Continuous rise of Tipp Covid cases

With vaccinations due to begin locally in the coming days, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has been continuously increasing in Tipperary.

The county is still, however, home to one of the lowest incidence rates of the virus in the country. A new national record of over 6,000 new cases of Covid-19 was confirmed by the HSE last Monday, 44 of them in Tipperary. There were 130 new cases confirmed in this county the previous day.

The cumulative number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Tipperary stood at 1,951 on January 1st, up from a total of 1,540 on December 1st.

A closer look at the breakdown of local figures available shows that there were 23 confirmed cases in the Nenagh Local Electoral Area (LEA), which includes Lower Ormond, in the period December 12th to 28th. The LEA has a total population of 21,373. The number of confirmed cases in the Roscrea-Templemore LEA - with a total population of 16,594 - in the same period stood at 22 cases.

The Newport LEA, which includes Ballina and has a total population of 16,355, had a total of 50 confirmed cases. Carrick-on-Suir LEA had the highest incidence in County Tipperary in that period with some 118 confirmed cases.

NENAGH TEST CENTRE

An increasing number of cars queuing at the recently-opened North Tipperary Community Testing Centre at Tyone, Nenagh, was noticed over the Christmas period.

HSE figures show that 1,604 tests were completed at the centre between December 26th and January 3rd. Last Saturday, January 2nd, was the busiest day in that period with 281 tests carried out. A further 57 tests were planned on that day but the appointments were missed.

The HSE said the Nenagh centre has capacity for as many as 500 tests per day, if required. The Covid-19 vaccination programme is set to get underway in local nursing homes over the coming days, beginning with Ashlawn Nursing Home. The first vaccinations of healthcare workers in the Mid West were given this week.