One side of Athlone has country's second lowest rate of COVID-19 cases

One side of Athlone has the country’s second lowest rate of COVID-19 per population, most recent figures show.

Department of Health statistics published on Thursday night show that the Athlone electoral area of Roscommon – effectively almost all South Roscommon – recorded 24 new COVID-19 cases during the fortnight from January 19 to February 1.

On a population basis, this represents the second lowest rate of the State’s 166 electoral areas.

The Athlone (Roscommon) rate is 120.1 new cases per 100,000 population over the 14 days, with only Kilrush in Clare showing a lower rate during the same fortnight at 119.1 per 100,000.

The figures covering a 14-day period are published weekly on a rolling basis (last week's figures covered the period from January 12 to January 25).

Over recent months, the general geographical area around Athlone on both sides of the river has consistently recorded rates of COVID-19 cases which are among the country’s lowest. For instance, the Athlone part of Roscommon has been placed second, seventh, seventh and third in the country’s lowest COVID-19 areas in successive weeks.

The Moate electoral area of Westmeath has slipped slightly to ninth. It recorded 34 new cases during the fortnight from January 19 to February 1, giving a rate per 100,000 population of 184.3.

Last week’s figures showed Moate as having the second lowest rate per population, having been fifth lowest the previous week.

The national average rate in the14-day period from January 19 to February 1 was 455 per 100,000, while the Carrickmacross/Castleblayney area of Monaghan was the country’s worst-hit area with a rate of 1,096.3 per 100,000.

The Athlone area of Westmeath has seen its ranking in the table of areas with low COVID-19 rates deteriorate slightly over recent weeks.

There were 50 new cases in the most recent fortnight, giving a rate of 220.3 per 100,000 and representing the 16th lowest rate in the country. It was eleventh lowest the previous week, and fourth and second lowest in the country in the previous weeks.

However, it should be explained that the actual number of new cases in Athlone is still falling. There were 50 new cases this fortnight, compared to 68 the previous fortnight. Instead, it is simply that some other areas are experiencing larger reductions in numbers.

There is a similar situation in the Ballymahon area of Longford which in the figures of the previous week had the fifth lowest rate of new cases, when it recorded 36 cases and a rate of 254.4 per 100,000 population over that earlier fortnight.

It had an identical number of new confirmed cases (36) in the figures published on Thursday night for the most recent 14-day period, and consequently, an identical rate per population. But while the Ballymahon rate is identical, the decline in other areas, reflecting the fall in cases nationally, meant this time around it did not register among the areas with the 15 lowest rates of new cases per population.

The Mullingar area had Westmeath’s highest rate on a population basis (339) after reporting 88 cases. There were 64 new cases in the Kinnegad local electoral area giving a rate of 295.3 per 100,000.

Across the remainder of Co. Roscommon, the electoral area around Roscommon town reported the highest rates in the county. There were 59 new cases there between January 19 and February 1, giving a rate of 259.9 per 100,000 population.

In Boyle, there were 38 new cases, giving a rate of 174.1 per 100,000, which left it as the electoral area with the sixth lowest rate of COVID-19 per population in the country.

Lowest Ten

Rate of new cases per 100,000 population (January 19 - February 1)

Kilrush, Clare 119.1

Athlone, Roscommon 1201.1

Castleisland, Kerry 151.6

Ballinamore, Leitrim 152.1

Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim 158.4

Boyle, Roscommon 174.1

Tralee, Kerry 175.6

Lismore, Waterford 1177.2

Moate, Westmeath 184.3

Listowel, Kerry 184.8

Highest Five

Rate of new cases per 100,000 population (January 19 - February 1)

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney, Monaghan 1,096.3

Enniscorthy, Wexford 1,086.1

Monaghan 1,079.5

Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart, Dublin 1,005.5

Castlebar, Mayo 930.2