For the first time since March 11, there were no new positive coronavirus cases recorded in Devon and Cornwall yesterday

The Government figures published yesterday afternoon showed that while 2,004 positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, none of them were in either of the two counties.

It was the third day in a row where no new cases have been recorded in Cornwall or the Isles and Scilly and follows just one a day cases respectively being recorded in Devon over the past two days.

March 11 was the last day before today when no coronavirus cases were confirmed in Devon and Cornwall.

Of the 2,004 positive cases across the UK, just 690 were in people admitted to hospital, the lowest figure since early March.

In terms of cases per 100,000 people, Torridge has the lowest of anywhere in England, just 52.8 per 100,000, so just one in 2,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus.

The South Hams has the sixth lowest infection rate, with West Devon 8th, North Devon 10th, East Devon 11th, Cornwall 14th, Teignbridge 18th, Mid Devon 21st, Exeter 30th, Plymouth 34th and Torbay 67th of the 316 regions in England.

The COVID-19 cases are identified by taking specimens from people and sending these specimens to laboratories around the UK to be tested. If the test is positive, this is a referred to as a lab-confirmed case.

Confirmed positive cases are matched to ONS geographical area codes using the home postcode of the person tested.