Average age of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ireland now 25

The average age of individuals with a confirmed case of Covid-19 in Ireland from 4 June to the 17 June was 25, pointing to the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign in crushing case numbers among vaccinated older age groups.

According to a new report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), more than 4,500 cases were detected during the time period.

Of the cases just 35 or less than one per cent were detected in people aged 75 and over, highlighting the near elimination of the virus in fully vaccinated older people.

Over 22 per cent of cases were among those aged 19-24 while 17 per cent were detected among the 25 to 34 age group. Some 126 cases were confirmed in healthcare workers. 

Just over 17 per cent of cases were recorded in those aged 34 to 44 while 9 per cent were detected among 45 to 54 year olds. Just 1.4 per cent of cases were in the 65-74 age category. 

Analysis of cases over the period shows that the five day moving average had fallen to 304.

Data provided on the number of confirmed cases by county revealed that Limerick had the highest incidence of the Covid-19 per 100,000 population at 324.3, followed by Donegal, Carlow, Westmeath and Dublin. 

The mostly likely transmission source of confirmed cases was close contact with a known confirmed case, accounting for 64.5 per cent of all cases.

Around 22 per cent of cases were listed as “community transmission”, 4 per cent were travel related and almost 9 per cent remained under investigation. 

Because of the HSE ransomware attack on its IT systems on 14 May, provisional epidemiological reports are being prepared based on information captured by the HSE Covid Care Tracker, the report outlined. 

Epidemiology of Covid-19, including daily cases and 14-day incidence reports are normally based on notifications to the Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) system.

But the HSE cyberattack has prevented routine notification of cases, deaths and outbreaks to CIDR. As such the data does not represent notified cases and has not been validated. 

“As soon as all Covid-19 surveillance systems are restored, surveillance staff in laboratories, the Departments of Public Health and HPSC will work together to retrospectively collate and validate Covid-19 cases, outbreaks and deaths diagnosed and/or notified during this period,” stated the report.