Public health officials in the Midwest are expressing concern over what they say is an increase in social gatherings across the region.
Specialists here say they’re starting to see initial evidence of student clusters of COVID-19 appearing once more.
60 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Midwest region as a whole on Monday – just eight of these were in Clare.
It’s a 70 percent drop on the number of cases recorded in the area a fortnight before that.
However, public health officials here say they have identified a growing number of social gatherings locally that have led to new infections and outbreaks in recent weeks.
Public Health Midwest have identified two separate outbreaks that occurred before Christmas in the region, both beginning amongst the student population, that resulted in 99 confirmed cases combined.
Dr Mai Mannix, Director of Public Health Mid-West, has said officials are seeing a ‘widespread’ adherence to guidelines but is warning the population not to let down its guard.
Clare’s incidence rate of the virus now stands at 235.7 per 100,000 people after 10 new cases were confirmed here last night – only four counties are lower.
