The Evening Report - July 7
In Denmark, and elsewhere around the world, Delta is rising
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Today’s variant update from the Staten Serum Institut shows that Denmark has added 208 Delta variant infection cases since last Wednesday. That pushes the total to-date number of Delta infections to 1,106 as the variant becomes the dominant strain.
As the Delta variant grows, it is forcing out the Alpha strain (B.1.1.7). You can see from the chart below Delta is in a steep upward trend, while Alpha is dropping. This was from week 25, two weeks ago, and it is highly likely the two lines have already intersected.
The Danish Agency for Patient Safety says it is seeing increasing infection rates in Kolding Kommune, especially among those aged 15 to 25 years old. It has dispatched test ambassadors to do a street-level information campaign. It also urges young people to go get tested. Yesterday, the agency did much the same thing in Køge Kommune.
Kolding is one of six kommunes in the last week where the COVID incidence rate has jumped above 100 per 100,000 residents.
The Danish Medicines Agency is reacting to the data from Israel’s Health ministry, citing a big reduction in Pfizer efficacy against the Delta variant. Israel says its studies show even after two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech the vaccine’s efficacy against B.1.617.2 is 64%. This was down from the 93% the country saw when the Delta variant was not so widespread. Lægemiddelstyrelsen notes “these are preliminary reports from the study so we can not yet conclude anything.”
It is also important to note Israel also reported very high protection - 98.2% - for the Pfizer vaccine, preventing serious disease, hospitalization, and death.
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Denmark is reporting 689 COVID infections and no new coronavirus deaths in the last day.
Yesterday, there were 279,379 total corona tests done, 97,026 PCR and 182,353 rapid, for a (PCR only) positivity percentage of 0.68%.
As numbers creep upward, another possible early warning sign of a worsening epidemic situation is the increasing climbing positivity percentage at each PCR testing center. What was concentrated largely in Metro Copenhagen is now spreading out across Sjælland and into Jutland.
COVID hospitalizations (39) have dropped (-4) while the number of infected people in an ICU (9) has crept upward (+1) and of those, the number on a ventilator (8) is unchanged day to day.
On the vaccination front to date, 3,492,122 1st vaccine doses (59.7% of the population) have been administered while 2,196,749 people (37.6%) are now fully vaccinated.
Yesterday, there were 83,160 total vaccinations done as the vaccination upsurge begins.
The Danish National Health Board has extended a program that directly targets special vaccination efforts at municipalities and districts where vaccine uptake is lacking. The Danish Regions have been working with Sundhedsstyrelsen on special vaccination opportunities in areas with low uptake. These would include pop-up vaccination sites, opportunities to get inoculated without requiring an appointment, and contacting people directly to urge them to get the jab.
SST Unit Head Niels Sandø:
“Municipalities and regions have made a great effort. We know that there may be some barriers for some citizens that prevent them from being vaccinated, even if they are invited. For example, someone may have difficulty finding, understanding and acting on the information they have received, or may have difficulty using systems such as e-Boks, and the booking system for vaccination. That is why this effort has been really important.”
Sandø says the easier they can make it to get vaccinated the better the chance people will do it.
“We want to make sure that everyone who wants vaccination is also vaccinated. To achieve this, the barriers must be made as small and as few as possible. Efforts show that we can reach citizens who would not otherwise be vaccinated.”
The targeted local vaccination initiative will now be extended into week 33.
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Sweden has added 353 infections and another six corona deaths since yesterday’s update. The Swedish Public Health Agency is STILL warning of a reporting lag.
To date 5,352,692 1st doses (65.4% of the population) and 3,467,719 2nd vaccine doses (42.3%) have been administered.
According to a report from Kristianstadsbladet as many as 28,000 vaccinations in Region Skåne have not been registered. Sweden has a regional and National registry where companies are supposed to log information from each vaccination dose administered. The southern Swedish region is accusing companies of being lax in thousands old instances. The mistake can result in people not getting vaccination information like when to get a second dose. It could also result in a headache for someone who is fully vaccinated but can’t prove it because their second dose hasn’t been registered properly. The region has asked the companies involved to tighten up their operations.
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Norway has added 203 infections and two more virus deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (30) have crept up (+2) ICU numbers (9) also edged upward (+1) and if those the number of people on a ventilator (5) also inched up (+2).
To date 52.75% of Norwegians have had one vaccine dose and 29.10% have had both.
The Norwegian Institute for Public Health says the number of Delta infections is growing rapidly. It says in week 21 there were 50 confirmed variant cases and by week 26 that has ballooned to 502. As a percentage of all positive sequenced test results, Delta has jumped from 1% to 13%. At the same time, the agency notes, the Alpha variant rates are dropping. The NIPH says the bulk of the Delta variant activity is linked directly to some major outbreaks “due to separate import events.”
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Finland has had 258 new corona cases since yesterday’s update and added three more deaths since last Wednesday.
COVID hospitalizations (44) are up over the last week (+6) ICU numbers (7) are unchanged.
To date, 3,395,540 1st vaccine doses (60.8%) have been administered and 1,193,393 people (21.4%) now have both doses.
Finland is dealing with some vaccination process challenges. According to YLE Helsinki is seeing a significant number of people no-showing vaccination appointments. Officials with the city say there are thousands of people on the phone list to call back and remind them to rebook an appointment. In Tampere, young people have had serious problems trying to book vaccination appointments online. In response, the city has decided to open walk-in vaccination clinics where an appointment is not required.
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Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn says despite the torrid vaccination pace, a “national vaccination jolt” is needed to keep up the momentum through July and August. To date, 47.5 million people in Germany (57.1% of the population) have had one vaccine dose while 33.2 million (39.9%) are fully vaccinated.
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Across the EU infection activity is also picking up, with Spain, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Greece all seeing infection curves that are curving back upward.
The World Health Organization said today its European region reported a "sharp increase" — 30% — in infection incidence rates from week to week.
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For the first time since January 23rd daily infection cases in the UK have crossed the 30,000 mark. Today Great Britain reported 32,548 new infections and another 33 deaths. The rate of new infections, deaths, and hospitalizations all continue to surge upward.
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A two-week lockdown in Sydney, Australia, is being extended as the Delta variant sweeps through the country. In a press conference today, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said a growing cluster of infections and signs of community transmission forced the government’s hand. The restrictions have now been extended until July 16.
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Canada reported 445 new infections yesterday while suffering another 13 deaths yesterday.
So far the Canadian vaccination campaign has administered 25,988,603 1st doses (68.26% of the population) while 14,198,956 people (37.29%) are now fully vaccinated.
The Canadian Medical Association is urging people across Canada to remain vigilant. As restrictions are removed entirely and numbers plummet, the attitude among some in the country seems to be that the pandemic is over. It is not.
In Ontario today there were 194 new corona cases and no new fatalities.
Quebec reported 103 new infections and one more virus death.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia saw seven new infections. There were no new infections in either Newfoundland and Labrador or in New Brunswick.
Manitoba has yet to report today.
There were 14 infections and one more death in Saskatchewan yesterday.
Alberta recorded 33 infections and another two deaths.
B.C. logged 46 infections and no new loss of life yesterday.