*Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CLARE had the second highest incidence rate of COVID-19 in Ireland over the Christmas period.
Data published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre this week shows that Clare had 1,974 positive cases per 100,000 people in the last week of 2021 compared with the national figure of 1,366. Westmeath with 3,056 cases per day had the highest incidence in the country.
Up to 2,300 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded per day in the Mid-West region, health officials have confirmed from preliminary analysis.
Director of Public Health Mid-West, Dr Mai Mannix stated, “The past few weeks have been challenging for many of us, especially during and after the Christmas period where some plans had to be cancelled – often at short notice – due to significant community spread of COVID-19. Like last January, we are now seeing an exponential rise in disease due to widespread onward transmission after Christmas celebrations and continued social activity. This may persist for some time, which is why we urge people to be extra cautious of any social contact.”
“Omicron is a highly-transmissible variant that can cause serious illness. I note that research does suggest that it may be less severe than the previously dominant Delta variant. It is still impacting significantly on healthcare capacity. However, it is important to appreciate that while some people can have a mild illness, COVID-19 itself is not a mild disease and can still cause severe complications, especially for those who are unvaccinated and at higher risk. Our priority over the coming weeks as a community needs to be slowing the transmission as much as possible by limiting contacts and availing of the vaccination if you are eligible for it.”
