Fears of a third COVID wave rise in Sweden

Regions introduce new restrictions to curb infections

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Sweden has added 10,933 infections and suffered another 64 corona deaths since its last update Friday.

Infections are increasing again especially in Stockholm where they rose 27% last week.

As infections march upward again Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said today “It is clear that if we do not improve our responsiveness, there is a great risk that we are heading into a third wave.” Tegnell said the U.K. variant is driving the infection surge as he predicts it will very quickly become the dominant corona strain.

Several regions of Sweden acted today to introduce new recommendations to try and curb the infection spread.

In Region Gävleborg people are asked to limit their social circle, observe social distancing, avoid crowds, stay away from public transport, and work from home as much as possible. Shops and shopping centers should also be avoided. Mask use is now recommended on public transport, in indoor public spaces, and even in workplaces where close contact cannot be avoided.

In Stockholm secondary students are advised to move to distance learning in week 10 after next week’s break. Travel should be avoided unless necessary and if people do travel every precaution should be taken including having a plan to get home and isolate if needed. Mask use is also recommended in indoor public spaces, workplaces, and on public transport where close contact cannot be avoided.

To date on the vaccination front 427,783 1st doses (5.2% of pop) and 217,478 2nd vaccine doses (2.7% of pop) have been administered.

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Tomorrow we will learn how Denmark will chart a cautious path toward a reopening. Today, in a long post on Facebook, Danish Statsminister Mette Frederiksen says the calculations show infections will rise and hospitalizations will increase as restrictions are lifted. She says hospitalizations are estimated to rise to about 870 patients by mid-April and after that the projections can’t offer a reliable forecast.

Frederiksen says any reopening will be a “calculated risk” between not keeping the country closed any more than is needed and moving too quickly, increasing the chances of an explosion of infections. She says the political parties need to find a balance. Frederiksen cautions the next few months “will test our patience” before vaccinations reach a critical mass to drive down COVID infections.

Yesterday the COVID Task Force released its recommendations on how to ease the country out of a lockdown. They suggest a regional approach that will phase out restrictions in areas with low infection rates with a focus on getting secondary school students back into class and slowly reopening certain sectors. This approach will rely on mass testing.

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Corona variants continue to spread in Denmark. The Staten Serum Institut says the more contagious U.K. variant made up 57% of all sequenced positive tests last week. It took a mere 15 weeks from the first confirmed infection to becoming the dominant strain in the country. A spread more terrifying for happening during a lockdown.

The SSI says the newly discovered B.1.525 mutation has now been confirmed in 73 infection cases. It is a variant of concern because it has the E484K mutation, also known as the escape mutation, because it helps the virus evade the body’s defenses.

Over the weekend Health Minister Magnus Heunicke confirmed the 11th case of the South African variant in Denmark. This one was again travel related.

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The Folketing (Danish Parliament) passed a new epidemic law this evening. It provides for the possibility of new far-reaching restrictions to curb infectious diseases.

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Denmark is reporting 529 new COVID infections and no new coronavirus deaths since yesterday’s update. That is the first time since mid-October there have been no corona deaths in a 24 hour period.

Yesterday 107,177 COVID tests were done across the country. That equals a positivity percentage of 0.49%.

COVID hospitalizations (247) have dropped (-7) ICU numbers (48) are also down (-3) and of those who are on a ventilator (29) numbers have also declined (-7).

Denmark’s Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says the COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) is up from 0.9 last week to 1.1 this week. He adds for the U.K. variant, which is now the dominant strain in DK, the reinfection rate is 1.2. Heunicke cautions the U.K. variant number was calculated “from a few days back.” He says these numbers shows any reopening must be done carefully and gradually.

On the vaccination effort to date 334,458 1st doses (5.5% of population) and 176,629 2nd vaccine doses (3% of population) have been administered.

Denmark is one of six countries the E.U. Commission has sent letters to expressing concern about inhibiting freedom of movement between member countries contrary to European Union rules. Denmark has tightened controls along the German border and restricted entry by land, water, and air only to those with an admissible reason for entering the country and who have a negative corona test. The Danish government has ten days to respond to the E.U. missive.

Danish Statsminister Mette Frederiksen has sent her own letter to the European Union Commission along with the leaders of Belgium, Lithuania, and Poland asking the E.U. to step up vaccine production. Frederiksen says a lack of vaccines and a mutating coronavirus are threatening a way out of the pandemic. She and the other leaders want to the E.U. to do everything it can to boost vaccine production including converting existing facilities and building new ones to churn out more doses.

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Finland has registered 400 infections and one new corona death since yesterday’s update.

COVID hospitalizations (154) are up (+12) ICU numbers (34) also inched up (+4).

To date 288,288 1st dose and 73,724 2nd vaccines doses have been administered.

The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Corona Coordination Group is recommending indoor events and public lounges make capacity allowances for social distancing due to COVID. It also wants the government to be prepared to close some businesses as infections climb again.

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Norway has added 303 infections with no new corona deaths since yesterday’s update.

COVID hospitalizations (92) are down (-1) those on a ventilator (20) are unchanged.

To date 293,280 1st dose (5.46% of population) and 99,578 2nd vaccine doses (1.86% of population) have been administered.

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Yesterday the United Kingdom reported 10,641 new infections and 178 more virus deaths. The rate of positive tests, fatalities, and hospitalizations continues to drop.

1st dose COVID vaccinations are approaching 18-million while 624,325 people are now fully vaccinated.

In the U.K. rapid tests are being made available for businesses across England with 50 or more staff. The kits are free until at least the end of June.

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The European Medicines Agency has received an application to expand the use of the drug Remdesivir in treating COVID patients in the E.U.

Across Europe the usual Monday numbers lull really sank its teeth in with diminished virus activity almost across the board.

Spain and Portugal are wrestling down their respective infection curves

Hungary and Greece are experiencing heightened infection activity.

The Czech Republic also continues to be hit hard. It is reaching capacity in intensive care wards as coronavirus infections keep rising.