iPad Mini 6th Generation A2568 - Loss of touch sensitivity

My iPad has never responded properly to touch, right out of the box, new. Model # is A2568 (WiFi and cellular, 256 GB) and was purchased new and received from Apple January, 2022. I have previously owned both iPads and iPhones and never experienced a non-responsive screen. The problem seems most pronounced towards the edges of the screen, though it can occur in the middle of the screen too.

I am wondering if others are experiencing this problem and looking for advice.