Tipp public urged to remain vigilant in Covid battle
With the further easing of pandemic restrictions, people in the Nenagh area are being urged to remain extra vigilant as the local Covid-19 incidence rate remains among the highest in the country.
Some 1,250 people attended the walk-in/no appointment necessary test centre in Tyone between Tuesday, April 27th and last Monday, May 3rd. The HSE has extended the provision of this facility - which was opened in response to an outbreak of Covid-19 cases in the town last month - until Monday next, May 10th.
The HSE also confirmed that over 1,500 appointments for Covid-19 tests were attended at the Tyone centre in that seven-day period. Last Sunday was the busiest day with 360 appointments attended.
At the end of April, Nenagh had the third highest incidence rate of Covid-19 in Ireland, behind only the Donegal areas of Milford and Letterkenny. At 449 cases per 100,000 people, the rate of infection in Nenagh is far higher than the national average of 122.
A total of 96 new cases of the virus were recorded in Nenagh Local Electoral Area (which includes Lower Ormond) in the period between April 13th and 26th. The neighbouring district of Newport also recorded an increase in cases to a total of 45.
Several schools in the Nenagh area are understood to be engaging with the HSE over confirmed cases among students and staff. Nenagh CBS Secondary School, which was closed last week over an outbreak of the virus, remained closed after the bank holiday weekend.
On Friday the Department of Public Health Mid West confirmed that it was managing “a large number of outbreaks across a wide range of settings in the region”, with some 483 new Covid-19 cases recorded in the Mid West in the previous two weeks. The Department appealed to people in this region to exercise extra vigilance.
“The latest easing of restrictions to allow for more outdoor activities has come as a welcome relief to many people who have made so many sacrifices over the past 15 months,” said Dr Mai Mannix, Director of Public Health Mid West.
“However, this means it is even more vital that we follow Public Health guidelines, as an increase in social and outdoor activity increases our exposure to possible infection.
“While infection levels are significantly lower than they were at the peak of the third wave, daily cases should ideally be in low single figures in each county, as we had seen for a short period in April. Social gatherings, including birthday parties and organised indoor gatherings, have contributed to a rise in new cases across the Mid West. Unfortunately, these type of events have led to a disruption in workplaces, school settings, and people’s lives in general,” Dr Mannix concluded.