymouth and 1026 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Torridge remains the place in England with the lowest overall positivity rate, and is 3rd in the overall table behind Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides) and the Orkney Islands.

Including Scotland and Wales as well, West Devon is 7th, the South Hams 8th, North Devon 9th, Teignbridge 12th, Cornwall 14th, East Devon 16th, Exeter 25th, Torbay 28th, Mid Devon 48th and Plymouth 56th of the 369 regions.

Usual caveats apply about it only being confirmed cases, but they are only figures that we can base any of the information on. In terms of schools returning, they've now been back long enough that we should begin to see any impact, if there is any, so one to keep an eye on

Full story to follow, but first, here's how Devon plans to tackle the testing shortages that are a national issue with not enough lab capacity available https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/how-devon-handling-coronavirus-testing-4504306

And a warning from Devon's Public Health Director that residents needs to do their bit as cases are beginning to be seen in the community, although at low levels https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/devon-residents-urged-bit-coronavirus-4503685