The number of corona infections in Oslo and Viken is increasing. In the last 24 hours, there have been 275 new corona infections in Oslo, 72 in Østfold, 54 in Drammen and 38 in Asker and Bærum.
This worries state administrator Valgerd Svarstad Haugland. Today, she accelerated a meeting with the health authorities and mayors from municipalities throughout Oslo and Viken.
– There are high infection rates in Oslo and Viken. We must take some stronger action to reduce the number of infections in the entire area. Among other things, we are concerned about the hospital capacity, says Svarstad Haugland.
Oslo Municipality announces that they will come up with new corona measures on Monday night.
Different views
The state administrator says that there is a common desire to reduce the R-number, but that the municipalities are divided in their view of the need for national measures for their region.
– Some municipalities want it. Some others say that they take note that it is wise. Then there were also some who would like to decide for themselves. It was threefold, she tells NRK.
Svarstad Haugland says that they have now asked the National Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Health to contact the government to request stricter measures for the municipalities in Oslo and Viken.
– They will recommend that there may be national guidelines for the Viken region or for some of the municipalities in Viken. Nothing has been decided, but they will work against the government.
– Serious situation
Mayor Hanne Tollerud in Moss believes it is absolutely right to introduce common rules for the entire county.
– It is a serious situation and we see that the infection trend is increasing in Viken and Oslo. It is absolutely right to act now and not wait, we do not have time for that.
Mayor Hanne Tollerud in Moss believes it is right to have common driving rules for all municipalities in Viken before Easter.
Photo: Petter Larsson / NRK
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She says that Moss is still struggling to get an overview of many close contacts.
– Considering that we are now facing Easter, I think it is absolutely right to consider this now, she says to NRK.
Before the Easter holidays
The state administrator says the clarification will come quickly, probably within 24 hours. The goal is to introduce strict measures to reduce the infection pressure before the Easter holidays.
– We wake up every day to new and high numbers. Both Oslo and Viken have always had the biggest eruptions. It is not unnatural, but at the same time it is worrying. Then we must do what we can to reverse the infection trend instead of it just increasing and increasing, says Valgerd Svarstad Haugland.
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