According to new figures posted up by the country's SSI infectious diseases agency on Saturday afternoon, the country registered 589 new cases in the preceding 24 hours, surpassing a previous record of 473 set on April 3rd. 

 

“I would expect that the the number continue to increase,” Rune Hartmann, professor in molecular biology at Aarhus University, told the Ritzau newswire. 

 

“The numbers show that we have an active epidemic and therefore we must of course also take care.” 

 

 

Denmark has significantly increased the number of tests it carries out each day since the start of April, so the new record number of positive diagnoses does not suggest that the real level of infection in society has passed the highs seen at the start of April. 

 

Nine new cases were admitted to hospital in the 24 hours up to Saturday afternoon, compared to 94 on March 25th, and Denmark has only recorded two deaths with coronavirus since Monday. On April 1st, it recorded 22 in a single day. 

 

“It's not as if I go into a panic when I see these numbers,” Hartmann said, adding that he expected the restrictions on nightlife brought in nationally on Friday to start to bring the pandemic under control. 

 

“I think that is sensible, because it's not just the capital where many are infected, but also in Esbjerg, north Jutland and most of Funen,” he said.

 

He said it would take “at least a week” for the restrictions to show an effect.