Rates of Covid-19 in Tullamore decline but it still has highest level of infection

Tullamore in Co Offaly continues to have the highest incidence rate of coronavirus, with 672.2 cases per 100,000 of the population, according to latest data.

Statistics published on Thursday by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows there were 196 cases in the midlands town in the fortnight leading up to April 5th. Its 14-day incidence rate is more than four times the national average.

Tullamore local electoral area has had the highest rate of infection over the last three weeks, but its incidence rate peaked last week at 823 cases per 100,000 residents and it has finally started to decline.

Balbriggan in north Dublin, where a walk-in testing centre was set up last Thursday, has the second-highest incidence rate, with 451.2 cases per 100,000 of its population.

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The north inner city area of Dublin has the third highest rate at 416.6, while Letterkenny and Milford in Donegal both had rates of over 400.

The other local electoral areas which had more than 300 cases per 100,000 of population were Cavan-Belturbet (392.9); Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart (368.2) and Ongar, Dublin (365.6); Swords, Dublin (362.1); and Mullingar, Co Westmeath (319.7).

At the other end of the scale there were 20 areas which had fewer than five recorded cases over the two-week period. They included four areas in Kerry, three areas in Cork, three in Waterford, two in Sligo, and two in Kilkenny.