A new COVID-19 ‘cluster’ area has joined the ranks of those previously identified in South East Cornwall in the latest figures from Public Health England for the period October 20-26.

A coronavirus ‘cluster’ is identified as being three or more cases in an area of 750,000 people, and the new local cluster area is Gunnislake and Calstock, where there are now three cases of people infected with the virus. However, the areas of Looe and Polperro, St Neot and St Cleer, and St Austell Central have disappeared from the latest COVID clusters map, meaning there are now two or fewer cases in each of those areas.

As for the other South East Cornwall cluster areas, Kingsand, Maryfield and Antony still has 39 cases of COVID-19 – the largest number in Cornwall and identified as being attributable to an outbreak at the HMS Raleigh Royal Navy training base.

In Saltash Latchbrook and St Stephens there are still eight cases of the virus, so no increase from the previous reported figures, and in Mid Saltash the situation is also static at four people infected, but in Saltash Town and Pillmere cases have risen by two to leave a total of six people with COVID.

In St Germans and St Mellion the number of people with coronavirus has fallen by one to leave four still active cases, and in Callington and Pensilva the number of cases remains the same as the previous set of figures with three people having the virus.

However, in Liskeard there has been a rise in cases to six people affected, but in neighbouring Dobwalls, Addington and Menheniot virus figures have fallen by two to leave four people with COVID-19.

In the area of Altarnun and Stoke Climsland, the situation remains static with three people still having the coronavirus, but in Lanreath, Pelynt and Polruan there is worse news with the number of cases rising by three to leave seven people suffering with COVID.

However, in the area of Lostwithiel and Penwithick virus cases have fallen by two, giving a total of six people still with the virus, and in nearby Par the number of cases has fallen by one to leave three people still affected.

In Mid Cornwall, the number of people with the virus in Bodmin East has also fallen by one to leave four people still infected, and in Bodmin West there has also been a fall of one case to make a total of five people with COVID.

In St Austell North and Carclaze the situation is currently static with six people having the virus, but in St Austell East and Carlyon Bay there has been an encouraging drop of three cases to leave three people still affected. However, in the area of Mevagissey and Polgooth the number of people infected with COVID-19 has risen by one to give a total of five people with the virus.

Elsewhere in Cornwall, numbers of virus cases in the cluster areas are mostly in single figures except for three other areas where numbers are now in double figures. These are, in North Cornwall, Bude and Stratton, where people with the virus now number 13 after four new cases were identified; and in West Cornwall, Towednack, Lelant and Carbis Bay, where cases have risen by three to give 12 people affected; and the nearby area of Marazion, St Erth and Gwinear Gwithian, where cases have risen by one since the last totals were issued to mean there are now 11 people infected.