Tomas Doherty
Coronavirus hotspots have emerged in counties Down, Donegal and Waterford, new figures show.
The BT31 postcode area covering Castlewellan in Co Down has the highest infection rate on the island, recording 1,039 cases per 100,000 during June 14th-27th.
Enhanced testing of asymptomatic people in the area took place last month after probable cases of the Delta variant of Covid were detected.
The latest Covid-19 data from local electoral areas in the Republic and postcode areas in the North show how the disease is spreading in different communities.
The next worst-affected area on the island is the seaside town of Buncrana in Co Donegal, with an infection rate of 608 recorded during the two-week period from June 15th-28th.
Dungarvan, Co Waterford has the next highest rate of new infections, with 600 cases per 100,000 people.
Other areas where coronavirus is spreading more widely include Derry city (586), Newcastle, Co Down (555), Carndonagh, Co Donegal (489) and Athlone, Co Westmeath (309).
Castleknock in west Dublin has the highest infection rate in the capital, with 265 cases per 100,000 people.
Several areas reported fewer than five confirmed Covid cases in the latest 14-day period.
These include Augher, Co Tyrone, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, Belmullet, Co Mayo, Clane, Co Kildare, Bantry, Co Cork, Lismore, Co Waterford, Castleisland, Co Kerry and Bailieborough-Cootehill, Co Cavan.
Fourth wave
The new figures come after chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned a fourth wave of Covid, driven by the Delta variant, cannot be stopped, and will lead to higher levels of hospital admissions and death.
Prof Philip Nolan, chair of the Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, told a press briefing on Thursday that the virus was growing at a rate of 2 per cent per day currently.
In response to the Delta variant threat, the Government took steps on Friday to accelerate the vaccination programme.
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, announced that people aged 18 to 34 could receive their coronavirus vaccine up to two months early.
People aged 18 to 34 can now “opt in” for the AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson jabs, or choose to wait for an mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna.
The opt-in system will run in parallel with the online registration portal, which will open for the 30 to 34-year-old age cohort next Friday.
Dr Holohan said on Thursday that an accelerated vaccine rollout will fail to halt an exponential rise in Covid cases in July and August, but should help bring the situation under control in September.
