– This worries me – VG

The number is also the highest in a week since the epidemic started, writes FHI in its latest weekly report. It also states that eight people under the age of 30 were admitted to hospital with corona infection last week.

Minister of Health Bent Høie (H) tells VG that he is concerned about the figures, which confirms that many younger people can also become seriously ill when the infection spreads faster.

– This worries me, and tells how important it is that we manage to reduce the infection even if the oldest and most vulnerable have been vaccinated, says Minister of Health Bent Høie to VG.

– When the infection spreads faster with a virus that leads to more hospital admissions, which now unfortunately spreads in the younger age groups, this is unfortunately the result.

The trend in the number of new hospital admissions is also increasing for all age groups. 153 new admissions were reported in week 10, which is the highest number since the end of March last year. There is also a 55 percent increase from week 9.

In Vestfold and Telemark, there have never been so many admissions in one week. In Oslo, the number rose from 36 to 59, while in Viken it rose from 36 to 48 – both the highest numbers since March last year.

Record high infection

FHI is also now estimating for the first time that the level of infection is higher than it has ever been, the latest shows the modeling report.

Previously, it has been assumed that the infection was higher in the period March-April last year, if one takes into account the dark numbers as a result of less testing. Now it is believed that the infection actual is higher.

The Minister of Health says it is disappointing to see that the infection is at its highest over a year into the pandemic.

– It is a very uncertain number because we tested fewer in March last year. But whatever the situation is, we have a more contagious virus variant that leads to more hospital admissions. It is a serious situation, he says.

– It was said that the autumn wave we experienced last year could have been avoided, and that we may have done too little to stop it. Now that a year has passed, do you think it is a defeat to see that we get a third or maybe fourth wave then?

– Yes, I think so. I wish we were not in this situation and that the measures we implement nationally and locally hindered the increase we see, says Høie.

– Did you think we would make it?

– I had thought we would make it, but it turns out that we have not made it. This means that the stricter measures that have come now are necessary, so we are excited about how this works, says Høie.

– We see that a number of other countries have managed to reverse the development even with a more contagious virus, but it has taken longer and required more measures, says the Minister of Health.

Still low death toll

Despite an increase in reported cases and an increasing trend in the number of new hospital admissions, the number of deaths is at a low level, writes FHI.

This despite the fact that a record-high weekly infection was reported with 5337 confirmed cases in week 10 – an increase of 28 percent from the week before.

Oslo has by far the most reported cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Viken and Vestfold and Telemark. These areas make up 83 per cent of the reported cases in week 10. On the other hand, the infection is lowest in Møre og Romsdal and Trøndelag.

The proportion of positive tests was highest in the age group 0–5 years (4 per cent), 6–12 years (3.4 per cent) and 13–19 years (3 per cent).

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