Covid cases have fallen slightly in the South Hams but it remains the most infectious area in Devon.

Devon’s director of public health urges caution as the first cases of the new Omicron variant are confirmed in the county, and reports that it may be more transmissible than Delta.

Figures for the week to December 15 show the national average to be 522.2 cases per 100,000 people.

The most recent data for the South Hams covers the week to December 10. Worst hit is Kingsbridge with 82 cases and 1269.2 cases per 100,000. This is followed by Yealmpton, Modbury and Aveton Gifford with 93 cases and 1187.2 per 100,000. All other areas come in at less than 1000 cases per 100,000 people and Dartmouth has the lowest rate in the area with 15 cases and 277 cases per 100,000 people.

Steve Brown, the county’s director of public health, said:

“It was only going to be a matter of time before we saw the first Omicron cases in Devon, so this does not come as a surprise.

It will take a while before we have real world data to understand the full characteristics of the Omicron variant, but early indicators do seem to suggest that it is more transmissible than the Delta variant.

“We do expect to see the numbers of confirmed Omicron cases rise in Devon over coming weeks, and it is likely to overtake the Delta virus to become the dominant strain across the country.

“We are monitoring the data very closely and will continue to take appropriate measures to curb transmission where we see outbreak situations.”

Mr Brown is due to update Devon’s council leaders on the situation today.