The Evening Report - Aug 11
COVID numbers rise in Denmark and Sweden. More money and weapons for Ukraine.
🦠Pandemic🦠
🇩🇰
COVID infection activity increased in Denmark last week, while testing rates dropped by 12% week to week. Over the last four weeks, PCR testing rates have dropped 33%. This is making it very hard to determine the true state of the BA.5-driven infection wave. That said, infections, which are underreported, rose by 4% last week, according to the latest weekly pandemic assessment from the Statens Serum Institute. The positivity percentage also rose from week to week, going from 23% to 25%. While PCR testing dropped by 12%.
COVID wastewater surveillance showed a “minor increase” in coronavirus activity nationally and across all five Danish regions.
By region, Region Sjælland still has the highest COVID incidence rate with 215 per 100,000 residents. It is followed by Region Syddanmark (185). The incidence rate increased in two of Denmark’s five regions, Region Sjælland and Region Nordjylland. While the other three regions saw declining incident rates. The positivity percentage rose in all five regions week to week.
Looking at it by age group, the COVID incidence rate fell across most age groups. The exceptions were children three to five years old where infection activity was stable. While infants two years old and under saw case rates increase slightly, as it did among those 16 to 19 years old as well. The incidence rate is highest among those 50 to 69 years old (237 cases per 100,000 people). They were followed by 40 to 49 year olds. The positivity percentage increased across almost all age groups except for those 20 to 24 years old where it was stable. Infants have the highest positivity percentage with 29% followed by those 40 to 59 years old at 28%.
Among one of Denmark’s most vulnerable, and most tested, populations, seniors in care, the number of infections has increased from 141 infections to 184 from week 30 to 31. COVID deaths also rose, with 18 lives lost last week, five more than the week before. The positivity percentage in senior care homes also nudged upward, going from 3.2% to 5%. Hospitalizations among seniors in care also increased, with 41 last week, nine more than the week previous.
Conversely, infections among senior care home staff decreased. Among healthcare workers, the positivity percentage increased.
COVID hospitalizations dipped week to week, dropping 10% with 526 pandemic-related admissions last week compared to 587 the week before. Seniors 70 to 89 years old continue to make up the largest number of new coronavirus patients. ICU admissions also edged downward, going from 17 to 13 from one week to the next. For the first time in weeks, the number of infected people hospitalized because of a COVID infection compared to those who were infected but admitted for a non-pandemic reason. Two weeks ago 62% of COVID hospitalizations were directly because of an infection compared to 55% last week.
The number of lives being lost to the coronavirus in Denmark continues to increase with an “provisional” 75 COVID deaths last week, that is 13 more than the week previous.
The BA.5 variant made up 94% of all sequenced positive test results last week. BA.4 didn’t change week to week coming back in 6% of cases.
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COVID hospitalizations (421) nudged upward (+7) while the number of severe infections in an ICU (16) and of those the number on a ventilator (6) are both unchanged day to day, as are infection admissions to a psychiatric facility (73).
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Denmark reported 2,171 COVID infections (underreported), including 627 reinfections, and six more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
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There were 8,363 PCR tests on Wednesday equaling a positivity percentage of 25.95%. The 7 day rate is 25.66%. In both cases, the positivity percentages have increased.
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The Statens Serum Institute’s Sentinel surveillance showed that other than COVID in week 30, enterovirus (a virus impacting the gastrointestinal tract but can sometimes spread to the central nervous system) and parainfluenza were the most common respiratory illnesses reported in Denmark.
🇩🇰/ 🇺🇦
Denmark has sent the largest donation to date of protective equipment and supplies to Ukraine. All told, 750 pallets will be sent. They will contain 3.1 million masks, 7.2 million gloves, 10,000 liters of hand sanitizer, and 40,000 visors. Six truckloads are already en route with another 20 getting ready to hit the road.
Director of the Board for Security of Supply Lisbet Zilmer-Johns:
“Denmark is once again supporting Ukraine with protective equipment that the country needs. This time we are sending masks, smocks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and visors from the national warehouse. The first trucks have been sent, and the rest of the protective equipment will be sent in several deliveries during August."
Ukraine made the request for protective equipment through the EU’s crisis response agency.
🇸🇪
Sweden added 6,325 infections (wildly underreported) and corona deaths have seen a steep increase, with 95 lives lost in the last week.
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COVID numbers continue to rise in Sweden. The number of infection cases rose by another 12% last week, with 5,865 reported coronavirus cases. Keep in mind the real numbers are likely much higher due to Sweden restricting PCR testing to only seniors in care and those being admitted to hospital.
The Swedish Public Health Agency says infection activity is increasing across all age groups and among seniors in care.
The agency says hospitalizations are also increasing. There were 15 new intensive care admissions last week. In the three weeks before that, there were 51 ICU admissions. The healthcare agency cautions the numbers are slightly higher due to delays in reporting.
In week 29, Sweden suffered 94 coronavirus deaths, among them were 55 seniors receiving home care or who were in care facilities, a number that has jumped sharply from the average of 51 pandemic deaths in each of the previous three weeks.
Department Head Sara Byfors:
“Now that more and more people are returning to work and schools are going back in after the summer, it is important to be alert and stay at home and avoid contact with others if you are sick with symptoms that could be COVID. Getting vaccinated and making sure that you are eligible for booster doses that you get vaccinated offers the best protection against severe infections and death.”
🇳🇴
Norway added 1,121 infections and another 211 pandemic deaths in the last week.
There were 169 COVID hospital admissions in the last week, 50 fewer than the previous week.
80.5% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have one dose, 75% have two, and 55.8% have a booster dose.
🇫🇮
Finland registered 20,782 infections and 99 more virus deaths since its last update last week.
COVID hospitalizations (706) are unchanged.
To date, 80.3% of the total population have one vaccine dose, 77.2% have two, 53.9% have one booster, and 9.5% have a second.
🇩🇪
Germany recorded 59,888 infections and another 153 pandemic deaths since its update on Wednesday.
It added 1,354 more COVID hospitalizations while ICU numbers (1,239) dipped (-34). As a percentage of all intensive care beds in the country, coronavirus patients are using 5.8%.
So far, 77.9% of the total population have one dose, 76.2% have two, and 61.9% have a booster shot.
🇨🇦
The Public Health Agency of Canada updates its COVID statistics once a week every Friday.
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Another deadly week in Ontario as it recorded 96 COVID deaths, its deadliest week of this latest infection wave. COVID hospitalizations (1,382) dropped (-92) while ICU numbers (142) inched upward (+3). The province has a positivity percentage of 13.4%.
Quebec is reporting 2,056 hospitalizations (-80), of which 694 are directly due to a coronavirus infection. Of those, there are 55 people in an ICU (-12). The province also saw 10 more pandemic deaths. It has a positivity percentage of 10.29%, which is up from last week.
Newfoundland and Labrador has had its deadliest week in the pandemic since April, with eight coronavirus fatalities. There were 14 people hospitalized (-2) and like last week there are two people in intensive care
After reporting no COVID deaths last week, Nova Scotia has registered five fatalities this week. There were 316 infected people in hospital (+33) and seven were in intensive care (-1).
In New Brunswick COVID hospitalizations (20) have dropped by almost half (-19). The province also suffered four more virus deaths.
COVID hospitalizations edged upward in Manitoba, with 57 (+10) Intensive care admissions (12) also rose (+5). The province also suffered 12 more deaths. It has a positivity percentage of 20.8%, a big increase from last week.
Saskatchewan has further reduced its COVID reporting. Its last update was July 16 and its next pandemic assessment isn’t due until August 18.
Alberta suffered 21 more coronavirus deaths while hospitalizations (748) jumped again (+46) the number of severe cases in an ICU (28) is unchanged. The province has a seven day positivity percentage of 23.73%, which is up.
BC is reporting 385 hospitalizations in the last week (-25) with 23 people in an ICU (-15). The province suffered 28 more virus deaths. It has a seven day positivity percentage of 5.87%.
🦠Monkeypox🦠
🇪🇺
The number of monkeypox cases across Europe continues to surge upward. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says as of August 9, there were a total of 17,897 confirmed infections. Those monkeypox cases are spread across 41 countries in Europe.
The ECDC says the majority of infections are among men aged 31 to 40 years old. There have been 455 hospitalizations so far, and of those just three cases required intensive care. Two of the three ICU admissions were reported to have died of monkeypox.
Spain continues to have the most infection cases followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and France.
WHO
At the global level, the latest World Health Organization assessment says there have been 27,814 confirmed infections in the monkeypox outbreak to date, along with 11 deaths. These include the first ever monkeypox deaths outside of Africa.
The WHO says since July 25, there has been a 74% increase in monkeypox infections around the world. In the last week, 42 countries have been reporting increasing numbers of monkeypox infections. Of those, Brazil saw the highest increase.
The global healthcare agency says of the cases (73%) where the infected person’s gender has been reported, 99% are men. The median age of those infected was 36 years old. The WHO says men between the ages of 18 to 44 years old “continue to be disproportionately affected by this outbreak as they account for 77% of cases.”
So far, 344 monkeypox infections have been healthcare workers. Work is underway to determine if they were infected while working.
🇩🇰
As of Thursday August 11, all five Danish regions have begun the effort to administer monkeypox vaccinations, according to the Danish National Board of Health.
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Region Syddanmark says people in the target groups can now book an appointment to get vaccinated. Vaccinations are aimed at gay and bisexual men, close contacts of an infected person, high-risk populations like people being treated for HIV, and in some cases transgendered people.
The vaccination consists of two doses of Imvanex, which are administered 28 days apart. Anyone who has been vaccinated against smallpox will need just one dose, unless they are immunocompromised in which case it is a two dose vaccination.
Vaccination appointments can be made online HERE
The region advises that in some cases people in the target group cannot get vaccinated. These include:
Anyone who has severe allergic reactions to chicken protein, benzonase, trometamol, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin.
Pregnant women
Anyone who has had serious side effects from a previous Imvanex vaccination
Chief physician at the Department of Infectious Diseases at Odense University Hospital Anne Øvrehus says the region will send out information letters to people they have identified as being in the target groups.
“We send a letter informing about the possibility of vaccination to those citizens who we can see in our systems are in risk groups. But the citizens who have not been offered treatment with PrEP against HIV are of course not in our systems. Therefore, I would like to encourage you to contact us via the region's website if you are in the target group, so that you can be vaccinated.”
More than 120 monkeypox cases have been confirmed in Denmark since May.
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Region Hovedstaden (Metro Copenhagen) is also beginning to administer monkeypox vaccinations this week. In order to get vaccinated you must be among the target groups, have a doctor’s referral or, in the case of receiving PrEP treatment for HIV, receive a vaccination invitation in their e-Boks.
Monkeypox vaccinations will be done at the vaccination center set up on Baldersgade in North Copenhagen.
Once a person has been referred for vaccination, they can set up an appointment by calling the center directly during opening hours. The number is 20 26 52 64.
⚡️Energy Crisis⚡️
🇫🇮
Finland is preparing for rising electricity prices. Finance Minister Annika Saarikko says she has tasked a group of experts to study the issue and find ways to mitigate any impact. Saarikko says the group’s findings will be ready to be tabled in time for budget debates.
🇩🇪
Germany is hitting its gas storage targets despite the energy crisis unfolding across Europe. Germany has set a target to have gas storage facilities at 75% by September 1. This week the level was at 73.7% according to European gas storage operators.
Germany regulated gas storage targets to prepare for the coming winter as Russia throttles energy supplies into Europe. The next target is to get gas storage facilities up to 85% by October 1.
In past winters, gas storage facilities covered 60% of Germany’s gas consumption needs.
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The Rhine river could effectively become impassable by today (Friday). Levels at the key Kaub waypoint west of Frankfurt could fall below 40cm today, according to the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration. It warns river levels could drop even further Saturday, to 37 cm. This means all commercial traffic will longer be able to use the river. This includes barges carrying coal for the country’s coal-fired power plants, along with oil, and gas.
The second blow in the one-two punch is that hydroelectric production is absolutely crippled, exacerbating already nasty energy woes.
🇫🇷
“Don't look up.”
Bloomberg Energy Columnist Javier Blas warns if you do…
“The European electricity market may scare the hell out of you. French base and peak load prices, and, particularly, for the November to February period, are reaching stratospheric levels.”
This morning, France 1-year baseload €602 per MWh
🇺🇦/ 🇷🇺 War
🇩🇰/ 🇺🇦
A lot of money was raised at Thursday’s Ukraine donor conference in Copenhagen. Denmark’s Ministry of Defense announced after it was over that €1.5 billion was raised by the 26 participating countries. The cash will go to continued military assistance provided to Ukraine.
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Denmark has joined an international effort that includes Sweden, Finland, Canada, and others in providing an array of military training to Ukrainian soldiers in the United Kingdom. 130 Danish soldiers will head to the UK to help in the training program.
The Danish Defense Ministry says talks have also begun to open up training for Ukrainian soldiers in Denmark. It would focus on commander-level training and support in relation to the Ukrainian Home Guard. The ministry says it expects a quick implementation of the idea and it will be one of the initiatives tanked in Thursday’s conference to support Ukraine hosted in Copenhagen. 100 million Danish kroner (about $17.8 million Cdn) has been set aside for the program.
In an interesting line at the end of the press release announcing the training news, the defense ministry adds it is “also supporting Ukraine in the cyber area.” It does not provide any other details.
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At the opening of a 26-nation conference about supporting Ukraine hosted by Denmark in Copenhagen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced a new support package for the Ukraine war effort. Denmark has tabled another donations package worth 820 million kroner (about $145 million Cdn or €110 million). Half of the monies will go to purchasing and production of weapons for Ukraine. The other half will be split between covering military training costs for Ukraine soldiers and more donations of weapons and equipment from Denmark to Ukraine.
🇷🇺/ 🇩🇰
Russia is not happy about Denmark joining the international effort to train Ikrainian soldiers so they can beat back an unprovoked and illegal invasion by Russia. The Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin, whose country started the war, said Denmark’s involvement “put the peace at risk.”
Speaking to TV2, he stuck with Russia’s usual line of defense in these situations, ridiculous bluster.
“Rather than encouraging Ukraine to end the conflict by negotiations, they are now focusing on Kyiv’s military victory, choosing to escalate the conflict even further.”
🇸🇪/ 🇺🇦
Sweden has opened the door to manufacturing weapons for Ukraine. At the 26-nation donor conference in Copenhagen, Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist spoke to SVT Nyheter to say it is a possibility.
“It's about using production lines in different countries to produce weapons that can be directly delivered to Ukraine. We expect the conflict to be long-lasting and therefore we believe that the deliveries that have been made so far should be supplemented with direct production. It's not something I'm ruling out, but it's too early to say. We are involved in all three dimensions in a positive way, but then in the end we get to see how we put it all together.”
According to Hultqvist, Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic have already reported that they can help with arms production.
🇳🇴/ 🇺🇦
Norway is joining an international effort led by the United Kingdom and including Nordic neighbours Sweden, Denmark, and Finland to train Ukrainian soldiers. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram made the announcement at the Ukraine donor conference hosted by Denmark on Thursday.
“The Ukrainian forces are in dire need of further training and education. Norway supports the British initiative to train Ukrainian soldiers in Great Britain. We will participate with instructors for this basic soldier training, like several other countries.”
Gram says Norway is also supporting an Icelandic initiative on clearing mines and other explosives in Ukraine.
“Clearing explosives in Ukraine is very important, not the least to increase the safety of the Ukrainian civilian population both now and after the end of the war. The Norwegian Armed Forces have good expertise in this area.”
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At the Ukraine donor meeting, Norway pushed for a change in how countries can support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram says Norway has a three-point message for the other nations in attendance.
“Coordination, predictability and sustainability. It is important that we continue to cooperate and coordinate closely with our allies on support for Ukraine. We must also move from donations of individual systems from our own stockpiles to more purchases directly from the defense industry. Then we must provide funds for this, and support Ukraine in the procurement processes. We will continue to stand by Ukraine for a long time. At the same time, the Ukrainians must build up their own capacity for management and planning, and the western countries must help them with this.”
🇬🇧/ 🇺🇦
The UK is sending more weapons to Ukraine. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced that more MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems) are headed to Ukraine, as is a “significant number” of precision-guided M31A1 missiles, which have a range of 80km.
“This latest tranche of military support will enable the Armed Forces of Ukraine to continue to defend against Russian aggression and the indiscriminate use of long-range artillery.”
🇱🇻/ 🇷🇺
The Latvian parliament has officially designated Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Latvia is also calling on all other EU countries to stop issuing tourist visas to all citizens of both Russia and Belarus.
🇪🇪/ 🇷🇺
Estonia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has summoned the Russian Ambassador to explain yet another violation of Estonian air space by Russian aircraft. This week, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter crossed into Estonian airspace near the Koidula border crossing, according to the country’s Ministry of Defense. This is the third time this year Russian aircraft have violated Estonian air space.
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Estonia has effectively stopped issuing tourist visas for Russian citizens according to Foreign Affairs Minister Urmas Reinsalu.
“Russian citizens’ opportunity to visit Estonia in large numbers or to visit Europe through Estonia is incompatible with the meaning of the sanctions we’ve established.”
There are a few exceptions. Those include Russians with residency permits, those coming to visit close family, those working in moving international good and passengers, and for some humanitarian reasons.
🇫🇮/ 🇷🇺
A Russian hacker group continues to target websites belonging to the Finnish government. Earlier this week, the group calling themselves Noname057(16) targeted Finnish parliamentary websites. Then on Wednesday it launched a denial of service attack on a website operated jointly by the Finnish government and the National Library. The group said on Telegram it is targeting Finland because it is applying to join NATO.