Covid-19: Breakdown of virus rates in local areas across the country

The virus continued to spread in Limerick, in particular in the Adare-Rathkeale, Newcastle West and Limerick city east areas where the infection rate ranged from 260.3 to 353.7 cases per 100,000 population. File picture: iStock

New Ross in Wexford had the highest Covid-19 infection rate in the country in the run-up to Christmas, as health officials brace themselves for a significant spike this week.

As of December 21, the Monday before Christmas, New Ross in Wexford had the highest infection rate nationally, following a more than 10-fold increase in the number of cases.

The figures are confirmed in the latest local electoral area (LEA) data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, which shows how rapidly the virus can spread and where new Covid-19 hotspots are emerging.

The infection rate in New Ross increased from 57.7 cases per 100,000 population on December 14, when 16 cases were confirmed in the previous two weeks, to 659.7 cases per 100,000 population after 183 cases were detected.

A dramatic rise in Covid-19 levels was also evident in Kenmare in Kerry, which now has the highest infection rate in Munster. 

Over the same time period, the Covid-19 infection rate increased more than five-fold from 79.8 cases per 100,000 population on December 14 to 438.9 on December 21, after the detection of 110 cases.

Elsewhere, infection rates are rising in Castlecomer in Kilkenny (462.2 cases per 100,000 population) and Buncrana in Donegal (523.1 cases per 100,000 population) but are falling in Carndonagh in Donegal (619 cases per 100,000 population), which previously had the highest infection rate nationally.

Parts of Leitrim, Roscommon and Clare had the lowest infection rates nationally and were almost virus-free, with less than five cases detected in the previous two weeks.

In Munster, infection rates were rising rapidly in parts of Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford and one part of Cork city, while three areas were almost virus-free.

The virus continued to spread in Limerick, in particular in the Adare-Rathkeale, Newcastle West and Limerick city east areas where the infection rate ranged from 260.3 to 353.7 cases per 100,000 population.

Dramatic increases were also observed in Carrick-on-Suir in Tipperary, where the infection rate increased three-fold to 226.3 cases per 100,000 population and in the Cork city south east area where the infection rate increased six-fold to 128.6 cases per 100,000 population.

Kilrush and Killaloe in Clare and Cahir in Tipperary had less than five cases confirmed in the previous 14 days, making them almost virus-free.

Separately data on mass testing in schools and childcare facilities show a rise in cases detected before the Christmas holidays, with 128 cases confirmed in the week ending December 19. The detection or positivity rate increased to 3.8%, representing a doubling since the end of November (1.9%).

The national Covid-19 infection rate now stands at 209 cases per 100,000 population following a rapid and significant increase in the past week when new case numbers exceeded 1,000 per day. Almost 10,000 cases have been confirmed in the previous two weeks.

Health officials have signalled that they expect to see a significant rise in infection rates after the Christmas break.

On Sunday HSE boss Paul Reid confirmed that 23,000 tests had been processed in one day alone and that positivity rates were rising.

The seven-day positivity rate increased from 2.6% on December 14 to 6.6% by December 27, returning to levels last seen at the height of the second Covid-19 wave in October.

There has also been a rise in the number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid-19. On Monday there were 360 people in hospital, 30 of whom were in intensive care.