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On Tuesday, Bergen hired crisis personnel and introduced a series of strict local crown measures in an attempt to rid itself of the infection that has gripped the western Norwegian capital in recent weeks.
Among other things, private gatherings are limited to ten people and public events to 50. Restaurants and bars must also maintain a visitor list.
Since Monday, another 42 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus and a total of 1,028 infections have been registered in the city.
– It has consequences
Mayor Siv Høgtun in Askøy municipality, which is a seven-minute ferry ride from Bergen city center, tells Dagbladet that after an emergency meeting on Wednesday, it was decided to introduce the same measures as Bergen.
– We are so close that what has happened in Bergen naturally has consequences, he says.
In the last 24 hours, seven new cases have been confirmed in Askøy.
Norway is red: – Disappointing
– So here it is clear that we have increased the infection. We are testing many now and can expect an increase in infection, says the mayor.
– We have not done it in the regulations, but it is a very strong recommendation and we encourage everyone to follow these measures. This is a demanding situation, which many will find to affect them. I understand that it can be very difficult, but it is necessary to get rid of the infection quickly.
I do not recommend a trip to Bergen
The mayor also recommends that residents avoid traveling to Bergen, unless absolutely necessary.
– I recommend everyone to reflect on whether it is necessary to travel to Bergen now or elsewhere. Yesterday we had two positive tests. They both live in Bergen, but work in Askøy, and that shows how serious the situation is for us, says Høgtun.
One of yesterday’s infection cases concerns an employee of Kleppestø ungdomsskole in Askøy, and the school is closed until September 14. 80 employees and 160 students have been quarantined.
The other five cases of infection from yesterday all live in Askøy.
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Lots of Bergen infection
The mayors of Vaksdal and Osterøy are also calling on residents to avoid leisure trips to Bergen.
– We only follow up on the message from the director of the Norwegian Health Directorate. He says that one should have good reasons to travel to Bergen, and when Bergen now introduces these measures, it becomes clear that there is a great danger of spread. So it’s natural for us to follow up, says Mayor Lars Fjeldstad in Osterøy municipality.
Rapporteur fears stigma
At the beginning of the pandemic, Osterøy had been badly affected by corona infection and, with its around 8,000 inhabitants, had the third highest number of infections in Norway, relative to population.
– The infection came from Bergen during the period when we had so many. It lasted from the Wednesday before Easter until May 14, he says.
– do not travel
The municipality has a large proportion of inhabitants who work in Bergen, and the mayor understands that people have to go to work.
– We can’t do anything about it. Society must roll. But avoid unnecessary travel, such as shopping, he recommends.
The municipality of Vaksdal, where the train takes you to the capital Bergen in about 40 minutes, also asks residents to avoid Bergen.
– Don’t travel to Bergen if you don’t have to, says Mayor Hege Eide Vik to Dagbladet.
– It’s not about necessary work and travel, but these days Bergen has a charity event, and then we can be a part of it, I think.
