The Evening Report - Sept 15
The pandemic end may be nigh. COVID numbers rise in Denmark.
🦠Pandemic🦠
WHO🦠
The end of the pandemic is in sight, but we are all going to have to knuckle down to make it happen.
That was the message from World Health Organization Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a Thursday press briefing.
“Last week the number of reported deaths from COVID was the lowest since March 2020. We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic. We are not there yet, but the end is in sight. If we don’t take this opportunity now, we run the risk of more variants, more deaths, more disruption, and more uncertainty. So let’s seize this opportunity. We urge all countries to invest in vaccinating 100% of the most at risk groups including health workers and older people, as the highest priority on the road to vaccination coverage.”
Dr. Tedros says to get us to the finish line COVID governments and health agencies must be wholly committed to vaccinating high-risk and vulnerable groups, ratcheting up surveillance, and equipping and training healthcare workers.
“We can end this pandemic together, but only if all countries, manufacturers, communities, and individuals step up and seize this opportunity.
WHO experts will meet in October to determine whether the pandemic can still be designated as a public health emergency of international concern.
🇩🇰
The Danish National Health Board is banking on a major vaccination uptake as it begins a campaign to get certain groups a 4th vaccine dose. The health board says it expects around 150,000 people to be eligible for another booster dose in the first phase of the inoculation campaign.
Deputy Director Helene Probst says they are shooting for a vaccination rate of around 90%.
“Fortunately, we have good experience from the previous rounds, and the vast majority of the target group have accepted the offer of vaccination. It is important that we protect especially the oldest and most vulnerable before the infection increases again, probably already in a month's time.”
When the campaign expands to include everyone 50 years old and older on October 1, the agency is prepared to vaccinate approximation 2.3 million people. They will also be piggy-backing an influenza vaccine campaign alongside the COVID booster shots.
“We expect that the vast majority will take up the offer to be vaccinated against the fall infection wave with both COVID and influenza. Timing is absolutely crucial in terms of avoiding serious illness, and we encourage you to book your appointment as soon as you receive your invitation.”
People who are eligible for both can get their COVID booster and a flu shot at the same time.
It says invitations for the October 1 intake will begin to land in the e-Boks of those eligible within the next ten days.
There is still no further detail about when and how many doses of the newly approved bivalent vaccine targeting the BA.4 and BA.5 variants will arrive in Denmark. The national health board has said it will detail how the new bivalent vaccine will be utilized shortly. At the moment the fall vaccination campaign is using the bivalent vaccine targeting the original coronavirus strain and Omicron BA.1 variant.
-
A downward slide in new coronavirus infection numbers in Denmark has come to an end. For three weeks, new case numbers fell, but last week there was a small increase in COVID numbers, according to the latest pandemic assessment from the Statens Serum Institute. Likewise, after three weeks of a falling positivity percentage, last week, it rose again to 13.8%.
Across the five Danish regions, the COVID incidence rate and positivity percentage increased in four regions. Only Region Midtjylland saw a decreasing incidence rate while its positivity percentage remained stable. Region Sjælland had the highest incidence rate per 100,000 people with 103, while Region Hovedstaden had the lowest with 83.
Looking at the numbers by age, virus activity continued to ebb among young people 19 years old and young and among those 30 to 39 years old. For all other age groups, the COVID incidence rate increased. It is highest among 70 to 79 year olds (141 cases per 100,000 people) followed by 60 to 69 year olds (139). The positivity percentage was either stable or easing across all age groups except for those 20 to 29 years old and those 50 and older where it rose. Again, 70 to 79 year olds have the highest positivity percentage with 17%.
Like infections, a three week decline in COVID hospitalizations ended last week and the number of infection patients increased from 295 to 318. As they have all year, seniors 70 to 89 years old make up the largest group of new coronavirus hospital admissions. Thanks to vaccines intensive care admissions remain low with just six admissions last week.
COVID fatalities in Denmark continued to drop for a fifth straight week with 25 lives lost to the pandemic last week.
There are signs of trouble among seniors in care, the country’s most vulnerable, and highest tested, population, where cases (102), hospitalizations (19), and the positivity percentage (4%), all doubled from one week to the next. The testing rate also edged upward. The virus claimed eight lives in nursing homes last week.
Among staff in senior care homes COVID activity actually declined for a fourth week in a row, but the positivity percentage was up while testing rates were down. After three weeks of declining case numbers among staff in hospitals, last week, infection numbers and the positivity percentage both increased again.
The BA.5 variant remains king in Denmark, coming back in about 92% of all sequenced positive test results. Of those, the BA.5 sub-variants BA.5.1 (20.99%), BA.5.2 (24.92%), and BA.5.2.1 (16.86%) led the way. A new variant BF.7 (4.40%) is gaining a little ground. At this point no other variant or sub-variant seems to be gaining any steam. The SSI notes a new variant that is creating some concern, BJ.1, which has been confirmed in Austria, has so far not been found in Denmark.
As noted by Health Minister Magnus Heunicke on Tuesday, there was a small increase in coronavirus activity identified by COVID wastewater surveillance at the national level and in four of the five regions. BA.5 was the dominant variant identified in all wastewater sampling.
-
Denmark reported 840 COVID infections (underreported), including 192 reinfections, and three more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
With 8,033 PCR tests taken yesterday that equals a positivity percentage of 10.45%, over 7 days it is 13.63%.
-
COVID hospitalizations (280) crept upward (+2) while the number of severe infections in an ICU (8) edged down (-1) of those, the number on a ventilator (0) remained unchanged. Infection admissions to a psychiatric facility (56) were also unchanged.
-
As COVID variants spring out of the woodwork with alarming frequency, the Statens Serum Institute is seeking to reassure Danes that they are keeping a close eye on the development of emerging coronavirus strains.
The agency says in the pandemic so far it has recorded 741 different variants and sub-variants of the coronavirus. Of those, it says, only a handful are, or have been, a cause for concern. The SSI says it does whole genome sequencing of around 4,000 positive test results each week. For variants with really concerning mutations, and especially the ones showing concerning immune escape, get investigated at a special institute laboratory.
The agency says currently, BA.5 and several of its sub-variants are dominant in Denmark. It says the sub-variant BA.5.2 is the most active. There has also been an increase in BF.7 cases in recent weeks. It classifies BA.4.6 has stable. BA.2.75 is getting no traction.
“The new subvariant BJ.1, which has predominantly been found in a few cases in India, has not yet been found in any Danish samples. This variant has more mutations in the spike protein than the sub-variants of BA.5, but the significance of these is not known with certainty. It has so far been primarily seen in India, where it appears to be growing, and in a few other countries. It was first detected on July 2, 2022.”
On top of the SSI’s own monitoring, it says the agency also works closely with the World Health Organization and other European agencies to keep up to speed on concerning pandemic developments, including new variants of concern.
COVID Variant Risk Assessment Group Chair Søren Alexandersen:
"We are following the situation closely. What we keep an eye on is if a completely new variant should emerge that has a growth advantage or is more serious than sub-variants of current variants. Right now, there is not a variant or subvariant that is particularly cause for concern.”
-
Today marks the beginning of the COVID booster dose campaign in Denmark. Seniors in care and those 85 years old and older will get a first crack. Then, on October 1, it opens up further
To date, 81.3% of the total population have one vaccine dose, 79.9% have two, 61.6% have a booster dose, and 0.9% have a 2nd booster shot.
-
Respiratory infections seem to be rising in Denmark. The Statens Serum Institute’s Sentinel Surveillance shows the proportion of testing coming back as a respiratory virus has jumped from 33% to 53% from weeks 33 to 34. Other than the coronavirus, the two most common respiratory viruses circulating are the rhinovirus and parainfluenza.
🇸🇪
Sweden added 4,973 infections (wildly underreported) and another 94 corona deaths since its last update last Thursday.
COVID hospitalizations (745) are up (+70) since last week.
So far, of those 12 years old and older 87.3% have one dose, 85.3% have two, and of those 18 years old and older 66.9% have a booster shot.
-
Health officials in Sweden’s Region Skane are recommending people get vaccinated with the vaccine doses available especially if they are at high-risk. It says the new bivalent vaccine targeting the original coronavirus strain and the BA.1 Omicron sub-variant will begin to arrive at vaccination sites in a few weeks. Until then….
Vaccine Coordinator Anna Lindén:
“It is positive that the highest priority groups are now vaccinated first, but I want to remind everyone to review their protection now and take their recommended doses. Especially if you are over 65 or belong to a risk group, you should not wait. If you have already taken the autumn top-up dose, you therefore do not need an additional dose with the updated vaccine.”
In southern Sweden 30% of those 80 years old and older have had a fourth vaccine dose.
-
A study financed in part by Region Stockholm has made a significant discovery in the battle against COVID. The COMMUNITY study found that antibodies in a person’s mucous membrane offer strong protection against Omicron variants. It is raising the hope that a nasal spray vaccine might induce a much more effective antibody response than is available in current vaccines. It also might protect better against emerging variants.
The study is being done by the Swedish Karolinska Institute and Danderyd Hospital. It has been underway for the two years now, involving regular testing every four months of hospital employees over the duration of the pandemic.
Assistant Chief Physician Charlotte Thålin:
“Several nasal spray vaccines are now being investigated in clinical trials, but this is the first time it has been shown that COVID antibodies in the respiratory tract actually protect better against Omicron infection. Reduced spread of infection would also quickly lower the risk of development of new virus variants. There are, of course, more advantages to vaccines through nasal spray where those who are afraid of sprays do not need to be pricked with a needle. And it's easier as a nasal spray can be stored in a refrigerator and does not need to be frozen, not least when it comes to large-scale logistics in low-income countries.”
🇳🇴
Norway has added 551 more infections (underreported) and 34 more pandemic deaths in the last week.
COVID hospital admissions (77) are down (-16) in the last 7 days.
So far, 80.5% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have one dose, 75% have two, and 55.9% have a booster shot.
-
COVID activity remains in a “calm phase” in Norway, but other virus numbers are on the rise according to the latest bi-weekly pandemic assessment from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The NIPH also continues to reduce the level of detail in its epidemic updates.
Norway’s health agency says coronavirus numbers largely remain stable across the country, but it warns this is likely a temporary situation and a fall and winter infection wave is expected. It says hospitals need to be prepared for another wave of COVID hospitalizations and businesses for another surge in employees being out sick.
In Norway, COVID hospital admissions have remained “rather stable” in the last two weeks. There were 82 new infection admissions last week and 90 the week before that. The number of people with severe infections needing intensive care also remains “relatively stable” over the last four weeks. There were seven new admissions last week and nine the week prior.
Overall, COVID fatalities are also treading water, albeit with a slight upward nudge week-to-week, with 24 deaths two weeks ago and another 29 last week.
Norway’s COVID wastewater surveillance system is a bit limited covering roughly 30% of the population but the latest data indicates, after a declining trend, there was a “slight increase” in coronavirus activity last week.
The number of coronavirus outbreaks in hospitals has dropped in the last two weeks, with two and three reported respectively, over the last two weeks.
PCR testing, as elsewhere across Europe, has dropped significantly in Norway over the course of the year. While much lower, the testing rate has remained stable over the last five weeks. That said, confirmed cases have been declining, but the rate of decline slowed somewhat last week.
The BA.5 variant remains dominant in Norway, accounting for over 95% of all positive sequenced test results. The NIPH also notes “as of now, there are no virus variants that appear to be taking over for BA.5”.
As far as other respiratory infections, influenza-related hospitalizations nudged upward last week with six admissions. Overall, as of week 35 (two weeks ago) there were 970 hospitalizations recorded for patients with respiratory infections; which is down slightly from the 1,021 from the previous week. The NIPH says rhinovirus infections are the most common right now, but the infection activity seems to be approaching a peak.
The NIPH says its latest population-level survey shows that people reporting cold symptoms is increasing as are visits to a family doctor for respiratory illnesses that are not a coronavirus infection.
🇫🇮
Finland registered 5,957 infections and 90 more virus deaths in the last seven days.
COVID hospitalizations (549) are up (+137).
So far, 79.9% of the total population have one dose, 76.9% have two, t4% have a booster dose, and 15.6% have a 2nd booster shot.
-
Finland saw a significant increase in influenza vaccinations last winter. The number of seniors who went out got a flu shot last winter was up 10% from the year before. The Finnish Institute for Health says 65% of seniors over the age of 65 got vaccinated against influenza last winter, as did 31% of kids three to six years old and 41% of children under the age of three.
The Finnish Institute for Health says the increase may be due to several factors including how easy it was to get a flu shot and the COVID pandemic raising fears of a twindemic last fall and winter, a something that didn’t end up happening.
🇩🇪
Germany recorded 46,514 new infections and 230 more pandemic deaths since its Wednesday update.
It saw 1,028 more COVID hospitalizations while ICU numbers (739) crept upward (+12). As a percentage of all intensive care beds in the country coronavirus patients are using 3.4%.
So far, 77.9% of the total population have one vaccine dose, 76.3% have two, and 62.1% have a booster dose.
🇨🇦
The Public Health Agency of Canada updates its COVID statistics once a week every Friday.
-
In Ontario, people could begin booking booster dose appointments for the new bivalent vaccine, the one targeting the original virus and the Omicron BA.1 variant, as of this week. In the last week, the province saw 85 pandemic deaths. COVID hospitalizations (1,167) dropped by about 6% week to week. There are 130 infected people in an ICU. The province has a positivity percentage of 11.9%.
In Quebec, there are 1,572 people who have tested positive in hospital. Of those, 520 were being treated directly due to an infection (-19) while ICU numbers (19) were down (-4). The province saw another 19 coronavirus deaths.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, COVID hospitalizations (4) inched up (+1) with no pandemic patients in intensive care. The province added two more virus deaths. The province is expecting its first batch of bivalent vaccine doses this month. It has also expanded eligibility for a booster dose to anyone 5 years old and older who hasn’t been vaccinated within the last 20 weeks.
Nova Scotia suffered 15 more COVID deaths, while 277 hospital patients have tested positive; of those, 45 are being treated directly because of their coronavirus infection and seven are so severely infected they are in intensive care.
New Brunswick saw 23 COVID hospitalizations over the last week (-12). The number of those actively hospitalized (35) is down (-2) while ICU numbers (4) are up (+2). The province has suffered four more virus deaths.
Manitoba has suffered its highest increase in COVID deaths in three months, with 19 in its latest weekly update. Hospitalizations (65) are down (-5) ICU numbers (10) also fell (-6). The province has a positivity percentage of 19.9%.
COVID numbers are up in Saskatchewan. In its latest bi-weekly update, the province reports 594 hospitalizations (+38) and 38 people in an ICU (+8). It added 25 more pandemic fatalities. The positivity percentage also rose from 7.4% to 8.9%.
People in Alberta can begin booking appointments to get a booster dose with the new bivalent vaccines beginning on September 21. In Alberta, COVID hospitalizations (819) increased (+20) while ICU numbers (26) were also up (+6). The province saw another 16 deaths. It has a positivity percentage of 16.94%, a slight increase.
British Columbia has 314 COVID hospitalizations with 23 people in an ICU. Pandemic deaths are reported on a delay. As of September 10, there were 16 new deaths.
🦠Monkeypox🦠
WHO
WHO Director General Dr. Tedros says while the global monkeypox outbreak continues, the number of cases appears to be trending downward.
“But as with COVID, this is not the time to relax or let down our guard. This is the time for all affected countries and communities to keep doing what is working. Countries and #healthworkers still need support to prepare for, to recognize, to test and to treat cases, and to prevent infections. We especially urge affected countries to share genome sequences, so we can better understand how the virus is evolving.”
🇺🇦
Ukraine has recorded its first confirmed monkeypox infection. The Ukrainian Ministry of Health says the person infected is in hospital but has mild symptoms.
⚡️Energy Crisis⚡️
🇪🇺
As part of negotiations to finalize a set of directives to tackle the energy crisis, EU politicians are also working out what they will ask people to do to reduce power use in peak periods. This could include things like not using dryers or desktop computers during peak periods. The EU proposal mandates that member states reduce their peak period power use by 5%. This will save on gas consumption and electricity use.
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson:
“It will reduce the price of electricity and reduce the risk of supply problems and blackouts.”
Final directives to tackle the energy crisis and try and keep a lid on prices for homeowners will be finalized at an extraordinary meeting on September 30.
🇩🇰
As energy prices soar taking home heating bills up into the atmosphere with them, the Danish government is offering a pay-for-it-later scheme to keep homeowners solvent. The details are pending negotiations in the Danish parliament but basically it would mean that heating costs would be, pun, not intended, frozen. The huge increases above that would still be there and have to be paid, but not now rather in installments over five years with what the government describes as a “modest” interest rate of 2%.
Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen:
“It must be an interest rate that is reasonable. I think an interest rate of around two percent would be reasonable.”
The price roof would be set for one year at the cost of electricity, gas, or district heating as it was last fall.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen:
“If the price of electricity, gas or district heating comes above the price that was in autumn last year, then you can postpone the remaining payment and pay it off over time. This means that you get certainty about what the bill will be.”
You can get an installment plan if energy prices exceed these amounts this coming winter.
Gas at DKK 15.45 per m3
Heat pumps and electric panels for DKK 1.87 per kWh
District heating for DKK 1.44 per kWh
Electricity (lighting etc.) for DKK 2.99 per kWh.
People are justified in being worried about their home heating costs. Danske Bank says homeowners could see skyrocketing heating costs, especially for homes using natural gas.
Danske Bank's Consumer Economist, Louise Aggerstrøm Hansen told DR that gas bills between now and April 30 could quadruple.
“This requires large savings for many families, primarily on heating consumption, but also in other areas.”
Electricity bills are also headed upward and could double over the winter.
The Danish government plans to also set aside two billion kroner for “inflation aid” next year. It has also mandated that landlords cannot raise rent by more than 4% per year for the next two years.
The government has already cut 400,000 Danes energy rebate cheque of up to 6,000 kroner. And retirees will also get 5,000 kroner paid out in two installments to help manage energy costs.
-
The energy crisis and rising inflation has hit the little piggy that goes to market. The Danish meat processing group, Danish Crown, is trimming some 350 employees in Sæby and Ringsted. The company is seeing a steep decline in demand and thus, far fewer pigs are needed for slaughter. The reason why is a combination of soaring energy prices, rising feed prices, and inflation. This has caused a growing number of farmers to scale back or completely shut down operations.
Production Director Per Laursen spoke to DR:
“It's a really sad situation. The employees who are affected by this have made every effort.”
🇺🇦/ 🇷🇺 War
🇨🇦/ 🇺🇦
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on the phone with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday.
🇩🇪/ 🇷🇺
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke for an hour and a half with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, but the results of the conversation weren’t promising.
According to the Chancellor’s office, he called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. Scholz says any diplomatic solution must include a ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. He also stressed that Ukrainian prisoners of war must be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Geneva convention.
But according to Scholz, his words didn’t have much impact.
“Unfortunately, Putin does not seem to have realized that the decision to invade Ukraine was a mistake.”
🇸🇪 🇫🇮/ 🇬🇷
25 down and five to go. Greece is the latest government to ratify the NATO accession protocols for both Finland and Sweden. All 30 member countries of the military alliance must approve admission applications for the two Nordic nations to become full time NATO members. Again, look for Turkey to continue to drag its feet as it seeks to use this situation to its advantage.
🇩🇰/ 🇺🇦
Denmark is sending two bomb-clearing robots to Ukraine. The two robots, named Ellemann and Lykketoft, were donated by a Canadian company called ICOR Technology. They had been put through a number of tests in Denmark and were deemed to be fit for the job. They will help the Danish Support Group Ukraine is taking on the task of clearing mines over a 2.3 million square meter area of Ukraine. They will begin the job on August 31.
🇺🇸/ 🇷🇺
The United States has levied more sanctions on Russia, this time targeting its space agency and associated entities. The sanctions take aim at Russian space agency Roscosmos, via entities like Russian Space Systems, NPO Lavochkin, and ISS Reshetnev.
In retaliation for western support of Ukraine, Russia has previously said it is pulling out of its partnership on the international space station as of 2024 and will turn its attention to building its own space station.