Hadsel in Vesterålen has even more crown cases proven after massive testing – NRK

Hadsel is not done with the corona outbreak after even more cases were detected Monday.

This is what the municipality affirms at a press conference tonight.

– Today we have received five new positive results. We have a total of 22 who have been diagnosed with the infection, says municipal doctor Ingebjørn Bleidvin to NRK.

So far, nearly 200 pieces have been tested in just a few days. In total, about 400 people are in quarantine in the municipality. Also, around 320 are in quarantine in Andøy after the outbreak.

Andøy has around 5,000 inhabitants and Hadsel around 8,000.

– We believe that the measures are beginning to work, as most of the newly infected have close contacts who are already in quarantine.

– Are you in control?

– All the time there are still new close contacts that are not quarantined, and we have 70 that are tested today, so we can’t say that, no. But we are on the right track.

No new groups of infection have been identified.

Suspected southern infection

Bleidvin says a broad population test has been shown to work in other municipalities with similar outbreaks.

The infection must not have been caused by labor immigration, but by permanent residents who brought the infection from southern Norway.

– Our main suspicion is that it was brought from southern Norway, but it is not possible to prove it now, since it was so long ago. The reassuring thing is that there is no wild infection. Until now, we have control of infection tracking.

A good example of the ease with which the infection can spread is that cases have already been detected in the municipality of Andøy, north of Vesterålen.

There are also suspicions that it has spread to Vestvågøy in Lofoten, but this has not been confirmed.

– It has spread to Andøy and has had consequences there. It shows how easily the infection can spread over a large area if you’re not careful, Bleidvin says.

Melbu school is closed this week.

In Andøy, the municipality has decided to close the Andenes school until Friday. Last week, a person in the eighth stage was diagnosed with an infection, but the municipality also suspects an infection in another stage. The school facilitates digital teaching as much as possible.

Try many

“Are you ready? Open your mouth wide.”

Maria Olsen yawns. The first part of the coronavirus test ends in a few seconds. Then it is the turn of the nose.

On Monday, there was a new round of massive population testing in Hadsel Township. In the last four days, 19 cases of coronavirus have been detected and there may be more.

Olsen showed up at the testing area because her son is in the same circle of friends as some of those who were infected at Melbu school.

– I think it’s good for people to prove themselves. This means that we can get rid of this virus once and for all, says Olsen.