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HEALTH

Denmark tightens border to Germany following coronavirus outbreak

Denmark announced Friday the closure of a number of border crossings from Germany and tightened security at others following a cluster outbreak in a German town close to the border.

Denmark tightens border to Germany following coronavirus outbreak
The city centre of Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, which currently has a seven-day-incidence of 181.9. Photo: DPA

A statement published on the justice ministry's website, cited a rise in infections in the town of Flensburg, close to the Danish border.

“Therefore we are now introducing considerably more intense border checks and closing a number of smaller border crossings along the Danish-German border,” justice minister Nick Haekkerup said in the statement.

In total, 13 crossings will be closed outright and nine others will receive increased security from Thursday.

Denmark, which has been in partial lockdown since Christmas, reopened primary schools last week as the number of new coronavirus cases has dropped.

READ ALSO: Covid-19 variant: Is Flensburg outbreak a red flag for Germany?

However, non-essential shops, bars and restaurants, cultural venues, secondary schools, colleges and universities remain closed.

As of January 9th, foreigners also need to present a negative Covid-19 test to enter the country.

On the other side of the border the mayor of Flensburg, Simone Lange, said Friday that 80 cases of the more contagious virus variant first discovered in the UK had been detected in her town in recent days.

As a result Flensburg residents will be subject to greater restrictions including the introduction of a nightly curfew from Saturday, initially planned to be in place for a week.

Private gatherings are also banned in the town.

At the national level in Germany no curfew is in force, except where a local cluster of cases is discovered.

However people are requested to limit social contacts to only one other person outside their household.

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HEALTH

Denmark to spend 334 million kroner on paths to boost ‘declining’ cycling

A total of 69 local and national bicycle lane projects are to receive 334 million kroner in funding in 2024.

Denmark to spend 334 million kroner on paths to boost ‘declining’ cycling

The money, which will see Denmark’s already extensive network of bike lanes continue to grow, comes from a 2021 transport agreement setting aside money for bicycle infrastructure, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement.

Some 64 different municipalities are receiving funding including 28 projects for school bike access.

Under the terms of the agreement, local authorities can get 40 percent of the cost of new bicycle lanes covered by the state fund.

The five new national bicycle lanes – which are fully state-funded – will be built in locations including the Hedensted, Næstved, Norddjurs and Kalundborg municipalities, which are split between Zealand and Jutland.

Distribution of the funding must be rubber-stamped by parliament’s Transport Committee, a process which will be scheduled for after parliament’s summer holiday, the ministry noted in the statement.

“It’s great that we are now expanding the bicycle lane network but cycling is unfortunately declining despite a political desire for the opposite,” the director of the Transport section with the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), Karsten Lauritzen, said in a statement.

“The forthcoming investments in bicycle lanes which are part of the 2035 infrastructure plan should therefore be brought forward,” he said.

The Transport Minister, Thomas Danielsen said he agreed with the assessment that fewer people are using their bicycles and said a national strategy was on the way to tackle the issue.

“When I became transport minister I was gladly given responsibility for a three-billion-krone spending plan for cycling. I did that but at the same time, we don’t have a clear idea of how to get the most cycling and therefore most for this money,” Danielsen said.

“So this cycling strategy should take the form of a resource to help us decision-makers spend the money as wisely as possible,” he added.

The strategy should be prepared by late 2025, he added.

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