Westmeath now among worst in country for new COVID-19 cases

Westmeath now has the third highest rate of COVID-19 in the country over the last fortnight.

The news comes as Ireland, as a whole, recorded the lowest number of new daily cases since mid-December.

During January, the county had been among those which had recorded the lowest rate per population.

However, Westmeath’s ranking has been steadily worsening in recent weeks and last night new figures from the Department of Health showed that it had the third worst rate of COVID-19 per population in the county.

There were 25 new cases up to midnight on Monday in Westmeath the second highest number in the country, after Dublin.

More significantly though, in the fourteen days up to midnight on Monday, there had been 244 new cases, giving a rate of 274.9 per 100,000. This is the third highest rate per population in the country behind Offaly and Longford.

Roscommon meanwhile had less than five new cases during Monday. It is 20th among the 26 counties, with a rate of 114.7 per 100,000. Bottom of the pile with the lowest 14-day rate of cases per population is Kerry.

As of February 27, 435,895 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland:

294,550 people have received their first dose and 141,345 people have received their second dose

Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: “While the low number of cases reported today may be attributable to a weekend effect, it is nevertheless very welcome and represents the lowest number of cases reported on a single day since mid-December.

“While we continue to make good progress in Ireland, globally in the past week, the number of cases of COVID-19 has increased for the first time in seven weeks. We must not allow this virus the opportunity to do the same here. Please hold firm to the public health advice and together we can continue to protect and build on the progress we have made over the last two months."