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Covid-19 infection rates in Tullamore, Co Offaly, have risen again and the city remains the worst location in Ireland for the spread of the virus, according to new data.
Statistics from the Health Protection Surveillance Center (HPSC) measuring 14-day infection incidence rates, released Thursday, show the city of Midlands had 754.5 cases per 100,000 residents as of Monday.
That’s more than five times the national average of 158 detected in the country’s local electoral areas.
Tullamore also topped the poll last week, but at that stage its infection rate was 484 per 100,000. The 56% increase in just one week illustrates the challenges facing the region.
Tullamore was one of five locations in the country where walk-in testing centers were opened in an attempt by health authorities to try to locate and understand asymptomatic spread patterns.
Spiraling rates in the city are also contextualized by the second highest 14-day incident region, Buncrana, Co Donegal, which stood at 518.6.
After those two, only Roscrea and Templemore in Co Tipperary topped the 400 mark with a rate of 409.8.
Other places
That means that of the total of 166 electoral areas contained in the HPSC round, Tullamore now has infection rates at least double those of 160 other locations.
The worst 10 locations in the country, where for every 100,000 rates fell between 755 and 349, also included Navan, Co Meath (395.1); Balbriggan, Co Dublin (391); Edenderry, Co Offaly (377.3); Ballymun-Finglas, Dublin (369); Tallaght-South, Dublin (366.6); Ongar, Dublin (365.6); and Longford (349).
At the other end of the table is Kenmare, Co Kerry. However, it is among several areas where infection rates are so low that they are barely recorded.
In total, 14 areas are classified with a zero rate, or less than five cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the 14-day period.
These areas are located in nine counties and illustrate an encouraging emerging trend: In the two weeks leading up to March 8, only two of the local polling areas reported fewer than five cases. Based on last week’s data, they had risen to 11.
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