By Tomas Doherty
The Government is expected to sign off on plans to introduce further country-wide restrictions following a record number of coronavirus cases recorded on the island over recent days.
Last week, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) recommended moving to Level 5 of the Covid-19 restrictions framework for six weeks.
Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan have already moved to Level 4 restrictions, while Northern Ireland is now under tighter restrictions with schools closed for two weeks and much of the hospitality sector closed for at least four weeks.
In Cavan, the 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population is 807.3, the highest in the Republic. In Meath, it now stands at 488.6 and in Monaghan at 374.7. The next highest counties are Donegal at 345.5 and Clare at 322.3.
Derry City and Strabane council area remain the worst hit in the UK and Ireland, with a case incidence rate of 1,768 per 100,000 people over the last 14 days.
That is almost double the next highest rate, which is 932.8 per 100,000 in Belfast.
The North’s chief scientific adviser, Prof Ian Young, told BBC Radio Foyle last week that “almost certainly there were one, two, maybe three what we call super-spreader events” in the Derry and Strabane area where somebody who was particularly infectious came in contact with a large number of people.
The latest data shows that case numbers in Dublin have been rising slowly for the past two weeks with the incidence rate now at 224.6 per 100,000 people, just below the national rate in the Republic of 251 and lower than 14 other counties.
Within the city itself, infection rates vary. Dublin North West, an area that covers Smithfield, Phibsborough, Finglas and Blanchardstown, has the highest rate currently, with 326.5 cases recorded per 100,000 people over the last fortnight.
Dublin South, which covers Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, Stillorgan and Shankill, has a rate of 96.3 cases per 100,000.
The Cabinet is meeting later on Monday to sign off on the new measures for the Republic.
The announcement is expected to be made late on Monday evening.
A woman walks past a cafe on Main Street, Cavan town. Counties Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan have already moved to Level 4 restrictions. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA
