Ratoath no longer has the highest incidence rate of Covid-19

There have been seven further coronavirus-related deaths and 206 new cases of the virus notified to the Department of Health in the past 24 hours.

A total of 2,043 people have died with Covid-19 in Ireland and the total number of infections stands at 71,699.

The number of patients in ICU with Covid-19 is 35, which is unchanged since yesterday.

There are 248 people in hospital with the disease, with ten additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Of the cases notified today, 101 are men, 105 are women and 67% are under 45 years of age.

There were 14 cases reported in Meath with 64 cases in Dublin, 23 in Limerick, 20 in Donegal, 18 in Cork, 14 in Louth and the remaining 53 cases were spread across 18 counties.

The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population of the virus is now at 98.2. This is the first time it has dropped below 100 since September.

Counties with the highest rates include Donegal (216.1), Louth (199.4), Limerick (181.6) and Kilkenny (126). The ones with the lowest rates are Leitrim (31.2), Wexford (32.7), Kerry (50.8) and Galway (51.2).

The Laytown Bettystown electoral area now has the highest rate of Covid-19 in County Meath.

There were 76 new cases in the area in the fortnight up to Monday (23rd November) and the incidence rate was 222.7 per 100,000, which is more than twice the national average of 107.8.

Ratoath, which for weeks had one of the highest rates nationally has now the lowest rate in the county at 57 per 100,000. There had been 19 new cases in the previous two weeks.

Ashbourne had 33 new cases and a rate of 113.5, while Trim had 34 cases and a rate of 109.

There were 33 cases in Kells and a rate of 101.9 while Navan had 27 cases and a rate of 77.3 per 100,000.