Four new taxi drivers infected in Stavanger, all have an unknown source of infection – VG

Infection control doctor Runar Johannessen in Stavanger municipality says they are in contact with taxi companies and work with infection tracking.

– We do not know if there are more infected drivers, but we do, says the head of infections.

Johannessen says that several of those infected in Stavanger are at the taxi drivers’ home. They do not know if any passenger is infected.

He says that they have been in contact with some of the companies in the region and some drivers. It was previously reported that there are three different taxi companies that have been infected, but now it is not known how many companies are involved.

– The reason we detect more people with the infection now is probably because more drivers are being tested now, he says.

Johannessen says that it is safe to take a taxi, but that you should keep your distance and wear a mask. He adds that it is advisable not to use public transport or taxis if you are in the risk group.

Taxi passengers warned

In a press release on Saturday, the Stavanger Municipality announced that five drivers distributed in Bryne Taxi, Vibå Jærtaxi and Stavanger Taxi have tested positive for COVID-19.

“People who have traveled with taxi companies in the period December 10-17 should be especially vigilant for symptoms,” they wrote.

Additionally, they wrote that infection trackers are working to get an overview of the close contacts of infected people.

Infection control chief physician Runar Johannessen says they now have control over close contacts, but don’t know if more taxi drivers may have been infected during breaks at work when drivers are together.

I don’t know if other drivers are infected.

Stavanger Taxi General Manager Svein Svimbil says they have had two cases of infection at the company, but he does not know if this applies to the first or second group of infections. Svimbil says the infection has occurred internally among the various Stavanger taxi companies.

– It is not clear if the two were working when they were infected. One of them is alleged to have been working, but I don’t know how long, says Svimbil.

– Are the passengers informed?

– A little unsure about that, but I guess.

Svimbil says they sent a message and an email to all of their drivers and asked them to be tested for symptoms. They have also introduced mandatory bandages and drivers will offer free bandages to passengers. They have also written that drivers must wash all surfaces that passengers have been near.

– It is impossible to check whether the drivers have read the message, but I think they follow it, says Svimbil.

Turn off Vibå Jærtaxi

Vibå Jærtaxi General Manager Lars Alsåker tells VG that two drivers tested positive for COVID-19 at the company.

– Everyone who worked after December 14 was quarantined until they received an answer as to whether they were also infected, Alsåker reports.

So far, they have received 12 test results and all are negative.

– We closed the exchange and now we have started the reopening. Those who tested negative have started working again, he says.

Alsåker says he believes the infected drivers were at work while they were infected. He believes that they were infected while working, but this is uncertain.

Assess whether new measures are necessary

Those infected are between four and 80 years old. A total of six people have an unknown route of infection.

For a long time there has been little infection in the municipality. During the last week 18 new cases were registered, of which no new cases were registered on two of the days. In the first three days of this week, 30 new cases have been registered.

In the last two weeks, Stavanger has had 30.6 infected per 100,000 inhabitants, the municipality writes in its pages.

Stavanger Mayor Kari Nessa Nordtun says the municipality is monitoring the taxi industry and working to get infection control councils out again.

– In emergency management, we closely monitor the development of the infection and continually assess whether new measures need to be implemented, whether it is in the taxi industry or other areas where we see the infection increasing, says the mayor of Stavanger Kari Nessa Nordtun.