The Evening Report - July 13
COVID may soon have company as other viruses make an early comeback
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The Norwegian Institute for Public Health is warning that COVID may have some company soon. The health agency says pandemic-related restrictions have led to other usual respiratory infections all but disappearing. It is concerned things like RS virus (acute bronchitis), pertussis (whooping cough), and influenza infections will come roaring back as life returns closer to normal and travel increases. It says a built-up of immunity from being exposed to these viruses year in and year out may have taken a hit, making especially very young children and seniors particularly vulnerable.
Chief Physician Margrethe Greve-Isdahl says while usually these viruses would be seen in the in the fall and winter months, some countries are already seeing infections and hospitalizations.
“We have so far not observed a similar development here in Norway, but we must be prepared for that to happen and will therefore increase attention by issuing this risk assessment. This will be especially important if we get epidemics with several respiratory infections all at the same time.”
Parents are advised to ensure their children’s vaccinations are up to schedule as there is a whooping cough vaccine, but it requires three doses.
In Denmark, the Staten Serum Institut is already seeing an abnormal number of cases of the RS virus. It says in any given summer there might be a handful of cases, but already this summer they have seen 112.
Section Manager Ramona Trebien:
“It is estimated that the increasing number of RS cases we are seeing now is due to the restrictions being softened or completely removed. The same pattern has been seen in countries such as the USA and Australia.”
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Denmark’s COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) has increased again. After jumping from 0.9 to 1.2 last week, this week it rose again to 1.3. It hasn’t been that high since November of last year. To put some context to the number from mid-to late December, when Denmark was recording record high daily infection numbers, the R0 was 1.2.
Denmark is reporting 1,055 new COVID infections, the first time exceeding 1,000 daily cases since June 3, while seeing no new coronavirus deaths in the last day.
Yesterday 247,003 total corona tests were done, 83,701 PCR and 163,302 rapid, for a (PCR only) positivity percentage of 1.3%
The number of kommunes with COVID incidence rates exceeding 100 per 100,000 residents has now grown to 12. There are now three municipalities, København, Frederiksberg, and Aarhus, that are now above 200, which hasn’t happened in well over a month.
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The Danish Agency for Patient Safety says people who attended big-screen TV events around Denmark to watch any of the EURO 2020 games, especially the semi-final, should get tested. Aarhus Kommune, in a press release, says it has seen a flare-up of infection numbers and the commonality seems to be attending big-screen football events.
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“There is no need to panic yet” that is the message from Professor Hans Jørn Kolmos, the chief physician at the Research Unit for Clinical Microbiology at the University of Southern Denmark. Speaking to DR, Kolmos says no action is needed yet, but infection developments should be followed closely. He believes the rising R0 might be the after-effect of the EURO 2020 tournament. But he cautioned if the numbers continue to climb it will not be a good situation in the fall when we lose the seasonal advantage and COVID has an easier time spreading “we do not want to go into the autumn with high infection rates.”
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On the vaccination front to date, 3,731,312 1st doses (63.8% of the population) have been administered while 2,403,791 people (41.1%) are now fully vaccinated.
Yesterday, there were 89,718 total inoculations done.
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Danske Bank Chief Analyst Mikael Olai Milhøj notes Denmark now lead in first doses administered among Nordic nations.
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The vaccination effort in Horsens Kommune has run into a problem. Director of Welfare and Health Jes Svenninggaard tells DR that a significant number of mostly young people between the ages of 16 and 25 have not responded to their vaccination invitations.
“In addition, it is primarily citizens from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Some of what we experience as a challenge is that they do not read their e-Boks. And we now hope to remove that barrier.”
To do that, the kommune will offer vaccinations without the need to book an appointment.
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Sweden has added 669 infections and another two corona deaths since its last update on Friday. The Swedish Public Health Agency is STILL warning of a reporting lag.
To date, 5,689,425 1st-doses (69.5% of the population) and 3,654,556 2nd vaccine doses (44.6%) have been administered.
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Concern is rising in Stockholm as the Delta variant becomes the dominant coronavirus strain. Region Stockholm says for a second week in a row infections have increased up another 18% from one week to the next. The health agency says confirmed Delta variant infections have also increased by 50% in the same period. The region warns that is not a complete picture, with sequencing results backlogged, in some cases weeks behind.
All told, the region says there were 476 infections from July 6 - 12. There are 36 people in hospital in the capital region.
Chief Physician Elda Sparrelid:
“Increases two weeks in a row are not what I want to see. Karolinska University Laboratory estimates that the Delta variant accounts for about 60 percent of all new infections. We know that those who have taken both doses of vaccine have better protection against serious illness, especially for those who are infected with the Delta variant. Therefore, it is now important that as many as possible have the opportunity to take both doses of vaccine as soon as possible. There are still many inhabitants who do not have any vaccination protection yet.”
Sparrelid adds that about one-third of all new COVID cases in the region are travel-related with people having been infected abroad. A lot of the cases are linked to travel to Spain.
The influx of travel-related coronavirus infections is also being noticed in the Västra Götaland region.
Deputy Infection Control Doctor Leif Dotevall spoke to SVT Nyheter:
“Of the cases we see now, a fairly large proportion of travelers who have been to southern Europe come home and are ill.”
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Norway has added 201 infections and had no new deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (21) are down (-5) ICU numbers (6) are up (+1) ventilator numbers (3) are down.
To date, 57.13% of Norwegians have had one vaccine dose and 29.61% have had both.
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The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has published a pre-print study finding a number of factors can make young people and children more at risk of severe coronavirus infection and hospitalization. The NIPH says in general, very few young people in Norway have suffered a serious bout of COVID. But the agency found where a child was born, where they live in Norway, and other socio-economic factors can make them more at risk.
Professor of Childhood Diseases and first author of the study Ketil Størdal:
“The number of people in the household, overcrowding, low household income, and geographical residence in Eastern Norway (Oslo and Viken) increase the risk of becoming infected. This fits with what we know about areas with a higher incidence of infection, and that it can be more difficult to comply with the infection control councils in larger families or where you live in a crowded home.”
The study also found children and adolescents who suffer from chronic diseases were less likely to become infected with COVID. However, young people with chronic diseases who do get COVID are more likely to be hospitalized.
“Children and adolescents with certain chronic diseases are more likely to be admitted with COVID19. This may be both because the underlying disease means that they need more treatment for infections, but also because there is a lower threshold for admitting those who already have a serious illness. Those who are in the age group 12-17 years old with serious underlying disease therefore receive a recommendation for vaccination.”
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Finland has registered 290 infections since yesterday’s update.
It only publishes fatality and hospitalization numbers updates on Wednesdays.
To date, 3,485,045 1st-doses (62.4% of the population) have been administered while 1,361,652 people (24.4%) are fully vaccinated.
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The Finns seem to have found ways to keep themselves occupied during the pandemic. YLE is reporting that the country is seeing a baby boom. Births are up 6% in the first half of the year, with about 1,191 more babies arriving than the same time last year. Finland sports one of the lowest birth rates in the world and had been sporting a ten-year-long trend in declining births until now.
However, according to YLE, Jyväskylä University Family Researcher Kimmo Jokinen says the pandemic might not entirely be to blame. He says there has been considerable public debate over Finland’s low birth rate and it may have also helped people consider starting their own family.
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Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn says the vaccination effort is getting creative to reach those who are undecided. Spahn says it doesn’t matter if vaccinations are done “in front of churches, mosques, or in a drive-thru” it is important to do what it takes to reach people who aren’t sure whether they want to get the jab.
In Germany to date, there have been 82.4 million total vaccinations, with 58.7% (48.8 million people) have one dose while 35.8 million people (43%) are fully vaccinated.
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COVID restrictions are being reintroduced in several Spanish regions and vaccinations are being accelerated for those under 30 as new infections soar. The Delta variant is ripping through younger and largely unvaccinated populations in Spain.
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The Netherlands reported 7,821 new infections today, a fourth day of modest declines, but the cumulative cases-per-week trend is not good as the Delta variant spreads like wildfire.
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A record number of vaccination appointments were made in France after French President Emmanuel Macron tightened vaccination rules and made the jab mandatory for healthcare workers. In the last 24 hours since he addressed the nation on television last night, 926,000 vaccination appointments have been made. That is more than double the previous best day.
Journalist Nicolas Berrod says the strongest surge to get vaccinated was among those 12 to 17 years old.
As the UK prepares to lift all COVID restrictions, new infections continue to rise, with numbers today not seen since January. There were 36,660 new corona cases reported today and another 50 deaths. Hospitalizations, infections, and fatalities continue to increase over the last seven days.
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While the UK looks to lift all COVID restrictions on the 19th, Scotland is not entirely sold. Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon says while Scotland will follow suit for the most part on August 9, the mandate to wear a mask will remain in place.
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With 47,899 new infections today and another 864 new deaths, Indonesia registered the highest number of new daily infections it has seen in the entire pandemic today.
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Citing sources, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have begun to examine if it is possible to modify their COVID vaccine formulas. Both vaccine makers would like to be able to eliminate the risk of a suite of rare but potentially fatal side effects. The side effects have caused issues, including a number of countries - Denmark included - abandoning the two vaccines entirely.
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Canada will donate 17.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to low-income countries through the WHO administered COVAX program.
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Canada reported 277 new infections and one coronavirus death yesterday as the infection curve nears rock bottom.
The Canadian vaccination campaign has so far administered 26,262,399 1st doses (68.98% of the total population) while 16,751,773 people (44%) are now fully vaccinated.
In Ontario today there were 146 infections and seven more deaths.
Quebec reported 54 new COVID cases and no new deaths.
In Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador had five new infections. Nova Scotia has one. New Brunswick zero.
Manitoba saw 25 new infections and another corona death today.
There were 19 infections and no deaths in Saskatchewan yesterday.
Alberta has yet to report.
B.C. has reported 33 new infections and no new deaths today. 1st dose vaccinations now cover 79% of the province’s population.