Variant Outbreak in Glostrup

Health officials are in the kommune trying to contain cases of B.1.617

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Denmark’s Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says they are dealing with “a situation” in Glostrup Kommune in Greater Copenhagen. Heunicke says there has been an outbreak of the India variant in a residential area of the municipality. He says they are working with the kommune and other health agencies to contain the outbreak. 

Staff from the Danish Agency for Patient Safety (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed) are going door to door urging people to get tested. It says the variant B.1.617 has been confirmed. At this point it doesn’t look like it is the more feared, and likely much more infectious, B.1.617.2 sub-type. The agency says intensified infection detection measures have been undertaken. 

Glostrup Kommune has posted to Facebook that the outbreak is centered in “some households” in the city center. It says contact tracing is underway. The Kommune also says “extra cleaning has been initiated in affected residential properties.” 

“The directly affected residents in the immediate area have the opportunity to be tested without an appointment in Glostrup Hallen on Saturday at 16-18 and Sunday at 8-14. You will receive a direct message if you have this option for PCR testing without an appointment.” 

The municipality is also urging every one of its residents to go get tested as soon as possible. 

According to today’s variant update from the Staten Serum Institut for a period up until May 13th there are 32 confirmed cases of B.1.617 in Denmark. B.1.617.2, which is now an international variant of concern, has been confirmed in another 74 infections.