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COVID-19

Spike in Danish coronavirus cases: 90 now confirmed

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Denmark has increased significantly during Monday.

Spike in Danish coronavirus cases: 90 now confirmed
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen talks to press on Monday. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix

A total of 90 people in Denmark have now tested positive for new coronavirus. The total on Sunday was 35. As such, the increase is by far the largest Denmark has so far seen in a 24-hour period.

In addition to the confirmed cases, 770 people in the country have now been placed in home quarantine, according to Danish Patient Safety Authority figures. At least 1,022 people have been tested for the virus in Denmark, according to reports earlier on Monday.

No information has been given as to the source of the 24 new confirmed cases, according to public service broadcaster DR. Danish Patient Safety Authority director Anne-Marie Vangsted said during the weekend that all cases in Denmark so far had been traced to infections abroad.

That is important because it better enables health authorities to trace and contact persons who may have been in close contact with the infected individual.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said during a short press briefing on Monday that the country’s businesses will soon feel the economic impact of the epidemic.

Tourism and transport are among sectors being monitored by the government.

“This is going to have an effect on the Danish economy sooner than most people might have expected,” Frederiksen said in comments reported by DR.

The PM also said that the new total of confirmed infections reflected the seriousness of the situation in Denmark.

“This is a dramatic change since just yesterday,” she said.

“Danish authorities are working based on doing all we can in Denmark to keep the spread of infection as low as possible. That is still the most important strategy,” Frederiksen said.

READ ALSO: Why Denmark is cancelling concerts in response to coronavirus

The Danish Patient Safety Authority is currently offering a number of helplines for people affected by the coronavirus.

People in home quarantine can contact the authority with questions of a practical nature between 9am and 10pm. The relevant telephone numbers are 72 22 74 28 (Copenhagen and Zealand regions); 70 20 21 77 (Central and North Jutland regions); and 29 31 98 63 (South Denmark region).

A hotline for both healthcare workers and the general public who have questions about coronavirus has also been set up. The number for this is 70 20 02 33.

Health authorities in Denmark and elsewhere are worried about potentially infected people turning up at hospitals and passing on the virus.

Therefore, you should always start by contacting your doctor by telephone. Remember to state that you have been in an area of infection, if this is the case.

You can read more about symptoms and who to contact in our paywall-free information article.

The coronavirus situation in Denmark remains less serious than in other countries, but you can keep up to date with the latest news via this article, which also includes official guidelines on the everyday precautions you can take and what to do and who to contact if you have travelled to outbreak areas or are concerned about symptoms. The article will be updated on an ongoing basis.

We are keeping the article paywall-free, which means it will remain open to new or occasional readers. An explanation of this decision can be found at the bottom of the article.

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COVID-19

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

Sweden's Public Health Agency is recommending that those above the age of 80 should receive two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn, as it shifts towards a longer-term strategy for the virus.

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

In a new recommendation, the agency said that those living in elderly care centres, and those above the age of 80 should from March 1st receive two vaccinations a year, with a six month gap between doses. 

“Elderly people develop a somewhat worse immune defence after vaccination and immunity wanes faster than among young and healthy people,” the agency said. “That means that elderly people have a greater need of booster doses than younger ones. The Swedish Public Health Agency considers, based on the current knowledge, that it will be important even going into the future to have booster doses for the elderly and people in risk groups.” 

READ ALSO: 

People between the ages of 65 and 79 years old and young people with risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, poor kidney function or high blood pressure, are recommended to take one additional dose per year.

The new vaccination recommendation, which will start to apply from March 1st next year, is only for 2023, Johanna Rubin, the investigator in the agency’s vaccination programme unit, explained. 

She said too much was still unclear about how long protection from vaccination lasted to institute a permanent programme.

“This recommendation applies to 2023. There is not really an abundance of data on how long protection lasts after a booster dose, of course, but this is what we can say for now,” she told the TT newswire. 

It was likely, however, that elderly people would end up being given an annual dose to protect them from any new variants, as has long been the case with influenza.

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