Munster leads the way in driving down infection rates

Covid-19 cases still rising in some rural parts of the country 

While Covid-19 infection rates have risen in some rural parts of the country, the number of virus-free areas has grown to 11 as of this week.

The latest Covid-19 local electoral area (LEA) data shows how infection rates were rising in some areas but have been crushed in others in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day.

As of Monday, March 15, the national infection rate stood at 148 cases per 100,000 population, down from 161.3 cases per 100,000 population the previous week.

Tullamore in Offaly recorded the highest infection rate at 483.6 cases per 100,000 population — more than three times the national rate and up on the previous week (418.4 cases per 100,000 population).

Covid hotspots

The top ten Covid-19 hotspots also feature several parts of Dublin: North Inner City, Ballymun-Finglas, Artane-Whitehall, Ongar and Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart, with rising rates in the Ongar and Ballymun-Finglas areas.

Significant increases were also evident in some rural areas such as Buncrana in Donegal, where 83 cases saw the infection rate rise from 89.4 cases per 100,000 population on March 8 to 371.1 cases per 100,000 population last Monday.

Similarly, Navan in Meath saw its infection rate rise from 340.7 cases per 100,000 population on March 8 to 429.4 cases per 100,000 population by March 15.

No LEA areas in Munster feature in the top 10 national Covid-19 hotspots.

At the other end of the Covid-19 spectrum, the number of areas reporting fewer than five cases in the previous two weeks grew to 11 by March 15.

Almost virus-free

These almost virus-free areas include Bantry, Skibbereen and the Macroom area in Cork, Kenmare in Kerry, Ennistymon in Clare, Lismore in Waterford, Wexford town, Connemara north and south areas in Galway, and Ballinamore and Manorhamilton in Leitrim.

In the Munster region, the highest rate of Covid-19 infections was evident in the eastern part of Limerick city, where 88 cases were detected in the previous two weeks.

The infection rate in this part of the city, however, fell significantly over the past week, from 449.9 cases per 100,000 population on March 8 to 249 cases per 100,000 population last Monday.

Infection rates were also falling in the northern and western parts of Limerick city.

Elsewhere in Munster, the LEA data points to rising Covid-19 levels in Waterford city and the Tramore area, where infection rates range from 95.7 cases per 100,000 population to 191.3 cases per 100,000 population as of last Monday.

The figures come as health officials appealed to the public to stay at home on St Patrick’s Day and warned that infection rates were showing an upward trend this week.

While the number of Covid-19 deaths has fallen considerably, around 500 new cases are being confirmed per day.