Three of top five counties with highest Covid death rates in border region

According to new figures, three of the top five counties with the highest Covid death rates are in the border region.

Louth has the highest Covid death rate in the country.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says 6,087 people have died from Covid since the start of the pandemic.

1,419 of those happened in January of last year - compared to 196 last month.

Since March 2020, Louth has the highest death rate based on population size, at 180 deaths per 100,000 people.

Mayo is the next highest at 176, followed by Monaghan, at 174.

That's followed by Cavan, at 171, and Kildare, at 164.

The county with the lowest rate is Galway, at 66.