SHARE
COPY LINK

COVID-19 STATS

Covid-19: Children amongst most infected in Denmark as new 2021 record set

The number of new Covid-19 infections in Denmark on Wednesday was 3,907, the highest figure recorded in 2021.

A file photo of a Covid-19 test centre in Denmark. The country register 3, 907 new cases on Wednesday.
A file photo of a Covid-19 test centre in Denmark. The country register 3, 907 new cases on Wednesday.Photo: Philip Davali/Ritzau Scanpix

The figure, published by national infectious disease agency State Serum Institute (SSI) is 8 higher than Tuesday’s total of 3,899.

Denmark’s booster vaccination programme against the virus is progressing, meanwhile, with the number of revaccinated people reaching 500,000 on Wednesday.

“We are continuing our efforts and yesterday alone 97,222 people booked an appointment for vaccinations including first, second doses and revaccination,” health minister Magnus Heunicke wrote on Twitter.

During the last week, 5,456 children aged 6-11 years have tested positive for the coronavirus. Denmark offers vaccinations to people aged 12 years and over.

A total of 89 children have been admitted to hospital in Denmark with Covid-19 throughout the pandemic.

“When we see so much spread of infection amongst children, as we are doing now, we can risk getting some of the very rare serious cases in children,” said Christian Morberg Wejse, professor at Aarhus University’s Department of Public Health.

Although serious illness with Covid-19 in children is rare, a very high number of cases increases the likelihood of rare instances, Wejse said.

A total of 347 people are currently admitted to hospitals nationally with Covid-19.

That is some way short of the peak in late 2020 and January this year, when the number of hospitalised patients exceeded 900.

But the current figure nevertheless constitutes a “significant strain on the health system”.

However, many hospitalised patients are among those who have been vaccinated against the virus, meaning they “typically have a very mild illness and are hospitalised short-term,” he noted.

The current high level of infections should be distinguished from the more moderate level of covid sickness compared to earlier waves, the professor argued.

“That is thanks to the vaccines to a great degree,” he said.

READ ALSO: How many ‘breakthrough’ Covid-19 infections are there in Denmark?

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

COVID-19

Germany’s weekly Covid infection rate rises above 500

Germany recorded a weekly Covid incidence of more than 500 per 100,000 people on Monday as health experts warn that the fifth wave of the pandemic has only just begun.

Bar in Berlin's Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district, which has the highest incidence in the country.
People sit outside bars in the Berlin district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, where incidences are currently the highest in the country. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christophe Gateau

On Monday, the 7-day incidence of Covid infections per 100,000 people stood at 528, up from 515 the day before and 376 a week ago. 

Infections have been rising rapidly as the highly transmissible Omicron variant tightens its hold in Germany. Monday marked the fourth day in a row in which the country posted record incidences.

Since the first incidence of the variant was discovered in the country around seven weeks ago, Omicron has swiftly taken over as the dominant variant in Germany.

It currently accounts for around 73 percent of Covid infections and is expected to almost entirely replace the Delta variant this week. 

Though Omicron generally causes a less severe illness than Delta, experts are concerned that deaths and hospitalisations could remain high due to the unprecedented number of cases Germany could see.

Unlike Delta, Omicron has a large number of mutations that allow it to evade previously built up immunity through vaccinations and illness. 

The World Health Organisation has warned that half of all Europeans could be infected with the virus by spring. 

“After the temporary decline in case numbers, severe disease courses and deaths towards the end of 2021 in the fourth wave, the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has begun in Germany with the dominant circulation of the omicron variant,” the Robert Koch Institute wrote in its weekly report on Thursday.  

Since the first Omicron case was discovered in Germany, there have been 191,422 suspected or proven cases of the variant.

As Welt data journalist Olaf Gersemann pointed out in Twitter, the number of Omicron cases has increased sixfold within a fortnight. 

Increase in hospitalisations

Before this weekend, Germany had hit its previous peak of infections back in November, when the country posted a 7-day incidence of 485 per 100,000 people at during the peak of the fourth wave.

Since then, Covid measures such contact restrictions and blanket 2G (entry only for the vaccinated and recovered) or 2G-plus (vaccinated or recovered with a negative test) have been relatively effective at turning the tide. 

READ ALSO:

For the past few weeks however, infections have been on the up once again as the Omicron fifth wave begins.

The incidence of hospitalisations in the country appears to also be on the rise again after a few weeks of decline. On Friday, the 7-day incidence of hospitalisations stood at 3.24 per 100,000 people, up from 3.13 the day before.

Over the weekend, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned that Omicron could place additional pressure on the general hospital wards as fewer people end up in intensive care. 

“Depending on how things develop, we may face shortages not only in the intensive care units, but also in the normal wards. There is a threat of entire departments being closed,” he said.

“Rapid spread of the virus would mean hundreds of thousands will become seriously ill and we will have to mourn many thousands of deaths again.” 

Karl Lauterbach

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) speaks at a weekly press conference on Friday, January 14th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Kay Nietfeld
 

Northern states post record incidences

Since the start of the Omicron wave, northern Germany has been disproportionately affected by the virus.

As of Monday, the city-state of Bremen had the highest incidence in the country, with 1389 new cases per 100,000 people recorded in a week.

This was followed by Berlin, which currently has a 7-day incidence of 948, and Hamburg, which recorded a 7-day incidence of 806. The district with the highest incidence in Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, which posted a weekly incidence of 1597 on Monday. 

In contrast to the fourth wave, the lowest Covid incidences were recorded in the eastern states of Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. 

On Monday, Thuringia had a weekly incidence of 198 per 100,000 people, while Saxony’s incidence was 249 and Saxony-Anhalt’s was 280.

Somewhat inexplicably, the incidence has been declining in Thuringia in recent weeks, though there is speculation that this could be to do with the fact that Omicron has not yet spread in the state.

Nine of the sixteen German states have incidences of more than 500 per 100,000 people. 

SHOW COMMENTS