By Steve Neville
Dublin is the worst-hit county by COVID-19, new figures confirm.
New stats from the CSO show that 51% of total confirmed COVID-19 deaths were in the capital.
The CSO also found that the number of people who have died from COVID-19 has fallen for the ninth week in a row. People who have been diagnosed with the virus as a confirmed case has fallen for the eighth week in a row.
They said that Dublin “was the only county to record more than 20 new cases in each of the past three weeks up to and including the week ending 19 June.”
Other key findings from CSO include:
- This is the sixth week in a row that Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow have recorded less than 10 new cases per week
- This is the seventh week in a row that Donegal, Laois and Kerry have recorded less than 10 new cases per week and the eighth such week for Sligo and Waterford
- Women and those aged between 25-44 continue to account for the highest number of confirmed cases
- Some 43% of cases are now linked to an outbreak
The stats are compiled by the CSO using data from the Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) provided to them by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Deaths
The CSO found that while “the number of people who have died from COVID-19 has fallen for the ninth week in a row, Dublin remains the hardest hit.
“The total number of people who have died from COVID-19 is 1,456, with a further 258 deaths cited as probable deaths linked to the virus.
“For the week ending 19 June, seven deaths were recorded, a decrease of ten deaths from the previous week.”
The CSO also found that up to and including the week ending June 19, the virus claimed the lives of 34 more men than women.
They said the virus also continues to hit older age groups the hardest.
65% of all confirmed Covid-19 deaths to date in the 80 years old or older age group.
Outbreaks
The CSO figures show that there are 10,997 positive COVID-19 cases linked to an outbreak.
Women account for 59% of all cases linked to an outbreak.
An outbreak is defined as two or more cases in the same location and time.
The CSO found: “More than a quarter (26%) of outbreaks affected those aged 80 years and older compared with 15% of all cases. The median age of cases related to an outbreak is 54.
“Nursing Homes accounted for 51% of all confirmed cases related to an outbreak. This has decreased from a peak of 55% in late April.”
Hospitals, residential institutions and nursing homes account for nearly three-quarters of all cases linked to an outbreak, the CSO said.
Meanwhile, travel now accounts for just 1% of all cases related to an outbreak.
This was at a high of 28% of cases in early March.
The CSO added: “The workplace has increased from 4% of cases to 11% in recent weeks. Outbreaks in private houses account for 10% of cases, down from 29% in late March.”
CSO analysis found that: “Older people in the least deprived areas are the most adversely affected by COVID-19.
“In fact, the likelihood of contracting the virus worsens the older you are and as the area you live in decreases in level of deprivation.
“This outcome is strongly linked to being caught up in outbreak.”
Confirmed Cases
The total number of confirmed cases is 25,368, while the number of weekly cases for the week ending 19 June is 65, a decrease of 42 from the previous week, the CSO said.
They stated: “The week ending up to and including 19 June was the third week in a row that Dublin had less than 100 weekly cases since the start of March.
“There were 37 new cases diagnosed in Dublin in the week ending 19 June, down from the peak of 1,866 cases in the week ending 27 March.
“No other county recorded more than 10 new cases in the week ended 19 June.
“This is the sixth week in a row that Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow have recorded less than 10 new cases.
“This is the seventh week in a row that Donegal, Laois and Kerry have recorded less than 10 new cases and the eighth such week for Sligo and Waterford.” The CSO added that 43% of confirmed cases are linked to an outbreak.
“Some 3,644 more females were diagnosed with COVID-19 than males, the median age remains consistent for both men and women,” said the CSO.
“The 25-44 age group still show the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 8,718.”
The CSO added that health care workers continue to make up almost a third of all cases.
