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TODAY IN NORWAY

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Find out what’s going on in Norway on Thursday with The Local’s short roundup of important news.

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Trolltunga one of Norway's most iconic hikes. Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

Almost one-third of Covid-19 cases in Norway are the Delta variant

Just under a third of all coronavirus infections sequenced in Norway are the Delta Variant, first identified in India, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH). 

Last week 31 percent of all samples taken were of the Delta Variant, the NIPH said in its latest weekly report

The total number of cases of the variant is now just shy of 800 compared to just 50 two months ago. 

Minister of Health Bent Høie said that the variant would probably become the dominant form of coronavirus during July. 

Woman in critical condition after scooter accident

A woman in her 20’s has been rushed to Ullevål Hospital after suffering major head injuries in an accident on an electric scooter in Fredrikstad, South-East Norway, in the early hours of Thursday morning. 

The incident took place at around 1:30 am, and the injuries she suffered have been described as critical. 

According to police, witnesses didn’t see exactly what happened. 

Oslo recently announced it would introduce a mandatory curfew for the devices following a surge in accidents. 

REVEALED: How Oslo will crack down on electric scooters

Partners from the US travelling to Norway given July 19th deadline 

Partners who have had their application to travel to Norway from the US accepted have been handed a July 19th deadline to come to Norway, the government said. 

On Monday, Norway took the US off its purple travel list, meaning close family and partners of Norwegian residents and citizens could no longer visit. 

Partners who have had their applications accepted but had not yet travelled to Norway will now only be able to enter the country until the deadline

Those who travel after the deadline will not be permitted to enter. 

Travel: Norway to take the US off Covid-19 purple travel list

Oslo to scale down test capacity 

Oslo will begin to wind down its test capacity in the autumn, according to the city’s health councillor Robert Steen. 

The city will reduce the number of staff at its test stations, and capacity will be reduced to four percent.

This means that there will only be the capacity to test and process samples from the equivalent of four percent of Oslo’s population per week from October. 

171 new Covid-19 cases in Norway 

On Wednesday, 171 coronavirus infections were registered across Norway, two less than the average for the previous seven days. 

In Oslo, 26 Covid-19 cases have been recorded, and this is two more than the seven day average for the Norwegian capital. 

Total number of Covid-19 cases. Source: NIPH

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For members

TODAY IN NORWAY

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday 

Find out what’s going on in Norway on Tuesday with The Local’s short roundup of important news. 

Pictured is Holmenkollen in Oslo.
Read about the interval between doses two and three being shortened and the death of Kåre Willoch in today's roundup of important news. Pictured is Holmenkollen in Oslo. Photo by Michael Ankes on Unsplash

Tributes paid to Kåre Willoch 

The former prime minister and Conservative Party leader Kåre Willoch passed away yesterday aged 93. King Harold, prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre and former PM Erna Solberg were among those to pay tribute to Willoch. 

“He was a very gracious and nice person who was concerned with people and political issues,” Solberg said. 

The former PM pointed to Willoch’s modernisation reform in Norway as his most significant political legacy. 

“The most important thing he did was the modernisation of Norway,” she said. 

Health minister to decide on new Covid-19 measures

New coronavirus measures are on their way in Norway, with the health minister, Ingvild Kjerkol, set to decide on new restrictions following a rise in infections, outbreaks of the Omicron variant and parts of the health service nearing capacity. 

“There will be measures we will notice in our everyday lives,” Kjerkol said to public broadcaster NRK

“The situation is demanding, and that is the reason why we are now looking at new measures. We have a health service that is in full swing, and our goal is to have control of the pandemic, in the form that the municipalities and hospitals are able to provide proper health care,” Kjerkol explained.

READ ALSO: How could Norway’s Covid-19 restrictions be tightened this week?

The minister didn’t reveal any details on what could be announced but said that decisions would be made on Tuesday. 

Coronavirus booster vaccine interval shortened 

The interval between vaccine doses two and three for those aged between 64 and 45 will be shortened by a month, Norway’s health ministry has announced

The interval will now be five months when it was previously six. All adults with serious underlying conditions and those working in the health and care sectors will also have the interval cut. 

One in three think Covid-19 measures are too relaxed

A third of Norwegians feel that the current Covid measures in place in Norway are insufficient and need tightening, according to a survey conducted by Norstat for public broadcaster NRK.

Ten percent said the measures were too comprehensive, and just under 50 percent said that the current level of action was appropriate. 

4,117 new Covid-19 cases in Norway

On Monday, 4,117 new Covid-19 cases were registered in Norway. That is 1,240 more cases than the same day last week. 

As of yesterday, 295 people were hospitalised with Covid-19. 

A graph showing the number of weekly cases in Norway.
The total number of weekly cases in Norway throughout the pandemic. Source: Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
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