Covid rates in Westmeath running high

The Covid incidence rate in Westmeath is one the highest in the midlands, HSE figures show. It is also the sixth highest nationally.

The 14-day incidence rate is running at 1252.7 per 100,000 of population. By contrast, the figure for Offaly was just 883.80; Meath’s rate was 921.80 and in Longford, the rate was 1,191.50.

On the national ‘league table’, Sligo is the most severely affected location at present, with a 14-day incidence rate of 1,957 per 100,000, which is considerably ahead of the next most severely affected location, Carlow, where the incidence rate is 1,468.4.

The other counties ahead of Westmeath on the list are Leitrim (1,396), Louth (1,334.5) and Donegal (1,317.9).

Within Westmeath, there is a marked difference in the incidence rate per local electoral area. Mullingar’s rate is 1,456.1 per 100k of population, which is considerably above the national averge of 990.8. Mullingar had 378 confirmed cases in the last fortnight.

In Moate LEA, the incidence rate, at 1,274.1, is also above the national average; in Kinnegad LEA the rate is 1,052 while Athlone’s incidence rate is just 683.1.

The figures show that there were 1,112 cases of Covid-19 in Westmeath over the 14 days up to and including Thursday last, March 10.

Some 263 cases were reported on Thursday alone.

The total cumulative number of cases in Westmeath up to March 10 is 29,017.