Co Louth worst-hit by Covid-19 as infections continue to rise

Co Louth has the highest rate of Covid-19 infection currently, as the number of people being infected with Covid-19 remains stubbornly high across Ireland.

As of Monday 15th November, Louth had a 14-day incidence rate of 1624.7 per 100,000 people. The national average was 1160.7. The smallest county saw 2,094 confirmed Covid cases over the past two weeks.

Leitrim was the second-worst affected county and their incidence rate was 1566.6 per 100,000 people.

Counties Westmeath and Carlow are also experiencing high rates of the virus. Their 14-day incidence rate on Monday was 1551.2 and 1508.8 respectively.

Covid-19 outbreaks increase in hospitals and nursing homes

---

Coronavirus: Further restrictions cannot be ruled out, Coveney says

---

Cancelling social plans in run-up to Christmas is ‘responsible’ decision – Holohan

---

Q&A: Clubs, Christmas parties and playdates - what do the new Covid restrictions allow?

---

Waterford had a incidence rate of 1551.2 per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, Monaghan had the lowest number of Covid cases in Ireland. The incidence rate there was 785.2 and there were 482 confirmed cases in the county over the past fortnight.

Counties Roscommon and Wexford also had a similarly low rate of the virus in comparison with other counties, although the rate is still higher than health officials would like.

The majority of people who tested positive in the past two weeks were aged 19-54. Of all cases, 17.2 per cent were among people aged 35-44, and the median and mean age of those contracting Covid was 34.

A total of 8,107 children aged 5-12 were infected with the virus in the past two weeks, representing 14.7 per cent of all cases.

The source of transmission in 61 per cent of cases was still being investigated.

Of the cases investigated, the majority of people who caught the virus were close contacts of a confirmed case or were infected in the community. In healthcare settings, 14 patients and 131 staff caught the virus.

On Tuesday, the Government announced new measures in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

People will now be advised to work from home, and the phased return to the office has been paused. Bars and nightclubs will also have to close at midnight from Thursday, just a month after the 11:30pm curfew was lifted. The Government is planning to expand the use of antigen tests.

Household members of a confirmed case will be asked to restrict their movements for five days and to take three antigen tests under the new guidelines.