New figures confirm Christmas surge of Covid cases in Limerick
PROVISIONAL figures published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show almost 2,500 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Limerick between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
The data shows the incidence rate of the disease was 1250.9 (per 100,000 population) between December 26 and January 1 - up from an incidence rate of 718.3 during the previous week.
According to the HPSC, 2,438 new cases of the disease were officially recorded in Limerick over the seven days although it notes the figures are likely to be "artificially reduced" for a number of reasons including a technical issue over the Christmas period.
While high, the incidence rate of Covid-19 in Limerick in the week after Christmas was lower than the national rate (1,365.9) and the number of cases amounted to 3.7% of the national total.
The Male to female ration was 0.9 and the median age of those, in Limerick, diagnosed as having Covid-19 was 31.
Nationally, the incidence rate in Westmeath over the week was the highest at 3,056.2 while Kerry had the lowest incidence rate at 884.9.
A breakdown of reported cases in Local Electoral Areas is expected to be published later this week