The Evening Report - Nov 17
Record COVID numbers across Northern Europe as another infection wave hits
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Add another two schools to the list of those who have had to close or send classes home due to coronavirus outbreaks.
Both are in Copenhagen.
According to a post from the Prince Henrik International school to parents, the Danish Agency for Patient Safety has ordered grades one through nine to be sent home. The school says “the shutdown is due to a high number of COVID cases of infection across cohorts.” The students will remain home until at least November 23.
Students have also been sent home at Brønshøj Skole.
In both cases, the affected classes will be closed for one week. That makes eight schools in the last week that have been ordered closed entirely or had classes sent home.
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The infection curve continued its upward march as Denmark reported 3,907 COVID infections and five more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
Yesterday there were 292,318 total corona tests done, of which 162,741 were PCR tests equaling a positivity percentage of 2.40%, which remains very high.
The Staten Serum Institut tracks daily infection cases by the date a COVID test was taken. Using that metric, then, Denmark has seen a new record-high number of daily infections with 4,446 on November 15. By testing date, the previous record high was 4,387 set on December 16, 2020.
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The number of Danish kommunes with a COVID incidence rate of 400 or higher per 100,000 residents has now grown to 47, more than half of all municipalities in the country. The threshold triggering local infection control measures was lowered to 400 on Monday.
Two kommunes, Fanø and Herlev, have incidence rates well above 900 and Herlev is on the cusp of breaching the 1,000 mark.
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The Delta variant remains king in Denmark, making up 100% of all sequenced positive test results for the eighth week in a row. The number of cases of the Delta sub-variant, AY.4.2 continues to rise, with 817 confirmed cases as of last week.
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COVID hospitalizations (369) dipped slightly (-2) while the number of infected people in an ICU (47) edged upward (+3) and of those the number on a ventilator (24) also crept up (+2).
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The Staten Serum Institut has been trying to determine how many infected people were hospitalized directly because of COVID or who were admitted for other reasons but who also had coronavirus. There were 15,425 patients examined in the study and the agency found the vast majority were infected and hospitalized because of COVID.
Specifically, the study found 82.6% were hospitalized directly due to a coronavirus infection. 13.9% of patients were admitted with a positive test result but had no COVID symptoms. 3.5% were possible COVID admissions with symptoms that were comparable but who were not diagnosed.
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Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says over 500,000 booster doses have now been administered covering 9.86% of the eligible population.
He also notes that 97,222 people booked a vaccination appointment for a 1st or 2nd dose yesterday, which is positive news.
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On the vaccination front to date, the number of 1st vaccine doses administered yesterday, 4,486, remains elevated. There were 21,749 total inoculations yesterday, with booster shots remaining by far the highest number of vaccinations administered.
So far, 77.1% of the total population has had one vaccine dose, 75.5% have had two, and 8.6% have had a booster shot.
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Region Hovedstaden says a new rapid test center is opening at Ofelia Plads in Copenhagen as of Thursday, November 18. It will have the capacity to get 12,500 people tested every day.
Testcenter Denmark head Pernille Lohse:
“To control the infection, the test capacity of both PCR tests and quick tests has been increased in record time in recent weeks. This has only been possible because we have a really good and close collaboration with the region's municipalities and Copenhagen Medical, which operates the rapid test sites here in the region. The new test site is centrally located something that many citizens who live and work in Copenhagen will benefit from.”
The region currently has 39 PCR testing sites and another 33 rapid testing facilities.
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Sweden has added 1,294 infections and another 13 corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
To date, 7,285,170 1st vaccine doses (85.3% of the population 16 years old and older) and 6,982,098 2nd doses (81.7%) have been administered.
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The Swedish Public Health Agency has asked the government to institute a vaccine passport system for all indoor events with 100 or more attendees. The health agency wants the system up and running by December 1. This would include sporting events, movie theatres, concerts, and others.
Director General Karin Tegmark Wisell:
“By regulating gatherings with vaccination certificates or other restrictions, the risk of an increased spread of infection and thus the risk of an increased burden on an already strained health care system is reduced.”
For events where vaccine passports would not apply, the health agency is working on a set of rules around ensuring social distancing including capping attendees based on available floor space.
The vaccine passport system would apply to everyone in Sweden 18 years old and older.
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Sweden’s controversial edict to recommend that people who are fully vaccinated or who have had a previous infection shouldn’t get tested for COVID even when symptomatic will be in place for just 21 days. Today, the Swedish Public Health Agency pulled an abrupt U-turn and will, as of November 22, recommend everyone six years old and older who has symptoms regardless of previous infection or vaccination status go get tested.
Director General Karin Tegmark Wisell:
“Now that we are seeing an increased spread of infection in neighbouring countries and in a few regions in Sweden, our scenarios show that this may also soon be the case throughout Sweden in December. This is also when the healthcare system could see another heavy strain. We need to increase measures against infection, therefore, we now recommend the testing of vaccinated people as well.”
The health agency is reminding people who are sick to stay home from school, work, and other activities “even in the event of a negative test result.” This is due to an “extensive spread” of the RS virus, which can impact young children very hard. The agency is hoping that if people stay home when sick, it will help keep hospital admissions in check.
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Norway recorded a record high 2,552 infections in the last day with no new coronavirus deaths.
COVID hospitalizations (219) crept up (+1) ICU numbers (58) also increased (+6) and of those the number on a ventilator (35) also rose slightly (+2).
78.30% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have had one vaccine dose and 70.05% have had two.
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The latest COVID threat assessment from the Norwegian Institute for Public Health is waving some big warning flags for the months ahead. The agency is expecting infections and hospitalizations to rise among the unvaccinated adult population and vulnerable seniors between now and Christmas.
The NIPH warns any COVID strains on the hospital system can easily be exacerbated by other respiratory infections, sick leave among healthcare staff, and the shortage of staffing substitutes “from abroad.” The health agency says one scenario could see a winter wave peak with around 500 coronavirus patients in hospital.
NIPH Department Director Line Vold:
“The risk of hospitalization is many times higher for the unvaccinated than for those who are fully vaccinated in all age groups. Among fully vaccinated people under the age of 65, there are very few admissions and no definite signs of weakened protection against serious illness. Unvaccinated people over the age of 45 have a particularly high risk of hospitalization. We are concerned that more outbreaks in nursing homes and hospitals may affect the most vulnerable. We are also concerned about infection to the elderly fully vaccinated with underlying risk factors outside nursing homes and hospitals. Most of the country's municipalities will experience the increase.”
The NIPH says any infection increase in line with the forecasts will “have a medium-to-large consequence at national level for the population and the health service.” It also warns of increased pressure on family doctors, home care, nursing homes, and hospitals.
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Finland has registered 1,151 infections and three more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
For the second time in a week, Finland has set a new record high number of daily corona infections as measured by date of testing. On November 15 there were 1,107 total new infections, the highest of any day yet in the pandemic.
COVID hospitalizations (299) are up (+6).
To date, 75.9% of total pop has one dose, 71% have two, and 2.6% have had a booster dose.
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The pressure on the hospital system from this latest infection wave in Finland has resulted in the country’s biggest health region transferring COVID patients to other parts of the country. According to the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, dwindling critical care capacity in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District is behind the decision to medevac patients out. The health district is also busy setting up at least six more intensive care units to try and keep up with rising demand as COVID patients continue to arrive.
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The Finnish Institute for Health is urging any holdouts to go get vaccinated. The agency says data from August through October clearly show that unvaccinated people are at much higher risk of hospitalization. It says over the three month period, unvaccinated people were 19 times more likely to end up in hospital due to COVID and 33 times more likely to wind up in an ICU.
Head Physician Otto Helve says yes, fully vaccinated people are ending up in hospital but in far fewer numbers and usually because an underlying condition is at play.
“The protection given by a vaccine is weaker with medical at-risk groups and the elderly, and a third dose is recommended for them. Of the patients now hospitalized who have been vaccinated twice, most belong to one of the high-risk groups making them vulnerable to COVID, or they are elderly.”
Helve says being vaccinated protects you against serious infection, hospitalization, and death. It also helps protect the people around you. Lastly, he emphasizes that the more people who are vaccinated, the less strain the hospital system will have to bear.
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Germany is breaking one COVID record after another as the most severe infection wave yet engulfs the country. On Wednesday, the German public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, reported the highest number of daily infections of any day yet, with 52,826. The country’s weekly COVID incidence rate also hit 319.5 per 100,000 residents, another record high.
Christian Drosten, one of Germany’s top virologists, said last week that there could be 100,000 more coronavirus deaths over the winter if something doesn’t change. Chancellor Angela Merkel is pleading with vaccine holdouts to get their shots saying “it is not too late.”
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Belgium has levied new COVID restrictions as it gets hit with another infection wave. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told The Guardian “All alarm signals are red.” A mask mandate has been broadened to include cafes, restaurants, and other indoor spaces. People are also now strongly encouraged to work from home if possible.
Belgium reported 12,388 new infections and 41 more deaths on Wednesday.
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Another COVID vaccine could soon join the fight against the virus in Europe. The European Medicines Agency says it is in the final stages of its rolling review of the Novavax vaccine. It says it is conducting an accelerated final evaluation and will render a decision on whether to recommend the vaccine be authorized for use in Europe “within weeks.” Once that occurs it will be up to the EU Commission to make a final decision something that usually happens the same day the EMA issues it’s recommendation.
The protein-based vaccine began a rolling review back in February. If approved for use, it would become the fifth vaccine in use in Europe, joining Pfizer/BioNTech, Modern, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.
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Moderna has reached an agreement that will allow European Union countries to donate purchased vaccine doses to the global COVAX initiative. The biotechnology company says France, Germany, and Sweden led the initiative that, it anticipates will result in more than 70 million vaccine doses to be donated this year. It says France and Germany have already agreed to donate an additional 55 million doses, 15 million from France and 40 million from Germany.
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel:
“I would like to thank the governments of France, Sweden, and Norway, the EU, and EEA countries, and Gavi for this agreement to facilitate the donation of doses of the Moderna COVID vaccine from the EU to COVAX to help end the pandemic in low-income countries. We remain focused on implementing a comprehensive and always evolving strategy to ensure that low-income countries get access to our vaccine as we seek to help end the pandemic around the world.”
The COVAX initiative is led by the World Health Organization, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. It facilitates vaccine supply for low-income and developing countries around the world, many of whom have vaccination rates much lower than the wealthier western nations.
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According to multiple reports, the Canadian government will soon announce it will no longer require a negative PCR test for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who take trips of 72 hours or less into the United States and back. The change is expected to become official at the end of November once it is officially announced.
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Canada reported 1,907 COVID infections and lost 19 more lives to the coronavirus yesterday.
On the vaccination front, the Canadian effort has so far administered 29,979,174 1st vaccine doses (78.41% of the total population) while 28,706,983 people (75.08%) are fully vaccinated. There have been 673,950 booster doses done so far.
In Ontario there were 512 new infections, of which 310 were in people who were either unvaccinated or who had a single dose. There are 274 infected people in hospital and of those, 206 have one dose or none at all. For the 133 people in an ICU, that number is 114.
Quebec reported 718 new corona cases on Wednesday, the highest daily number since September 26.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia had 20 new infections. New Brunswick added 82 infections, the highest in a month. Newfoundland and Labrador had just four new cases as it eased restrictions.
Manitoba saw 162 new COVID infections and two more deaths.
There were 149 new corona cases in Saskatchewan on Wednesday.
Alberta logged 321 infections and 13 more corona deaths on Tuesday. The positivity percentage is 5.1%. There are 518 people in hospital and 101 in an ICU, of which 85% are unvaccinated.
B.C. registered 338 new corona cases and one more fatality Tuesday. There are 376 people in hospital and 107 in an ICU. 87% of intensive care patients are not fully vaccinated.