A fifth of new Covid cases in under-18s

Figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show there were 6,319 new cases among the under-18s, compared with 7,579 the week before. File Picture

Children aged under 18 made up almost a fifth of new Covid cases identified last week although the number of cases and rate of infection are down on the week before, new data shows.

Figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show there were 6,319 new cases in this age group compared with 7,579 the week before.

Just one creche notified a new outbreak to the HPSC, and 12 new school outbreaks were notified involving 53 linked cases.

Close contact tracing found 12 cases across 18 special needs schools, the data shows. 

Separately, the HPSC said the infection rate nationally remains high with the 14-day rate per 100,000 of population standing at 1,388 based on PCR results alone up to Wednesday of this week.

This figure has not dipped below 1,000 since mid-November, having been as low as 94 in July before the Omicron wave hit.

Highest infection rate

People aged between 15 and 24 have the highest rate of infection currently at 1,662.5 per 100,000, although this is dropping, followed by people aged 45 to 64.

Older people over 65 currently have the lowest rate of infections at 948 per 100,000.

This rate among children under 14 remains high at 1029.8 per 100,000 although this has dropped from 1,186.8 the week before.

Another chart shows that, over the last fortnight, Cork had the second-highest number of new Covid-19 cases, with 6,662 newly identified. Limerick was the next worst hit in Munster, at 3,037 new cases.

On Thursday, the HPSC confirmed 3,763 new cases through PCR testing, and 3,961 registered a positive antigen test on Wednesday.

There were 610 people in hospital with Covid-19, including 55 in intensive care, down from a peak for this year of 97 in early January.