– Now we set records no one wants to set – VG

Watch the press conference directly in the video window over 14.00.

The third wave of infection has reached Norway. On Tuesday, 1150 people registered infected in Norway. It is a new national record.

The capital also set its own infection record 495 registered cases on the same day.

– Now we set records no one wants to set. We are in a third wave, says Minister of Health Bent Høie at the press conference.

On Wednesday, 226 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus, the highest number since April 10 last year. That equates to more than a tripling in the last month, shows VG’s overview.

– FHI reports 153 new admissions in one week and this is the largest number of new admissions in one week since March last year, says Høie at the press conference.

The National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) states in the latest weekly report that the R-number nationally has increased to 1.4 since 22 February. According to the same report, the British virus variant now accounts for 76 per cent of all cases in Norway.

Strict measures in several municipalities

The government has introduced the highest level of measures in the whole of Viken, Gran municipality in the Inland, Haugalandet, the Salten region and the old Vestfold municipalities.

The Minister of Health states that NIPH and the Norwegian Directorate of Health recommend continuing to reduce the infection locally.

– If there are many more outbreaks in several places in the country, we have plans to introduce national measures, Høie warns.

The measures can be introduced at short notice.

One week ago, Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced that the government is ready to introduce a number of national measures if the infection rates do not decrease.

Oslo itself has introduced some of the most stringent measures since the start of the pandemic.

The infection pressure is highest in the age group 10 to 19 years. Figures for last week show that 179 per 100,000 people in the age group were registered as infected. But infection rates are rising in all age groups.

In week 10, more than 190,000 people were tested for the coronavirus in Norway. At least 5,585 people were registered infected. The figures may still change somewhat due to post-registrations.

Some laboratories in Viken have struggled with the analysis capacity of corona tests and thus had a longer response time.

Quarantine exceptions for health personnel

Healthcare professionals who have been vaccinated can be exempted from quarantine to ensure that the wheels turn in the health service, Høie stated at the press conference.

– They must be tested and quarantined in their spare time, he adds.

It is also required that three weeks have passed since the first vaccine dose.

– This will make it easier to get the wheels turning in the health and care service, says Høie.

Guldvog: These are the tips for Easter

Travel:

• Avoid traveling domestically
• Discourages all travel abroad that is not strictly necessary

– If you still travel, you must stay in a quarantine hotel for at least three days, says Guldvog.

Cabin advice:

– You should only travel to the cabin with those you live with or similarly close. It could be, for example, a girlfriend, says Guldvog.

He says that if you travel to a place with other advice than you have at home, you should follow the strictest advice. He also advises not to have overnight visits if you come from areas with high infection, such as Oslo and Viken.

– People from different households should not sleep in the same room, he says.

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