Covid: 'Less than half of Exeter cases' from university

Less than half of a city's coronavirus cases are linked to its students, a university has said.

The University of Exeter said about 40% of cases in the city in the week up to 24 October were attributable to the university.

It compares with the start of October when more than 80% of Exeter's cases were identified in students.

University officials said they would be reviewing a ban on different student households mixing indoors.

Data from Devon County Council shows there were 177 new cases in Exeter up to 24 October.

The university said that by working with Public Health England, "we know that around 40% of those cases are attributable to the university".

It said this was a "significantly lower proportion than over recent weeks."

Mike Shore-Nye, registrar and secretary at the University of Exeter, confirmed there had been one new positive case among university staff, although this person "had not been to campus for several months".

He said there also remained "very few cases" linked to the university's Cornwall campus in Penryn.

"I said last week that if we saw a continued reduction in case numbers then we would hope to be able to relax our advice on students in Exeter meeting indoors with those who are not part of their household, and we are reviewing this as the week goes on."