The Evening Report - April 9th
A further mutated corona variant gains more ground in Denmark
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Some quick non-COVID news off the top. There has been a salmonella outbreak in Denmark impacting 25 people so far. Danish health agencies says capsules of a herbal medicine called ‘HUSK Psyllium seed husks’ is to blame. If you have some you are advised to throw it out.
You can find out more info on specific batches of concern etc HERE
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As first reported here on Informeret, Denmark’s Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says on Monday another mass vaccination trial run will be held across the country. Using just Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, as AstraZeneca use remains suspended, the health regions will try to administer 100,000 vaccinations in one day.
The last trial run on February 26th resulted in about 36,000 vaccinations administered in a single day.
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The number of confirmed cases of the further mutated U.K. corona variant in Denmark continues to grow. The variant with the concerning E484K mutation has gone from four cases yesterday to six today. The E484K mutation is concerning because it increases the virus’s ability to evade antibodies from a previous infection or possibly those induced in a vaccine.
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Denmark is reporting 698 COVID infections and no new deaths in the last day.
Yesterday there were 431,436 total corona tests administered, 183,675 PCR and 247,761 rapid, for a (PCR only) positivity percentage of 0.38%.
COVID hospitalizations (221) have dropped (-16) while the number of people in an ICU (37) is unchanged and of those the number of people on a ventilator (24) has increased (+4).
The hard hit Copenhagen suburb of Gladsaxe has doubled its daily testing capacity by opening up two municipally run COVID rapid test centers. They are in Værebro and Høje. The Kommune can now test 2,000 people per day.
Gladsaxe's mayor Trine Græse says with high infection rates resulting in the closure of schools, SFOs, and businesses until at least April 11th, priority number one is getting COVID cases down.
“Since it has not been possible to get more test centers via the Capital Region, we have now chosen to open our own quick test centers. We want to do everything we can to get our children back to school as soon as possible and ensure that hairdressers, masseurs and others from our liberal professions can open up to customers and get their businesses going again.”
The measures seem to be working as Gladsaxe has had 83 infections in the last seven days, which equals an infection pressure of 120 infected per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 245 last week.
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On the vaccination front, to date 835,271 1st vaccination doses (14.3% of the population) have been administered while 431,805 people (7.4%) are now fully vaccinated.
Yesterday there were 21,865 total vaccinations.
The Staten Serum Institut has updated vaccination efforts among the eight priority groups currently getting inoculated.
94% of Nursing home residents have has one dose and 90% are fully vaccinated
87% of 65 year olds receiving care at home have one dose and 77% have both
93% of those over 85 have had one shot and 88% have two.
62% of social and healthcare staff have had one dose and 29% two.
84% of people at high COVID risk have had one jab and 56% have had both
24% of their relatives and family members had a first shot and 11% have both
79% of those 80 to 84 years old have had one shot 3% are fully vaccinated
29% of those aged 75 to 79 have had a first dose and 1% have had both.
In its latest vaccination update the Southern Denmark Health Region says 13.7% of the region’s population, or 167,751 people, now have a first vaccine dose. While 94,645 people in Southern Denmark are now fully vaccinated.
Region Syddanmark says 61% of healthcare staff working in seniors care, hospitals, or as ambulance paramedics among others have had a first vaccine dose while 29% are fully vaccinated.
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Region Hovedstaden (Metro Copenhagen) carried out a concerted vaccination effort in Frederikssund Municipality today. It was targeted at the oldest and most vulnerable. Family doctors were enlisted to vaccinate seniors in their own homes while others were driven to a vaccination centre or mobile pop-up sites.
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The latest update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control compares COVID deaths among countries across Europe. All the Nordic countries have the lowest coronavirus fatality numbers while Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic have by far the most.
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Sweden has added 7,772 infections and another 26 corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
To date 1,355,828 1st dose (16.6% of pop) and 568,944 2nd dose #COVID vaccinations (6.9%) have been administered.
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Norway has added 1,297 infections with no new virus deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (278) are down (-15) ICU numbers (80) are also down (-11) ventilator numbers (61) are unchanged.
To date 15.51% of Norwegians have had one vaccine dose and 5.48% are fully vaccinated.
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Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg has been slapped with a 20,000 NoK fine (about $3,000 Cdn) for holding her 60th birthday party in numbers contravening COVID gathering restrictions.
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The Finnish government has tabled a path out of its current lockdown. If approved in its current form restrictions would be eased for children and young people first beginning later this month.
Finland is hoping to reopen its borders to internal E.U. commuters, family, and relative travel somewhere between May and June. It won’t completely ease all border controls until “the adult population has been vaccinated sufficiently and the epidemic situation is stable.” The current target is by June.
April
• Return to in person teaching (primary and secondary education)
• Restaurants will open with restrictions, opening hours and customer numbers will continue to be limited
May
• Outdoor activities for children and young people can begin
• Public and private spaces will be opened (including libraries and museums)
• Commuting in the EU is allowed
June
• Gathering restrictions will be relaxed
• Restrictions on restaurant capacity and opening hours will be relaxed
• Outdoor group activities for adults can begin
• Audience events with participant restrictions begin
• Internal border control ends
July
• Gathering restrictions will be relaxed and removed
• Restrictions on attendance at public events will be relaxed and removed
August
• Business travel from third countries may be opened
The reopening strategy also counts on various vaccination targets with the overall vaccination timeline extending well into the fall.
It is also worth noting, while not mentioned in the reopening plan, that vaccine passports are on the table in Finland according to Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
Finland has registered 426 infections and another four deaths today.
COVID hospitalizations (224) are down again (-11) while ICU numbers (42) also dropped (-3).
On the vaccination front, to date 1,066,860 1st dose vaccinations (19.1% of the population) have been administered while 93,459 people (1.7%) are now fully vaccinated.
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Germany is continuing to ramp up its vaccination efforts. Health Minister Jens Spahn tweeted today that 656,000 vaccine doses were administered on Wednesday, and another 719,000 yesterday something he hailed as “a good development.”
However the health minister noted there are also bad developments. Spahn says national COVID restrictions need to be tightened, including possibly reintroducing curfews, to get the infection curve down. If not, he says Germany’s health care system could be overwhelmed.
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Yesterday Poland suffered its deadliest day of the pandemic with 954 coronavirus deaths and another 27,887 new infections.
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Yesterday Canada recorded 7,984 new infections and 38 more corona deaths as its infection curve continues to push back upward.
Hospitalizations on a national level are also increasing again.
On the vaccination effort, to date 6,488,863 1st vaccines doses (17.7% of the population) have been administered while 763,697 people are now fully vaccinated.
The big story with the latest variants update from Public Health Canada is that U.K. variant infections have soared in Ontario going from 2,291 cases to 9,632 day to day. In one 24 hour period Ontario has passed Alberta for the most B.1.1.7 variant cases of any province.
As for today in Ontario it recorded its 2nd highest ever number of new infections per Health Minister Christine Elliott on Twitter “Ontario is reporting 4,227 cases of COVID19 and over 61,400 tests completed. Locally, there are 1,218 new cases in Toronto, 762 in Peel, 532 in York Region, 247 in Durham and 246 in Ottawa. As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 2,940,166 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.“ COVID hospitalizations are so bad the province has ordered hospitals to halt non-emergency surgeries as ICUs fill up with coronavirus patients. There were also 18 more deaths.
Quebec reported 1,683 infections and eight more deaths today.
In Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick had seven new infections. Nova Scotia had five. While Newfoundland and Labrador had one.
There were 139 infections and three deaths reported in Manitoba yesterday. Among the fatalities the province’s first variant related death. COVID variants now make up about one out of every four infections in the province.
Saskatchewan had 205 infections and two deaths.
Yesterday Alberta recorded its highest number of new daily infections this year with 1,429 of which 717 are infections involving ‘variants of concern.’ Variant infections now make up 44.8% of all active cases in the province. Three more people have also died.
More bad news in B.C. as it recorded its highest ever number of new infections yesterday with 1,293.. The rolling 7 day average is now more than 1,000 new cases a day. There were also three more deaths. Hospitalizations are up 53% in the last seven weeks. Active ICU cases are up 63%.