The Evening Report - June 14
Pandemic barometers are rising again in Denmark.
🦠Pandemic🦠
🇩🇰
You can add the COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) to the list of pandemic barometers that are rising again in Denmark. Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says the R0 has jumped from 0.8 last week up to 1.1 this week, which “indicates that the epidemic is starting to increase slightly.”
Heunicke says the evidence of an increasing epidemic includes coronavirus wastewater surveillance, which now shows increasing virus activity in all five Danish regions and “especially in the capital region.” He says the BA.5 variant is driving this new infection wave, and that it now accounts for 32% of all sequenced positive tests as of last week.
The health minister says the Statens Serum Institute is following pandemic developments closely
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The number of infections is also on the rise as Denmark has reported 1,159 COVID cases (underreported), including 144 reinfections, and three more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
With 7,269 PCR tests taken yesterday, that equals a positivity percentage of 15.94%. But the Staten Serum Institute also notes the positivity percentage over the last seven days has now risen to 16.69%
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COVID hospitalizations (228) are up (+6) while the number of people with severe infections in an ICU (9) and of those, the number on a ventilator (2) are both unchanged day to day.
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A Danish parliamentary watchdog group, the State Auditors, is rapping the knuckles of health authorities in Denmark, from the health ministry on down, for being caught unprepared for a pandemic when COVID arrived in 2020. In a report tabled this week, the watchdog group found that the Health Ministry and four of the five Danish regions had no plans in place at all to react to a pandemic. It notes only Region Nordjylland had “partially taken into account” a pandemic threat. The auditors are generally responsible for making sure taxpayer money is being used correctly and effectively. The group’s criticism of the lack of pandemic preparedness came in a review of hospital preparedness before, during, and after the first coronavirus wave struck in the spring of 2020.
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The Danish National Board of Health has begun to publish national clinical recommendations on what medications to use to treat COVID patients, how to use them, and when not to use them. The first recommendation to be issued concerns an adrenal cortex hormone called glucocorticoid.
Chair of the Danish Health and Medicines Authority's working group Simon Tarp:
“The new recommendations on adrenocortical hormones for COVID contain both recommendations for and against the use of the drug, depending on the degree of disease. These are the first recommendations that we make of a number of priority drug areas.”
The recommendations reflect an important evolution in dealing with the pandemic. Beyond vaccines, there continue to be advancements in determining which medicines to use and how to use them to better treat coronavirus patients to help them recover from an infection. For most of the pandemic, this has largely been a crap shoot.
🇸🇪
The Swedish Public Health Agency only updates its COVID statistics once a week every Thursday.
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The number of COVID hospitalizations continues to creep upward in Sweden’s capital region. Region Stockholm reports that there are now 138 pandemic patients in its hospitals, an increase of six from the week before.
Chief Physician Johan Bratt:
“Now it is the third week in a row that the number of COVID patients in hospitals has increased slightly. The downward trend that we have seen before has been broken, but compared to previous waves, there is still a low number of COVID patients who need hospital care. I would strongly urge people to get vaccinated. It is especially important for those who are elderly and people who belong to high-risk groups and thus have a greater risk of a more serious infection. This also applies to people who spend time close to seniors and other vulnerable or high-risk groups.”
In the last seven days, 778 new infections have been reported. Sweden only allows seniors in care and people being admitted to hospital to get COVID tested, so the ‘real’ number is likely much higher.
Brat says roughly about half of the COVID hospitalizations have been admitted directly because of an infection, while the other half are people who have tested positive but have been hospitalized for a non-pandemic reason. Regardless, he says, any patient testing positive requires COVID protocols, eating up extra time and extra care from attending staff. He adds, as in previous updates, that unvaccinated people continue to be “greatly over-represented” among pandemic patients.
The region has also recorded another eight coronavirus deaths in the last week. It continues to warn that there continues to be a backlog in the reporting of pandemic deaths.
🇫🇮
Finland only updates its COVID numbers once a week on Thursdays.
🇩🇪
COVID cases are rising in Germany again. On Monday, there were 105,840 new confirmed infections and another 107 pandemic deaths.
The country added 1,105 new pandemic-related hospital admissions, while ICU numbers (651) rose (29). As a percentage of all intensive care beds in Germany, coronavirus patients are currently using 3%.
On the vaccination front, 77.6% of the total population has one vaccine dose, 75.9% have two doses, and 59.8% have a booster shot.
🇪🇺🦠
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is asking EU countries to ramp up COVID testing and sequencing. Its concern level over rapidly spreading BA.4 and BA.5 variants is beginning to grow.
“The growth advantage reported for BA.4 and BA.5 suggest that these variants will become dominant in the whole EU/EEA, probably resulting in an increase in COVID cases in the coming weeks.”
The ECDC notes BA.5 is already the dominant coronavirus strain in Portugal, where it adds that the variant-driven infection wave there seems to have peaked. The agency also emphasizes that there is no evidence at this point that the new variants cause any more severe infections than previous Omicron strains.
“However, as in previous waves, an increase in COVID cases can result in a rise in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths.”
Again, looking at Portugal, which is already grappling with a BA.5 wave, the ECDC says hospitalizations were below levels seen in previous waves. That said, it added that admissions continue to increase. It warns that increasing hospitalizations are occurring among seniors 60 years old and older.
It says the BA.4 and BA.5 variants are already spreading across Europe, with confirmed detections in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden, so far. The BA.5 variant accounts for 19% of all cases in Belgium, 8% in the Netherlands, and we know it will soon be dominant in Denmark.
The ECDC is alerting European countries to increase COVID testing, and sequencing of positive test results, while also adding they need to track and report hospitalization numbers.
The European health agency has already recommended a second booster dose for seniors 80 years old and older. It also determined a 2nd booster dose for the whole population would be “optimal” where infection activity was high or increasing. It says getting another booster dose to seniors 60 years old and older and those who are immunocompromised “will probably be beneficial in terms of averted deaths.” The agency also advises EU nations to be ready for “rapid deployment” of vaccinations in the fall and winter months.
🇪🇺💉
The EU Digital COVID certificate has been extended for at least one more year. Europe’s vaccine passport was due to expire on June 30th. But on Monday, the EU Council and European Parliament reached a deal to keep the digital certificate operational until at least June 30, 2023. The deal includes the change that the certificate should reflect all doses administered to the holder. Any further extension of its use will be informed by a report on the certificate to be tabled by the EU Commission by December 31.
WHO🦠
In its latest COVID pandemic update, the World Health Organization noted a “welcome trend” of infection numbers declining globally. The agency says the number of coronavirus cases and related deaths has fallen by more than 90% from the peaks of the Omicron wave that rolled across the globe earlier this year. However, it is worth noting that COVID testing numbers have also plummeted during that time as well, making infection numbers a very unreliable barometer.
That said, WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that people must remain vigilant and that the pandemic is not over yet.
“Still, more than 3 million COVID cases were reported to the WHO last week, and because many countries have reduced surveillance and testing, we know this number is under-reported. And 8,737 deaths were reported, 8,737 deaths too many. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to these numbers. There is no acceptable level of deaths from COVID, when we have the tools to prevent, detect, and treat this disease"
But while global trends look promising, there are concerning signs beginning to emerge if you take a closer look.
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, and WHO Technical COVID lead, Maria Van Kerkhove notes that there are increasing case numbers of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants around the world.
“The virus is circulating at a pretty intense level three years into the pandemic. And without testing, without sequencing, without these public health measures in place, we are really playing with fire because we know that this virus continues to evolve. There is a 13% increase in cases in the Americas. We have a 58% increase in cases in the Eastern Mediterranean region. 33% increased in Southeast Asia. So it’s far from over.”
Kerkhove is urging that people continue to use social distancing, wear masks, and do everything they can to keep themselves safe. She is also urging health authorities to keep up testing and sequencing numbers to better be able to monitor pandemic trends and identify any new concerning variants.
She adds that the good news is that COVID vaccines are working and continue to hold the line in significantly reducing severe infections resulting in hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and death.
🇨🇦
As of June 20, the Canadian government will lift the vaccination mandate on all domestic travel by airplane or train. However, people are still required to wear a face mask on all planes and trains. Existing vaccination requirements for foreign travelers and testing of all unvaccinated travelers at the country’s borders will remain in place due to concerns about new COVID variants.
Also on the 20th, federally regulated transportation sector workers, public service employees, including RCMP officers, will all no longer face mandatory vaccination requirements. Anyone in the public service currently suspended for not complying with the vaccination requirement can return to work.
The government is also keeping in place vaccination mandates for all passengers and crew of cruise ships due to “the unique nature of cruise ship travel.”
Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra:
“The mandatory vaccination requirement successfully mitigated the full impact of COVID for travelers and workers in the transportation sector and provided broader protection to our communities. Suspending this requirement is possible thanks to the tens of millions of Canadians who did the right thing: they stepped up, rolled up their sleeves, and got vaccinated. This action will support Canada’s transportation system as we recover from the pandemic.”
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday morning that he had tested positive for COVID. This is his second bout with the virus after also testing positive in January.
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COVID hospitalizations in Canada are continuing to fall. The total number of hospital beds in use by infection cases in the week ending June 6, dropped by 670 to 3,628. General admissions saw the largest decline going from 4,057 occupied beds down to 3,435 from week to week. Intensive care beds in use dropped by 48 to 193. While the number of people on a ventilator decreased to 97, a decline of 15.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has switched to a weekly reporting model for its COVID data releasing new numbers every Friday. As of June 10, 9,653 more infection cases had been confirmed along with 90 more deaths during the previous seven day span.
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So far, the Canadian vaccination campaign has administered 33,520,831 1st vaccine doses (87.67% of the total population) while 31,390,449 people (82.10%) have had a second dose, and of those, 20,283,563 people are fully vaccinated with three doses.
🇩🇰 🇨🇦
This is off of the usual themes of this newsletter, but I had to include it. Canada and Denmark now share a land border, although it is unlikely any border guards will ever work there or any of us will ever see it.
A dispute between the two countries over a tiny arctic island ongoing since 1973 has officially come to an end, with Canada and Denmark agreeing to share Hans Island. For almost 50 years the dispute saw patrolling Danish and Canadian forces occasionally stop by the island, remove the other countries flag, put up their own, with a welcome to Denmark or Canada sign, and leave a bottle of either Canadian whiskey or Danish Schnapps behind. Below, Denmark’s Foreign Affairs minister marks the final exchange of booze in the “whiskey war.”
🦠Monkeypox🦠
🇩🇰
Make it seven. The Statens Serum Institute has confirmed three more monkeypox infection cases in Denmark, making a total of seven cases to date. The SSI says in two of the three new cases the infection “probably” occurred in Denmark “but from a person who lives abroad.” The Danish Agency for Patient Safety is working to identify the source of the infection in the third case.
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke:
“Monkeypox has now probably been transmitted for the first time within Denmark. Of course, we are following the situation closely and working to contain the infection. The Danish Agency for Patient Safety is in the process of detecting the infected person's close contacts in Denmark. And the authorities are offering vaccines for close contacts where appropriate.”
🇬🇧
The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed 104 new cases of monkeypox. This pushes the to-date total to 470 cases. That means England has the most confirmed cases of monkeypox infections outside of the continent of Africa. 99% of all infection cases in England are men, and of those, the majority are in London.
🇪🇺
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said on Tuesday that an agreement has been signed for 110,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine. She says the first doses will begin to arrive in the EU at the end of June. They will then be dispersed to EU countries that are “most in need.” Kyriakides says there are about 900 monkeypox cases within Europe.
🇩🇪
German Health Minister Professor Karl Lauterbach says another 40,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine will arrive in the country on Wednesday. This is on top of hundreds of thousands of doses that are due to arrive in July. Lauterbach says an official healthcare recommendation and approval for use are in place.
“Deliveries to the federal states can now begin. It is still possible to limit the outbreak.”
WHO
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization said it will soon decide whether to declare a public health emergency over a global explosion of monkeypox infections.
Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus:
“The global outbreak of monkeypox is unusual and concerning. For that reason I have decided to convene the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations next week, to assess whether this outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.”
Dr. Tedros says there are now more than 1,600 confirmed monkeypox infections across 39 countries. 32 of those countries are recording monkeypox cases for the first time ever.
“So far this year, 72 deaths have been reported from previously-affected countries. No deaths have been reported so far from the newly-affected countries, although WHO is seeking to verify news reports from Brazil of a monkeypox-related death there.”
The WHO is not recommending a mass vaccination campaign against monkeypox but rather using the limited supply of vaccines for healthcare workers and vulnerable groups who are most at risk. Gay and bisexual men continue to make up the vast majority of infections so far.
🇺🇦/ 🇷🇺 War
🇩🇰/ 🇺🇦
Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyj, held a remote press conference with Danish journalists on Tuesday. This marks the first time Danish journalists have been able to ask him questions directly. During the press conference, Zelenskyj expressed his gratitude for all the aid, weapons, and other help from Denmark. He also added that Ukraine needs more, especially weapons and ammunition, to fight Russian forces.
“I can not say that we have everything we need. Of course we need more. But I would also like to say that Denmark is helping us. The Danish Prime Minister came to Ukraine as one of the first European leaders. There has been military support, I have spoken to the Folketing, and there has been support from parliament. Of course we would like even more, but I can not say anything negative about Denmark.”
The Ukrainian President also issued a call to action for Danish politicians to throw their support behind Ukraine’s efforts to become an EU member country.
Denmark’s Minister of Defense Morten Bødskov says Ukraine can continue to count on Danish support.
“I have assured Deputy Chief of Staff Zhovka that Denmark will continue its close cooperation with Ukraine on donations. This also applies to donations of weapons. Ukraine can count on Denmark. We continue to watch with horror the abuses that Russia continues to inflict on Ukraine and its people. We continue to stand together in the West in our support for Ukraine. Without faltering and without cracks in the unity. And we continue to do what we can to help Ukraine in the fight, be it humanitarian or military.”
🇳🇴/ 🇸🇪 🇫🇮
Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, said on Tuesday in Sweden that the Norwegian parliament would ratify Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership applications on Thursday of this week.
🇸🇪/ 🇹🇷
Turkey continues to threaten to veto or delay Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership efforts as it continues to use the situation as leverage. For its part, Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a press conference on Tuesday that legislation is coming that will strengthen the country’s anti-terrorism laws. Andersson says the new legislation will come into force July 1, as it attempts to address issues raised by Turkey, which accuses the Scandinavian country of harbouring members of the Kurdish Workers Party. Turkey considers the group a terrorist organization.
🇫🇮 🇸🇪 🇳🇴
If Sweden and Finland become members of NATO, it could open the door to some new Nordic joint defense initiatives. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told Reuters that he is pushing to divert investment that would have otherwise gone to Russia to go to Finland instead.
“I'm trying to tell my government apparatus that a lot of the measures we have to develop our cross-border relations with Russia, we should just shift the focus and do it with Sweden and Finland.”
Among the possibilities, Støre mentioned railway links connecting Finland to Norway's northern ports of Tromso and Kirkenes.
A former Finnish Prime Minister, who is now Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, is also floating the idea of joint air defense control of the Arctic Circle. Matti Vanhanen says if Finland and Sweden join Norway in NATO, it opens up real possibilities between the Nordic nations.
“We three, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, have relatively strong airforces and we have to control our borders and airspace. It would be most natural that in the coming years the controlling of the [Arctic] airspace would be a common goal.”