A quarter of Covid-19 outbreaks originate in private homes

According to the CSO figures, Dublin, Kildare, and Tipperary made up 71% of all cases linked to an outbreak for the week ended August 21.  File picture: Gareth Chaney Collins

Over one-in-four Covid-19 outbreaks are associated with private houses, while the number of close contacts people have is steadily rising, new CSO figures show.

The number of weekly confirmed cases has been more than 600 cases in each of the last three weeks.     

The Central Statistics Office said 53% of confirmed cases are now linked to an outbreak, which is defined as two or more cases at the same location and time.

Workplace outbreaks have increased from 3% to 12% since mid-April.

Nursing homes accounted for 41% of all confirmed cases related to an outbreak, only decreasing by 8% from a peak of 49% in late April.

Hospitals, residential institutions, and nursing homes account for 57% of all cases linked to an outbreak.

In addition, 42% of cases associated with outbreaks were linked to private houses with the Government expected to bring in new legislation to crack down on social gatherings and house parties in private homes in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.

According to the CSO figures, Dublin, Kildare, and Tipperary made up 71% of all cases linked to an outbreak for the week ended August 21.

The average number of contacts per case has increased dramatically. In May, people overall had less than three contacts. 

Now, the average person has more than six, according to figures for the week ending August 14. 

The 15-24 age group has an average of more than 11 contacts, while those aged over 80 have just over two.

Meanwhile, the 25-44 age group has 9,803 confirmed cases, the highest of any cohort.

The median age of new cases was 30-years-old last week, the lowest since cases started being recorded.   

Information on the people who have died from COVID-19 or have been diagnosed with the virushttps://t.co/Fr5llvMVD1 #CSOIreland #Ireland #COVID19 #COVID19pandemic pic.twitter.com/Tlwko17P2x

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) August 28, 2020

Women account for a higher number of confirmed cases, and health care workers continue to make up almost a third of all cases.

Geographically, Dublin and Kildare made up 59% of all new cases, with 361 cases recorded in these two counties during the week ending August 21.

Last week, Dublin had more than 150 weekly cases, for the second consecutive week.

More rural counties fared better in terms of the spread of the virus, with Kerry, Leitrim, Sligo, and Westmeath recording no new cases last week.

This is the 14th week in a row that Mayo and Westmeath have recorded less than 10 new cases, the 15th such week for Leitrim and Longford, the 16th week for Kerry and the 17th for Waterford.

Last week, 15 people with Covid-19 were hospitalised, down from 666 people at the peak on March 26. 

For the 14th week in a row, there have been fewer than five people admitted to an Intensive Care Unit.

The number of people who have died from Covid-19 has also remained below 10 for the last eight weeks, despite the increase in cases.

Of those who died, 1,449 people had underlying conditions. The median age of those dying with underlying conditions is 83, while 1,344 people aged over 65 with an underlying condition passed away because of the virus. 

There have been 111 Covid-19-related deaths in the 25-64 age group, and 103 of those had underlying conditions.

Chronic heart disease was present in 45% of deaths.

Overall, 10,571 people with underlying conditions have or had the virus.