In the last week, the infection situation in many Norwegian municipalities has become serious.
The outbreaks come in the wake of the long weekend and the May 17 celebrations, and it is especially among young and young adults that the infection is high.
FHI says that they especially follow the situation in Tynset, Hamar, Kristiansand, Larvik, Trondheim and Hammerfest.
Nationally, 714 corona-infected people were registered in Norway in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of infections in one day since 12 April.
– All municipalities must be on guard, says chief physician Preben Aavitsland in FHI.
– crisis
The infection has long been low in Trondheim, until suddenly in one day 33 infected people were registered.
– It’s a crisis. The infection pressure is now higher than it was at its highest at Christmas time, said municipal director Morten Wolden to Adresseavisa.
He tells TV 2 that the municipality has had two outbreaks over time, where one is related to the nightlife and the other to a church community. The municipal director felt that they had control, until now.
– Now we get repercussions after the May 17 weekend where there has been extensive partying in private teams and out on the town. There is an attitude in the city that the pandemic is over, Wolden says to TV 2.
He has been worried about an increase in infection among Russians, but says that it is especially young adults who are infected. There are several ongoing outbreaks related to nightclubs in the municipality.
Wolden now comes with a strong appeal to the inhabitants:
– We ask people to sharpen up, take it easy and not go to a party. Especially this weekend, he says.
– OUTBREAK: The municipal director in Trondheim describes the infection situation as “a crisis”. Photo: Frank Lervik / Screen Story
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– Looks dark
On Friday, the government decided that we should take the next step in the reopening of Norway. This means, among other things, that it is allowed to serve until 24 o’clock, that the recommendation to have a maximum of five guests has been raised to ten and an increase in the number who can participate in events.
– It is a pity that the infection increases so much at the same time as we move forward with the reopening plan. We are of course happy for the reliefs, because they are in place, but it also makes it much more demanding for us, says Wolden.
Trondheim also follows a local regulation, which lasts until Wednesday. On Thursday, the national reliefs come into force.
The municipality will therefore have a chairmanship meeting on Tuesday where they will assess the need for stronger local measures also after that.
– It looks dark with the reopening plan, especially with a view to extending the bar until midnight. The next few days will be crucial, says Wolden.
– DOMINATE: Espen Nakstad, assistant director of the Norwegian Directorate of Health, says that it is young people and people in their 20s who dominate infection statistics throughout Norway now. Photo: Goran Jorganovich / TV 2
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– Should be avoided
– Should we postpone the reopening in light of the fact that so many municipalities are now reporting outbreaks?
– The most important thing is probably that the larger municipalities consider the need for measures in their municipality, independent of the national reopening, says assistant health director Espen Rostrup Nakstad.
He says that all outbreaks that grow strongly in densely populated areas are challenging.
– Since the vaccination has come quite short in the age group that is most often admitted to hospital now, the 50-year-olds, it is a great advantage to avoid a big wave of infection just a few weeks before they have also been vaccinated, he says.
Nakstad still believes that the municipalities can handle the outbreaks locally.
– We believe that the affected municipalities are able to handle this fairly quickly. Most of them have done it several times before, says the assistant health director.
– OUTBREAK: Hamar introduces a number of restrictions in the hope of hitting a major outbreak. Photo: Olav T. Hustad Wold / TV 2
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Introduces strict measures
In the last week, 81 cases of infection have been reported in the Hamar region, the municipal chief informs in a press release.
– We see that the infection is increasing rapidly, especially among young adults in the region, says chief physician and head of the Community Medicine unit for the Hamar region, Ketil Egge.
He says that many have a large number of close contacts, and the capacity for infection tracking and testing has been exceeded.
– We see a great potential for the infection to accelerate further, and therefore we want to be safe again, says Egge.
Among the measures that apply from midnight are a full stop to drinking, stopping indoor leisure activities for people over the age of 16, stricter restrictions for events and a red level in upper secondary schools.
In addition to the rules mentioned, a number of recommendations are introduced to limit contact.
– Among other things, we are worried about the Russians. There is an infection in upper secondary school, and we strongly encourage the Russians to postpone the celebration, says the municipal chief.
– CONCERNED: Chief physician Preben Aavitsland at the National Institute of Public Health is particularly concerned about the infection situation in a municipality. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB
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Have faith in the municipalities
On Saturday morning, 40 people were reported infected in Larvik in the last 24 hours. Ålesund, which has had a low infection recently, suddenly had a contagion jump of 14 cases.
– The picture is as expected after extensive contact between people last weekend, says chief physician Preben Aavitsland.
He believes it is very important that all municipalities are on guard to be able to detect and quickly deal with outbreaks.
– Outbreaks appear among young people and young adults here and there, and then the municipalities in question must do the right thing: Intensive infection detection, good communication with the inhabitants and possible contact-reducing measures in society, says Aavitsland.
Experience indicates that the municipalities handle this well.
– For example, the outbreaks in recent weeks in Skien, Stavanger, Sandnes and Bergen are in a good development, he says.
– TEST QUEUE: People are in a test queue in the district Vågsbygd in Kristiansand. All five upper secondary schools in the municipality are affected by the outbreak. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB
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Expect more cases
In Kristiansand, the situation is very serious.
On Thursday, 72 cases of infection were registered, while the daily infection was up to 85 on Friday. A total of 105 Russians have been diagnosed with the infection after the May 17 weekend.
– We pay special attention to Kristiansand, says Aavitsland.
In Hammerfest, the infection has also skyrocketed in a short time.
Mayor of Hammerfest, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, says that a total of 57 people have been confirmed infected in connection with the ongoing outbreak.
49 of them are residents of Hammerfest, while the other 8 are from neighboring municipalities. 300 close contacts have also been quarantined.
– Many have symptoms, so we expect more positive tests, the mayor said at a press conference on Saturday.
Young people between the ages of 20 and 30 in particular have been confirmed to be infected.
Both Alta and Hammerfest have introduced strict local measures that shut down activities in both cities.
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