The Evening Report - July 8
Infections climb in Denmark but one expert says there “is no need to panic.”
🇩🇰
The Danish Medicines Agency has officially confirmed a second death that has a “probable” connection to an AstraZeneca vaccination. The agency says this is not a new case, rather one from March. It had been waiting for information from an autopsy, which is now in, to render an informed assessment. This makes three cases of the rare but potentially fatal side effects in Denmark, with two of those three cases being fatal. Those are the only deaths in Denmark with a “probable” link to a COVID vaccine.
Unit Manager for Pharmacovigilance Line Michan:
“We have not previously been able to assess whether it was VITT before we had received the necessary documentation. We have that now, and we have assessed that it is probable that the course of the disease is due to VITT, and that a connection with Vaxzevria is probable.”
The rare side effects of severe blood clotting, unusual bleeding, and low platelet count prompted the Danish National Health Board to remove AstraZeneca from the official vaccination program. It is still available through the optional scheme run by Practio.
-
Esbjerg Kommune says on Facebook it is dealing with a “major corona outbreak” in the city of Bramming. The kommune says they have 20 confirmed infections so far. It is urging all residents to get a PCR test as soon as possible to head off a rise of infections numbers potentially triggering an automatic lockdown.
It adds:
“As there is widespread infection in Bramming, we urge all citizens of Bramming City to be vaccinated.”
The kommune says it cannot at this point identify where the infections came from.
Extra testing capacity has been added, with people able to get a PCR test without an appointment at the Bramming Culture & Leisure Center on Friday and Saturday from 9am until 5pm. There is also a PCR testing center on Randersvej in Esbjerg, offering both with and without an appointment service.
-
Denmark is reporting 658 COVID infections and no new coronavirus deaths in the last day.
Yesterday, there were 284,803 total corona tests done, 91,669 PCR and 193,134 rapid, for a (PCR only) positivity percentage of 0.73%.
A professor of virology says despite the increasing infection numbers, there is no reason to be worried. Professor Allan Randrup Thomsen tells Ritzau says new cases seem to be concentrated in those 20 to 29 years old, with so far no corresponding increase in hospitalizations.
"For a long time now, we have been in control of the epidemic, and there is no need to panic.”
-
COVID hospitalizations (38) have slipped downward (-1) while the number of infected people in an ICU (8) also edged down (-1) and of those, the number on a ventilator (7) inched down as well (-1).
On the vaccination front, to date, there have been 3,538,187 1st-dose vaccinations (60.5% of the population) while 2,235,988 people (38.2%) are now fully vaccinated. Yesterday, there were 85,304 total vaccinations done.
Region Sjælland says it has 100,000 available vaccination booking times over the next four weeks. Anyone 16 years old and older who has not yet been vaccinated can make an appointment to get their shot.
🇸🇪
Sweden has added 225 infections and another three corona deaths since yesterday’s update. The Swedish Public Health Agency is STILL warning of a reporting lag, so take the numbers with a grain of salt.
To date 5,438,339 1st dose (66.4% of the population) and 3,512,963 2nd vaccine doses (42.9%) have been administered.
-
The Swedish Public Health Agency is waving a warning flag over the rapidly spreading Delta variant. The health agency says while overall infections are low, the variant is clearly on the March, making up 95% of all infection cases in the Värmland region, for one. The health authority says there have been 1,836 confirmed Delta variant infections. Even then, Sweden is struggling with a backlog of sequencing positive tests that is weeks behind, so the ‘real’ tally is likely much higher.
Assistant State Epidemiologist Karin Tegmark Wisell:
“The Swedish Public Health Agency estimates that the Delta variant will dominate completely in Sweden within the coming months. The same assessment has been made for the whole of Europe by the European Infection Control Agency's ECDC.”
The European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) said that Delta would become the dominate strain in Europe this summer and in some countries, like Denmark, it already has. Recently, the Swedish Public Health Agency forecast a “smooth” summer ahead as far as low infection growth.
Like virtually every other health agency, the Folkhälsomyndigheten is warning that the Delta variant is much more contagious than the Alpha variant from the UK and even vaccine dose is much less effective against it.
“In order for the spread of infection not to increase again, it is central that everyone who is recommended a vaccine accepts the offer. It is also important that everyone stays home in case of symptoms, tests themselves, keeps their distance, avoids congestion, and respects the infection control measures that still apply.”
Sweden recorded its first Delta variant infections in April and it has been spreading rapidly ever since.
-
According to SVT Nyheter, the number of COVID patients requiring intensive care in Sweden is close to rock bottom. As of noon today, eight Swedish regions had no coronavirus patients in an ICU at all. Currently, 29 people are in intensive care in the other regions across the country.
But with the Delta variant rapidly spreading, Supervisor of the ICU Registry Göran Karlström says the sharp declines among patients needing ICU care, seen in June have stopped.
“The decline has lost momentum. We now hope that we do not get any new increases.”
He notes even without COVID patients, Sweden’s ICU wards are heavily strained, something made worse by a shortage of staff and the near-constant demands of the pandemic over the last year and a half.
“Considering how last summer was, we want at all costs to get four weeks of continuous vacation for all staff. Then there will be a shortage of places, so the occupancy issue is strained.”
🇳🇴
Norway has added 111 infections and had no new deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (24) are down (-6) ICU numbers (9) are unchanged day to day and the number of those on a ventilator (4) is also down (-1).
To date 54.80% of Norwegians have had one vaccine dose and 29.32% have had both.
🇫🇮
Finland has registered 300 new infections since yesterday’s update.
COVID fatalities and hospitalizations are updated on Wednesdays.
To date 3,412,775 1st vaccine doses (61.1% of the population) have been administered while 1,223,125 people (22%) are now fully vaccinated.
-
Southern Finland has increased its COVID alert status, reentering the ‘acceleration phase’ in a three-tiered restrictions model. The 14-day coronavirus incident rate per 100,000 residents has almost doubled, from 27.4 on July 1 to 44.7 now.
-
The infection outbreak resulting from an EURO 2020 game in St. Petersburg, Russia, attended by almost 5,000 people from Finland, could result in restrictions being reintroduced. Mika Salminen, director of health security at the Finnish Institute for Health, said this morning on the YLE breakfast show that bars and restaurants could soon see operating hours capped again. Finland has seen hundreds of infections directly linked to the football game.
-
Finland has extended border controls between it and other Schengen zone countries for another two weeks, until at least July 25 due to concern about corona variants. This impacts travel between Finland and the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, France, Sweden, Denmark, and Estonia. Travel from these countries is restricted to Finnish citizens, permanent residents, business travel, and for other “essential” reasons.
That said, there are exemptions for fully vaccinated tourists who live in another EU or Schengen zone country who have an EU COVID digital certificate proving their vaccination status.
YLE also reports that border control restrictions will be lifted between Finland and Lithuania, Slovenia, and Switzerland based on each country’s infection situation.
🇪🇺
Around Europe, the spread of the Delta variant is bending Infection curves back up as the number of new COVID cases once again shoots upward in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Greece, and infections are also starting to climb again in Italy
In Spain, infections are rising rapidly as it registered daily coronavirus case numbers not seen since February 11.
🇩🇪
Germany has passed another vaccination milestone. Health Minister Jens Spahn says the number of fully vaccinated people in the country has passed the 40% mark, or just under 34 million people. To date, 47.9 million people (57.6%) have had one vaccination dose. But Spahn has a concern, saying the vaccination pace, while still high, is declining.
✈️
German air carrier Lufthansa is planning to return flights to near-normal operations by September. That is what the airlines Network Planner Heiko Reitz told German business magazine Capital in an interview published today. He says while most, if not all, the usual international destinations will be on offer, there might be some issues when it comes to the frequency of flights, which could take some time to ramp up depending on passenger demand.
🇬🇧
In the UK, the Delta variant continues to push infection numbers upward, with 32,551 new cases today along with another 35 deaths. Over the last week, the number of infections, fatalities, and hospitalizations continues to trend upward. The number of hospital admissions, a key Delta indicator to watch, continues to increase. Public Health England said today hospitalizations are highest in the Northwest part of the country and among those 85 years old and older.
Tim Spector, researcher and Principle Investigator of the PREDICT studies, says their latest update on the UK COVID situation shows that while the Delta variant is taking fewer lives, it poses major problem for the number of long-COVID cases. He says as restrictions are lifted and infections rise, the number of cases resulting in long-COVID people who continue to battle various symptoms for months after recovery could equal 1,000 per day.
A group of experts hailing from major British universities and health institutions have published a paper in The Lancet called the lifting of virtually all restrictions on July 19 “dangerous and premature.” The group says the UK is still far from achieving herd immunity and if the country is going to have to just live with the virus, as the Prime Minister has stated, it will result in “substantial morbidity in both acute and long-term illness.”
They say the strategy will unfairly put marginalized and at-risk citizens and especially young children, who cannot be vaccinated, in harms way. It will also result in significant disruption in schools across the country as outbreaks flare up.
The group adds it will result in hundreds of thousands of people with long-term illness and “risks creating a generation left with chronic health problems and disability.” Finally, the paper adds, allowing the virus to run rampant increases the probability of further evolving variants and potentially, one that could be immune to current vaccines.
You can read the paper HERE.
🇯🇵
Japan will declare its fourth COVID state of emergency that would go into force on Monday and last through the Summer Olympics. The Japanese government decided to enact the state of emergency as fears grow over a continuing infections surge that could be exacerbated by the games. This will mean no spectators will be allowed for the Olympic events.
🦠
Another new variant of concern has emerged, C.37, which has been dubbed Lambda by the World Health Organization. It was first identified in Peru and while we don’t know a whole lot about it, the evidence on hand indicates it is highly contagious. The WHO says it carries “a number of mutations” helping it to spread and may make it more resistant to neutralizing antibodies. Like variants before it, it is spreading across the globe, although it is highly concentrated in South America at the moment.
🇨🇦
Canada has reported another 559 new infections yesterday while suffering another six coronavirus deaths.
The Canadian vaccination campaign has so far administered 26,072,108 1st vaccine doses (68.48% of the total population) while 15,063,307 people (39.56%) are now fully vaccinated.
In Ontario today there were 210 infections and four more deaths reported today.
Quebec reported 64 infections and no new deaths today.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia has two new infections. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador each had zero.
Manitoba saw 86 new infections and three more deaths today.
There were 53 infections and one more death in Saskatchewan yesterday.
Alberta recorded 67 new infections and two more fatalities yesterday. It also saw its first confirmed case of the new lambda variant,
B.C. added 59 infections yesterday while seeing another day with no new virus deaths.