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Northern Ireland continues to have a much higher rate of coronavirus infection than the Republic, a new analysis reveals.
This occurs when politicians on both sides of the border decide on the Covid-19 guidelines for the island before the Christmas period.
The numbers of confirmed Covid-19 cases from electoral areas in the south and zip code areas in the north give an indication of how the disease is spreading in different communities.
In Northern Ireland, the figures cover the two-week period from November 9-22, and in the South from November 10-23. Both sets of statistics use the infection incidence rate per 100,000 population, which provides a better understanding of spread than direct case numbers.
The BT52 postal district in Co Derry, which covers part of Coleraine and the north coast, had the highest incidence on the island during this time, with 874 cases per 100,000.
The BT13 postal code, which includes the Shankill Road area and other parts of North and West Belfast, had the next highest rate, with 802 cases per 100,000.
The areas of the Republic with the highest infection rates were in Co Donegal: Milford and Letterkenny had rates of 356 and 306 respectively.
However, these were lower than in the north. In neighboring Castlederg, Co Tyrone, the incidence rate in the BT81 zip code stood at 547 cases per 100,000. In the city of Derry, the rate in the BT48 zip code was 412.
Dundalk South and Waterford City South had the next highest rates in the Republic, at 299 and 285, respectively.
Areas with the lowest rate of spread of Covid-19 included parts of Co Mayo (Westport, Belmullet, and Swinford); Ballinasloe, Co Galway; Muinebeag, Co Carlow; Cahir, Co Tipperary; Carrickmacross-Castleblaney, Co Monaghan; and Bantry-West Cork. All recorded fewer than 5 cases during the two-week period.
In Northern Ireland, the postal code with the lowest rate was BT33, which covers Newcastle, Co Down, with 91 cases per 100,000.
When comparing figures between the North and the Republic, it is important to keep in mind that both jurisdictions are registering coronavirus cases and deaths in similar but different ways.
Different healthcare systems and Covid-19 testing regimens make the comparison between the two more difficult.
Ireland
Stormont: Varadkar ‘out of touch’ over border crossing …
Cross-border travel has become a political issue this week, with Stormont leaders criticizing Leo Varadkar for “out of touch” over reports he said at a Fine Gael parliamentary meeting that travel may not be recommended due to the highest infection rates in the north.
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, the Tánaiste said the government was not planning a ban to restrict the spread of the coronavirus between the two jurisdictions.
Varadkar maintained that there would be restrictions on non-essential travel between counties, including North-South traffic, as the Cabinet prepares to meet on Friday to finalize the next set of Covid-19 restrictions.
On Friday, the North enters a two-week “circuit breaker” designed to stop the spread of the disease.
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