Which areas have highest rates of Covid-19 infection in the State?

The worsening Covid-19 situation in Dublin is laid bare by the latest data on infection rates which shows eight of the 10 worst affected areas in the State are in the capital.

The data, which is compiled by the Health Service Executive, breaks down the rates of infection in all 166 local electoral areas (LEAs) countrywide.

Health officials have warned in recent days that Dublin has become the focal point for the virus with the highest rate of Covid-19 in the country in the lead up to Christmas. Record case numbers nationally are expected in the coming days.

The latest data on rates of infection by LEA, which covers the two-week period ended December 20th, show eight of the top 10 and 15 of the top 20 worst-hit areas are in Dublin. Last week, the data showed just three Dublin areas in the top 10.

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The worst affected area in the State is Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart which has an incidence rate of 2,087.4 cases per 100,000 people compared with the national average of 1,344.3. The national average is up from 1,305.1 last week.

The second- and third-worst hit areas are Portlaw-Kilmacthomas in Co Waterford and Maynooth, Co Kildare, where the rates are 2,085.3 and 2,035 respectively.

The rest of the top 10 are all in Dublin: Rush and Lusk (1,929.4); Lucan (1,920.9); South West Inner City (1,915.3); Donaghmede (1,913.8); Ballymun-Finglas (1,877.8); Kimmage-Rathmines (1,874.3); and Pembroke (1,873.6).

Kilkenny and Portlaoise

The remaining three areas outside the capital to feature in the top 20 are all in the Leinster region. Ashbourne, Co Meath, has an incidence rate of 1,850 cases per 100,000 people, while Kilkenny and Portlaoise have rates of 1,841 and 1,814.8 respectively.

The data also show that Belmullet, Co Mayo, has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround after a post-Christmas surge of cases that achieved national and international notoriety made it the most infected town in the State almost a year ago.

The latest data show the incidence rate in the town is the lowest in the country at 555.6.

The next lowest rate is in Bantry-West Cork where it is 570.8, while Ballina and Claremorris in Co Mayo have rates of just 605.3 and 633.7 respectively. Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, rounds off the top five least-hit areas with a rate of 664.1.

Both medical experts and leading political figures have suggested that the daily number of cases being diagnosed will continue to rise due to the dominance of the more infectious Omicron variant. The expectation is that it will top 10,000 over the coming weeks.