Ratoath infection rate four times the average in the rest of the country

A further 92 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Meath today, as it emerged that the Ratoath Electoral area has a Covid-19 infection rate more than four times the average for the rest of the country.

With 404 new cases in the 14 days up to Monday, Ratoath had the highest number of new infections in Meath and an infection rate of 1212.6 per 100,000 of population.

The average infection rate nationally is 279.3 per 100,000 and the Kells, Navan, Ashbourne, Kells and Ratoath electoral areas are all above the national figure.

The total number of confirmed cases in the county is 2,416. Nationally, a further three deaths and 1,066 new cases were confirmed by the Department of Health this evening.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Ireland is 1,871, and the total number of cases is now at 54,476.

In the past fortnight, there were 219 new cases in Ashbourne where the infection rate is 753 per 100,000 and 192 new cases in Navan where the infection rate is 549.7.

In the Kells electoral area there were 121 new cases and the rate is 373.5, while there were 109 new cases in Trim and an infection rate of 349.4.

The Laytown Bettystown electoral area fared best with just 44 new cases and an infection rate of 129 per 100,000, substantially below the national average.

Of the cases notified today:

536 are men / 528 are women

67% are under the age of 45

The median age is 32

244 cases are in Dublin, 104 are in Galway, 98 are in Cork, 92 are in Meath and the remaining 528 are spread across all remaining counties.

As of 2pm today, 313 Covid-19 are hospitalised, of which 37 are in ICU. There have been 20 additional hospitalisation in the past 24 hours.