Over 500 Covid cases confirmed in Tuam area in just 2 weeks

A spike in coronavirus cases in the Tuam area earlier this month contributed to the sharp increase in cases reported in Co. Galway.

The latest breakdown of Covid-19 rates across Ireland shows that 513 cases were confirmed in the Tuam Local Electoral Area between 5 January and 18 January.

When the data was taken, Tuam LEA had a 14-day incidence rate of 1,535 cases per 100,000 people – the highest in the county.

A total of five local electoral areas in Galway had 14-day Covid incidence rates of over 1,000, with the lowest rate of 407 cases per 100,000 people in Conamara North. Seventy cases were confirmed in two weeks among the 17,191 people in the area.

Ballinalsoe, which has consistently had one of the lowest rates in the county throughout the pandemic, had a 14-day incidence rate of over 1,000 cases per 1,000 population on 18 January, representing a rise of almost 300% in just two weeks with an additional 303 confirmed cases.

Of the three LEAs in Galway city, Galway City West had the lowest rate, while both Galway City Central and Galway City East had rates of over 1,000.

When the data was taken, the national incidence rate was 1,334.6 cases per 100,000 people. The rate has since fallen to 840.7, as of yesterday evening.

14-day Covid rates per 100k population | Number of cases

1. Tuam 1545.6 | 513 cases
2. Gort – Kinvara 1467.8 | 345 cases
3. Galway City Central 1205.9 | 322 cases
4. Galway City East 1090.4 | 290 cases
5. Ballinasloe 1077.9 | 303 cases
6. Athenry – Oranmore  974.6 | 320 cases
7. Galway City West 922.3 | 234 cases
8. Conamara South 731 | 156 cases
9. Loughrea 577.1 | 134 cases 
10. Conamara North 407.2 | 70 cases