We need to know if there is a reason why the death rate from Covid 19 per head of population has been so high in Mayo, according to Castlebar Councillor Michael Kilcoyne.

The latest CSO figures up to mid-February show there were 152 Covid deaths in Mayo since the start of the pandemic, with the death rate per 100,000 people in Mayo second only to Cavan - one of the border counties.

Councillor Kilcoyne has submitted a question to HSE West management to ask if there is any explanation for this sad statistic, which is impacting on so many grieving families in the county.

The Independent councillor is a member of the HSE West Forum and he says while he is not blaming anyone at this point, he wants to know how many patients at Mayo University Hospital died with the virus.

Councillor Kilcoyne has been outlining his concerns to Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley....