THERE has been a significant rise in the volume of Covid-19 tests being carried out in Donegal in recent weeks.
In the week ending Sunday, March 21, there were 1,288 Covid-19 tests carried out – a jump of almost 37 per cent in a week, Donegal Daily can confirm.
The previous week, there were 942 tests carried out in Donegal.
Last week’s figure included 1,169 at the testing facility on the St Conal’s campus in Letterkenny and a further 119 which were conducted at the test centre in Donegal Town.
The number of tests conducted last week is a rise of 45 per cent from the week ending February 28 when there were a total of 884 tests in the county.
Case numbers in Donegal have soared again of late.
The 67 new cases reported on Sunday was the county’s highest increase since the third wave on January 22.
At the end of last week, it merged that Buncrana had become the fifth worst affected area in the country.
More than 80 positive cases were recorded South Inishowen in the previous fortnight – a jump of 300 per cent.
The Letterkenny, Lifford-Stranorlar, North Inishowen and South Inishowen local electoral areas have incidence rates which are higher than the national average
The HSE declined to make a statement on the local issue when contacted by Donegal Daily.
However, it has been confirmed that school-age children are among those infected.
The 14-day incidence rate in Donegal is now 201 – higher than the national average of 157.1 – with 320 cases in the last 14 days.
In the month of February, testers carried out 5,095 tests in Donegal.
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