While large parts of Europe are vacationing and enjoying the first summer after society opened up, a major wave of infection is sweeping across the continent.
On the list of the countries in the world that are currently experiencing the greatest infection pressure are seven out of twelve countries in Western Europe.
Also in Norway, where the new omicron variant BA.5 dominates, an infection wave is now being experienced.
Sees signs of infection without testing
Although there is no longer mass testing in this country, the National Institute of Public Health has several other methods for following the development of the pandemic:
- They monitor various monitoring systems such as the reporting system for infectious diseases, the number of doctor consultations and the number of hospital admissions.
- They also use the survey “Symptometer” which asks the same sample of the population every week.
- They also have the pilot project on sewage monitoring, where they register viruses in faeces from sewage plants in five places in Norway. This is in Tromsø, Trondheim, Bergen, Oslo and Ullensaker.
The registrations from here show that so far this summer there has been a very high infection, but FHI hopes and believes that the summer wave will turn during July.
Also read: – Has spread a lot under the radar
Highest registered infection now:
These countries are currently experiencing the greatest infection pressure in the world, sorted by registered corona infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
Figures in parentheses show registered deaths per 100,000 in the same period.
- Brunei Darussalam: 3,462 infected (none dead)
- New Zealand: 2,517 infected (4.1 dead)
- France: 2,469 infected (1.1 dead)
- Cyprus: 2,136 infected (0.6 dead)
- Singapore: 2,130 infected (0.4 dead)
- Italy: 2,122 infected (1.8 dead)
- Greece: 2,040 infected (2.7 dead)
- Luxembourg: 1,990 infected (1.6 dead)
- Australia: 1,961 infected (2.4 dead)
- Austria: 1,653 infected (1.1 dead)
- Israel: 1,585 infected (1.4 dead)
- Germany: 1,521 infected (1.4 dead)
In Norway, 113 new cases of infection and 2.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants have been registered in the last 14 days.
For the other Nordic countries, the figures per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days are 74 infected and less than one death in Sweden, 504 infected and 1.4 dead in Denmark, 450 infected and 2 dead in Finland and 1,287 infected and 7.1 dead on Iceland.
So far, 556,517,813 people have been diagnosed with infection worldwide. 6,352,910 people have died so far in the pandemic.
Source: Johns Hopkins University / NTB
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– A little surprising
That the infection is now very high, even in the middle of the summer, surprises the assistant director of the Norwegian Directorate of Health, Espen Rostrup Nakstad.
– We actually had very little infection both last summer and the summer before, so the fact that we now have a big wave of infection in all of Western Europe this summer, it is a bit surprising, he says to TV 2.
– Assistant Director of Health, Espen Rostrup Nakstad. Photo: Marte Christensen / TV 2
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Nevertheless, the assistant health director believes that this may be a natural explanation.
– It is probably the combination of a more contagious variant and the fact that we now live normally, in contrast to the two previous summers where we had a number of measures towards the summer. That is probably the main explanation for this wave.
Also read: Several get noticeable symptoms: – Probably more problematic
Ask travelers to be prepared
In a meeting with the press on Tuesday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warns that new waves of infection show that the pandemic “is nowhere near over”, according to NTB.
– While the virus pushes us, we have to push back, he says.
The good news is that the wave of infections in Norway has come quite far, and that the infection rates now seem to be flattening out somewhat. Several other European countries are also experiencing this now, while some still have rising infection.
Nakstad says that those who plan to travel to Europe this summer, should be prepared to wear face masks in some places.
– If you travel to European countries now, you will notice that there are infection control rules there that we have not had in Norway for a while. For example, you will be asked to wear a face mask in several places. So you have to prepare for that.
– Apart from that, it is unlikely that we will get any major shutdowns or those types of problems, or quarantine scheme upon entry and so on. But there will probably be a lot of focus on infection control of the type of mouth bandage in the first place.
Also read: Disappointing message about new omikron variant
– We really hope so
Although many may now feel a concern about the flourishing of infection, Nakstad believes that it can also lay a good foundation for the coming months.
– The advantage of a wave now is that then the virus has more and more problems with infecting people who have been ill and who have received this refreshing dose. It may well be that it will calm down towards early autumn. We really hope it does.
Nakstad says it is difficult to say exactly how autumn and winter will be. He does not rule out that there will be new virus variants in the future.
– It is very uncertain what happens in the autumn and winter when we again start to be more indoors and closer to each other. Then it may well be that we get some new virus variants.
He emphasizes that they hope the immunity of the general population will gradually strengthen in this phase of the pandemic.
– Partly because many have been vaccinated with a refreshing dose, but also because many have been ill this winter and now this summer. And that will mean that the virus will eventually meet more resistance, but how big that resistance will be and how it will be later in the autumn and winter, we have no preconditions for thinking anything about right now.
Corona rules in selected holiday countries
The rules below can be changed, and travelers should check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ page for travel information and information from local authorities.
Sweden
* All corona-related restrictions on entry into Sweden have been lifted.
* People with symptoms of covid-19 should avoid contact with others.
Denmark
* There are no more corona-related restrictions on entry to or in Denmark, but certain airlines may require a corona certificate.
* People with symptoms should stay at home, according to Danish authorities’ corona council.
France
* It must be possible to present a valid vaccination certificate upon entry. This means that adults must either have received three vaccine doses, have received their second dose less than nine months ago or be able to document a history of covid-19 disease. Read more on the Foreign Ministry’s pages for travel information for France.
* There is no longer a requirement to present a vaccination certificate internally in France, except in health care institutions.
* If you become infected or ill, you must be in isolation for seven days from the positive test or the symptoms occur. After five days, you can test yourself out of isolation. You must then have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
Hellas
* Greece has removed the requirement that people entering the country must have a valid corona passport.
* Travelers with symptoms of covid-19 are encouraged to isolate themselves in the room.
Information about entry is available her.
Information on corona rules within the country can be found her.
Italia
* As of June 1, you no longer need to show a valid covid passport to enter Italy.
* It is mandatory to wear a face mask / mask on public transport in Italy. The order is valid until 30 September 2022.
* If you test positive for covid-19 in Italy, you must stay in isolation in your own room. If you are symptom-free, you can test yourself after seven days and go out of isolation if you test negative. If you have symptoms, you can test yourself three days after you became symptom-free. You cannot leave the insulation until you have tested negative. If you continue to test positive, you can leave the isolation after 21 days regardless of the test result.
Updated information on corona rules is available her.
Spain
* Travelers from Norway or other Schengen countries do not need to present a corona certificate. They also do not need to fill out an electronic health form.
* It is mandatory to use a face mask for everyone over the age of six on public transport as well as in hospitals, health centers, pharmacies, etc.
* If you get covid-19, you should have as little contact with other people as possible and wear a face mask for ten days from a positive test or if you have symptoms. This also applies to close contacts.
Updated information on entry rules is available her.
Great Britain
* UK has removed all entry restrictions due to covid-19. There is no longer a requirement for a test before and after entry, regardless of the individual vaccine status.
Germany
* The entry rules related to the pandemic have been repealed. There is no longer a requirement for a corona certificate or a negative test on travel from Norway.
* There are still separate rules for people arriving from high-infection areas with virus variants.
* There is a mandatory bandage on public transport, and special rules for health institutions.
* There may be different coronary councils and rules in different states. More information is available her.
Source: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel information/NTB
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