Covid-19 rates in Carndonagh remain four times national average

Rates of Covid-19 infection in Carndonagh, Co Donegal, continue to decline but the area remains the most infectious in Ireland with levels more than four times the national average.

The spread of the disease continues to affect the county more broadly, with various areas taking up three of the top five places, ranked for virus transmission.

Latest weekly data released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Thursday showed Carndonagh had a case rate of 1,880 per 100,000 of population. While that has fallen from the previous rates of 2,110 and 2,800 before that, the local electoral area (LEA) has remained at the top of the table for several weeks.

Buncrana has a similar record, remaining in second position this week with a rate of 1,212 cases per 100,000, only marginally down from its previous 1,297 figure. Milford is in fifth position (988 cases), having moved up from ninth position last week when case numbers were recorded at 712.

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Also in the top five are two areas in Co Mayo – Westport (1,034) and Swinford (1,030).

The national picture is also getting worse – the latest figures dated to Monday, August 9th, show the national 14-day incidence rate is now 422.5 per 100,000, up from the previous 372.6.

Of the 166 LEAs measured each week, four have case rates per 100,000 of more than 1,000 while at the other end of things, not a single area now has fewer than 100 cases where as there were three the previous week.

Things look to be improving in some areas, however. Galway city is eighth on the table with a case rate of 854, moving away from its previous fourth position and a case rate of 1,064.

Although Galway City East has moved down from 10th into 13th position, its case rate has increased by 8.5 per cent to 763.

The data is released, and considered useful to the public, so that people can monitor areas that are relatively more at risk.

The spread of the virus is also of ongoing concern around Dundalk, Co Louth. The Dundalk-Carlingford LEA is in sixth position at 922, and Dundalk South is in ninth at 832. The table shows that areas of Donegal, Louth, Mayo, Galway and Monaghan continue to be the most problematic.

Meanwhile, the safest areas – those with relatively low spread – are Roscrea and Clonmel in Co Tipperary (at 114 and 140 respectively, or about a quarter of the national average); Mallow, Co Cork (141); Tullow, Co Carlow (150); and Tramore, Co Waterford (165).