The HSE is urging people here to strictly adhere to new guidelines on household gatherings, amid concern over rising cases of COVID-19 in the county.
The latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show that the Ennis and Kilrush electoral areas now have a higher incidence rate of COVID-19 than the national average.
These statistics show that the current growth of COVID-19 in Clare is focused on Ennis and the West of the county.
In the two weeks to Monday, 35 new cases were confirmed in the Ennis Electoral Area and 23 were confirmed in the Kilrush area, which covers most of West Clare.
The figures don’t include the 29 new cases confirmed over the past two days, but show the Ennis and Kilrush areas now have a higher incidence rate of covid-19 than the national average.
Across the county, there were 70.7 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people, up until midnight on Wednesday, though more recent data from the HSE MidWest puts the figure at around 77.
The Director of Public Health with HSE Midwest says the vast majority of cases in this county are linked with household transmission.
She highlighted one household gathering in Clare that sparked around twenty associated cases.
Dr Mai Mannix believes that if cases continue to rise at the current rate, Clare will be forced into level three restrictions within weeks
However, she says there is time to turn things around, if people act now.
New restrictions on household gatherings come into force tonight.
Visitors to your home are now limited to six people from one household, following a recommendation by the National Public Health Emergency team.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has questioned if Ireland is using the right criteria in making decisions around restrictions and lockdowns.
Infectious diseases Professor Sam McConkey says daily Covid-19 case numbers shouldn’t be the only factor considered:
There are concerns about other areas too.
Longford has seen its COVID rate go ahead of Cork and Galway, while Monaghan’s 14-day incidence rate of COVID-19 cases has now moved above Dublin, which remains in Level 3.
Donegal still has the highest rates of the virus.
Dr Tomas Ryan from Trinity College believes the strategy at the moment isn’t the right one:
Again, today, there are now six confirmed cases of COVID-19 in University Hospital Limerick.
Two of those patients are in intensive care.
There are 20 people with COVID-19 in intensive care units, as local health officials have expressed concern about the rise in this figure.
