The amount of Covid patients have increased at Plymouth hospital surgery, making Derriford Hospital temporarily pause non-critical inpatient surgery.
Devon and Cornwall are now at ‘medium’ risk of coronavirus in the newly implemented three-tier system that the government set out on Monday. There was concern surrounding Exeter and how they could become subject to more strict restrictions, this is because they currently have an infection rate that is two-and-a-half times England’s average with 346 cases per 100,000.
In comparison, Plymouth’s rate is 51 cases per 100,000.
More than 80% of cases in Exeter were linked to Exeter University last week, with the council blaming the spike of infection rates on university students. While its easy to blame students, the rest of both counties are significantly lower than the national infection rate of 139 cases per 100,000.
Exeter now have the seventh-highest infection rate in England, the number of cases had risen by 576 one week whereas Plymouth only saw 107.
Both cities have a similar student population so is it justifiable to harbour the blame with students alone?