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Devon has emerged as the worst affected area for coronavirus outbreak as the government released the first breakdown by local authority.
Devon and Torbay councils have so far seen a combined total of 18 cases, including one parishioner who tested positive after attending a Holy Communion service at St Mary’s Church in Churston Ferrers.
The church has since been closed for a deep clean, and pupils from the nearby Churston Ferrers Grammar School are also now receiving lessons online after a student was diagnosed with coronavirus.
The Rev Prof Gina Radford, a vicar in south Devon who was formerly the deputy chief medical officer for England, said she hoped to merge her skills and experience in both roles to help both the physical and spiritual help of those impacted.
“The Lord moves in mysterious ways,” she said. “To be able to bring my skills and experience from one role into my new role is an enormous privilege.”
Priests have been told they can suspend the sharing of the chalice during Communion and do not need to shake hands with the congregation.
At least six schools and two GP surgeries have been closed in Devon and East Devon District Council’s Blackdown House headquarters in Honiton, Devon was shut for a deep clean after a member of staff displayed symptoms after returning from a high risk country.
Elsewhere, Greater London collectively has a total of 51 cases spread out between the 32 districts, with Kensington and Chelsea council the worst hit local authority in the capital, with eight cases. Ealing has five confirmed cases and Barnet, four.
Outside of the capital, the commuter belt and home counties have also been hit with high number of infections. Hertfordshire has 13 cases making it the highest local authority but not the highest county.
Eight cases have been reported in Hampshire, including a pupil of the Winchester sixth-form college and boarding school Peter Symonds College, whose alumni include Ben Ainslie, the British sailor, model Alexa Chung, and MP Caroline Nokes.
A spokesman said there were no plans to close the school.
“We are issuing all members of the college community with advice about preventative measures such as hand washing,” he said.
“At present we see no reason to make any significant college wide changes and, should that situation alter, we will issue immediate information and guidance.”
Brighton and Hove has seven cases including the third person to be diagnosed in Britain, businessman Steve Walsh, who contracted the virus at a conference in Singapore before passing it onto five britons who were staying at French ski chalet.
A clear north/south divide also emerged in the figures with, around 68 per cent of cases appearing in the south, compared with 19 per cent in the north and 13 per cent in the Midlands.
Manchester also has five cases, one of whom is believed to be a Royal Mail worker.
The regional breakdown was based on 244 cases, but the number has since risen to 273.
The number of cases is now doubling roughly every two days and experts warned that many more people may have the virus but do not realise it, or are self-isolating at home.
Dr Tom Wingfield, a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said: “While the majority of cases in the UK are still in people who have had travel to high risk areas outside of the UK or known contact with someone confirmed to have coronavirus, we are likely to see an increase in the proportion of cases without any relevant travel or clear contact history over the coming weeks.
“The evidence from multiple countries suggests that the great majority of people with COVID19 have only mild symptoms and will soon get back to full health.
“Indeed, in the UK, some people with mild symptoms are self-isolating and being managed at home. It is important that those at highest risk of more severe symptoms and illness, such as people aged over 60 or those with diabetes, chronic heart or lung conditions, or impaired immune systems, are especially vigilant.”
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