Women and 25-44s account for highest number of Covid-19 cases

Women and those aged between 25-44 continue to account for the highest number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 and workplace outbreaks have increased from 4% of cases to 10% since mid April, according to an in-depth analysis of the figures associated with the disease in this country produced by the Central Statistics Office.

The CSO research shows that:

The number of people who have died from COVID-19 is below 10 for the last three weeks

the number of people who have been diagnosed as a confirmed case has risen for the first time in 10 weeks

Dublin is the worst hit by COVID-19 accounting for 51% of all confirmed COVID-19 deaths

In terms of cases, Dublin was the only county to record more than 20 new cases in each of the past five weeks up to and including the week ending 3 July

This is the third week in a row that Clare and Offaly recorded no new cases

This is the eighth week in a row that Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Tipperary and Wexford have recorded less than 10 new cases

This is the ninth week in a row that Donegal, Laois and Kerry have recorded less than 10 new cases and the tenth such week for Waterford

The seventh in the series, te bulletin provides insights into those who have either died or contracted COVID-19, by using data from the Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) provided to the CSO by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

This bulletin includes a new animated map at Community Healthcare Network (CHN) level showing the weekly spread of infections around the country up to the week of 20 June. Community Healthcare Networks (CHN's) will deliver Primary Health Care Services across an average population of 50,000. There are 96 CHN’s across Ireland (https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/primarycare/community-healthcare-networks/faq.html).

This animated map adds information on how the virus spread over time to the geographic information on total infections provided in the Electoral Division map from Bulletin 5.

Deaths

The CSO has found that while the number of people who have died from COVID-19 is below 10 for the last three weeks, Dublin remains the hardest hit.

The total number of people who have died from COVID-19 is 1,479, with a further 259 deaths cited as probable deaths linked to the virus. For the week ending 3 July, five deaths were recorded, a decrease of four deaths from the previous week.

The virus claimed the lives of 27 more men than women up to and including the week ending 3 July. It also continues to impact the older age groups the hardest, with 65% of all confirmed COVID-19 deaths to date in the 80 years or older age group.

Confirmed Cases

This is the first time in 10 weeks that confirmed cases of COVID-19 have increased. The total number of confirmed cases is 25,507. The number of cases for the week ending 3 July is 78, an increase of nine from the previous week.

Half of all confirmed cases are linked to an outbreak.

Some 3,657 more females were diagnosed with COVID-19 than males, the median age remains consistent for both men and women.

The 25-44 age group still show the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 8,784.

Health care workers continue to make up almost a third of all cases.

The week ending up to and including 3 July was the fifth week in a row that Dublin had less than 100 weekly cases since the start of March. There were 32 new cases diagnosed in Dublin in the week ending 3 July, down from the peak of 1,865 cases in the week ending 27 March.  Kildare was the only other county to record more than 10 new cases in the week ended 3 July.

This is the third week in a row that Clare and Offaly recorded no new cases.

This is the seventh week in a row that Mayo, Offaly, Westmeath and Wicklow have recorded less than 10 new cases.

This is the eighth week in a row that Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Tipperary and Wexford have recorded less than 10 new cases.

This is the ninth week in a row that Donegal, Laois and Kerry have recorded less than 10 new cases and the tenth such week for Waterford.

For the second week, Sligo has recorded more than five cases.

Hospitalisations

Last week, the week ending 3 July, seven people were hospitalised, down from 653 people at the peak, the week ending 27 March. For the sixth week in a row, there have been less than five people admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). These figures may need to be adjusted if someone’s condition worsens as there is a time lag between onset of symptoms and hospitalisation.

Outbreaks

There have been 12,703 positive COVID-19 cases linked to an outbreak, which is defined as two or more cases in the same location and time. Women account for 59% of all cases linked to an outbreak.

Almost a quarter (24%) of outbreaks affected those aged 80 years and older compared with 14% of all cases. The median age of cases related to an outbreak is 54.

Nursing Homes accounted for 47% of all confirmed cases related to an outbreak. This has decreased from a peak of 50% in late April.

Hospitals, Residential Institutions and Nursing Homes account for nearly three-quarters of all cases linked to an outbreak.

From a high of 26% of cases in early March, Travel now accounts for just 1% of all cases related to an outbreak.

The workplace has increased from 4% of cases to 10% since mid-April.

Outbreaks in Private houses account for 19% of cases, down from 42% in late March.

Underlying Conditions

There have been 1,393 deaths of people with underlying conditions from 9,901 confirmed cases with underlying conditions. The median age of those dying with underlying conditions is 83. Of these 1,393 deaths, 748 had one underlying condition while 645 had two or more underlying conditions.

There were 1,296 deaths of people with underlying conditions in the over 65 age group. Of the 103 deaths in the 25 – 64 age group, 95 had underlying conditions.

In terms of underlying conditions, chronic heart disease was present in 43% of deaths.