Local areas in Ireland where Covid-19 cases are skyrocketing as various cities hit by the increase

Ireland has been hit by a surge in new Covid-19 cases in recent days in weeks.

Several factors have combined to result in a sharp increase in the number of infections in virtually every county.

However, some local regions have undoubtedly been hit harder than others, and the government has released detailed statistics on where the last hot spots are.

One of the key metrics used by health experts here to identify the scale of an outbreak is the incidence rate of confirmed cases per 100,000 population.

And New Ross in Co Wexford now leads the country in this statistic, reporting a staggering 998.6 rate.

Donegal remains one of the hardest hit regions in Ireland in the new figures, with several LEAs reporting an incidence of over 500.

Ballybay-Clones in Co Monaghan have also seen cases skyrocket, now reporting an incidence rate of 707 in two weeks.

And as has been the case since the start of the pandemic, Dublin has been hit hard, with various regions of the capital registering an incidence of more than 300.

Here is a selection of some of the highest incidence rates in local electoral areas across the country through December 28:

Buncrana, Co Donegal – 679.6

Letterkenny, Co Donegal – 527

Milford, County Donegal – 544.6

Adare-Rathkeale, Co Limerick – 660.4

Ardee, Co Louth – 454.2

New Ross, Co Wexford – 998.6

Ballybay-Clones, Co Monaghan- 707

Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny- 475

Kenmare, Co Kerry – 670.3

Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary – 607

Kimmage-Rathmines, Co Dublin – 424.3

Southeast Cork City – 448.8

For a complete list of the latest rates at each LEA, visit the Government’s website HERE.