December Kildare Covid-19 rates

Many parts of County Kildare are remaining under the national average level of Covid-19 infections.

The highest concentrations of the virus in Local Electoral Areas (LEA) are in opposite ends of the county — in Athy and Maynooth.

Athy has a 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 people of 90.4 while Maynooth is at 87.5. These figures are both slightly above the Republic of Ireland’s incidence rate per 100,000 of 84.7.

The figures were compiled between December 1 and December 14 last by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Kildare town LEA has the lowest rate per 100,000 population at 23.3 and there were only six new cases in the 14-day period from December 1 to 14.

In the Clane area there were 12 cases and the rate per 100,000 was 42.2.

Naas saw 23 new cases and its rate per 100,000 was 58.8.

In Celbridge, the number of new cases was 13 while the rate per 100,000 was 60.1.

In Newbridge, the number of infections was 22 while the rate per 100,000 was 62.

In Leixlip, there were 12 cases and the rate per 100,000 was 75.7.

In Maynooth, there were 26 new infections and the 100,000 rate was 87.5.

The Athy area recorded 24 new cases and the rate per 100,000 rate was 90.4.

Naas Hospital

The HSE said there were three confirmed Covid-19 cases at Naas Hospital up to Sunday evening.

There were seven suspected cases of the virus at the Naas facility, according to the Daily Operations Update.

Significantly, none of the patients confirmed or suspected of having Covid were in intensive care units.

The hospital with the most confirmed infections was Beaumont Hospital in Dublin with 47 followed by Letterkenny General Hospital with 32 and Kilkenny Hospital with 22.

As Ireland introduced a temporary travel ban on UK due to a new variant of Covid-19 over there, the number of new cases jumped to 764 across Ireland on Saturday evening.

Christmas warning

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan issued a pre-Christmas warning to people to radically limit their contact with families and friends to reduce transmission.

He said: “If you have been socialising in the past few weeks or over this weekend, consider your Christmas plans carefully.

“Is it responsible to meet with your family over 65 later this week, if you have not kept your contacts low?

“Should you cancel your plans?

“We have the very real prospect of Covid-19 vaccines on the horizon.

Older family members

“Ensure that your loved ones stay alive to receive them, by keeping your distance from them if you have not restricted your movements to this point.

“As difficult as it may seem, staying away from older family this Christmas will protect them.

“And it would be an exceptional sacrifice made for the common good.”