Cornwall has the third highest number of Delta variant cases of coronavirus than anywhere in the south west, after the number rose almost tenfold in the space of a week.

Up to Wednesday last week (June 16) there had been 42 cases of the variant recorded in the Duchy, but in the subsequent seven days that figure rose to 393. This is the total number found in Cornwall up to Wednesday this week (June 23).

At the start of the month that number was in single figures, with just five up to June 9.

Cornwall's total number is third in the south west only behind Bristol, which has recorded 754 cases of the variant, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which has had 508.

Devon is broken down into ten separate reporting areas, which have a combined 272 cases. The full list can be found below.

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It's as Public Health England’s weekly Covid-19 variant cases data shows that numbers of the Delta (VOC-21APR-02) variant in the UK have risen by 35,204 since last week, to a total of 111,157.

The Delta variant accounted for approximately 95% of sequenced and 92% genotyped cases between June 7 and 21.

Public Health England (PHE) now publishes the number of deaths among people who have tested positive for Delta within the past 28 days, and said the fatality rate remains low for the variant.

However, it warned that deaths tend to happen some weeks after infections and the majority of cases were confirmed less than 28 days ago, it was therefore too early to judge the case fatality of Delta compared to Alpha or other variants.

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Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of UK Health Security Agency, said: "Cases are rising rapidly across the country and the Delta variant is now dominant.

"The increase is primarily in younger age groups, a large proportion of which were unvaccinated but are now being invited to receive the vaccine.

"It is encouraging to see that hospitalisations and deaths are not rising at the same rate but we will continue to monitor it closely. The vaccination programme and the care that we are all taking to follow the guidance are continuing to save lives.

"Please make sure that you come forward to receive both doses of the vaccine as soon as you are eligible. Don’t drop your guard – practise ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ at all times."

Below is the breakdown of cases at Lower Tier Local Authority Level for the South West, showing the total number of cases of the variant up until June 23.

Bath and North East Somerset 159

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 508

Bristol, City of 754

Cheltenham 161

Cornwall 393

Cotswold 48

Dorset 224

East Devon 17

Exeter 77

Forest of Dean 45

Gloucester 236

Mendip 24

Mid Devon 19

North Devon 13

North Somerset 145

Plymouth 52

Sedgemoor 38

Somerset West and Taunton 30

South Gloucestershire 246

South Hams 14

South Somerset 34

Stroud 71

Swindon 134

Teignbridge 41

Tewkesbury 126

Torbay 21

Torridge 10

West Devon 8

Wiltshire 254