A public health expert says Ireland has almost the highest rate of coronavirus in the world.
6,888 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Republic along with 8 more deaths.
270 of the new cases are local- with 163 in Kilkenny and 107 in Carlow.
The country’s 14 day incidence rate has risen to 1,291.2 per 100 thousand population.
DCU Professor Anthony Staines says the spiralling cases are much worse than predicted;
“The numbers are much higher than I think anyone had feared” he claims. “We now have almost the highest rate of Covid-19 on the planet, which is very worrying. Our rate has gone up much faster than other European countries. We have gone up a little bit like the British. It seems to be due to a lot of movement and social activity over Christmas.”
