Ashbourne area has highest infection rate in Meath

Four of Meath's six electoral areas have considerably higher infection rates than the national average.

The Ashbourne area has the highest rate in the county, with 291 new cases reported in the fortnight up to !st November and an infection rate of 1000.7 per 100,000 of population.

The national average is 695 per 100,000.

Ratoath reported 294 new cases in the same period and a rate of 882.4, while Kells had 274 new cases and a rate of 845. There were 255 new cases in Navan and a rate of 730 per 100,000.

The Trim and Laytown/Bettystown were both below the national average. Laytown/Bettystown had 232 new cases and a rate of 679.9, while the rate in Trim was less than half the national average at 304.5 and just 95 new cases.

Since the start of the pandemic Meath has had 19,382 confirmed cases – approximately 10 per cent of the population.

There have been 474,308 confirmed cases nationally and 5,492 deaths.