Big outbreak in Kristiansund: infection doubled in a week – VG

From March to December, the Kristiansund municipality had 58 confirmed cases of infection.

Since December 22, that number has nearly doubled, to around 108 cases. 550 people have been quarantined so far.

– We are in a demanding situation with an outbreak that has branched out in various settings, says the communications manager of the municipality Tore Lyngvær.

He says 13 infected were reported to them on Sunday and 170 tests were completed, with more results expected on Monday.

– The positive is that we have managed to trace the entire infection so far. We are still in control, but it is demanding. We were hoping we had surpassed ourselves, but things may indicate that we have not yet achieved it.

Platform Center

Of the 13 cases confirmed Sunday, three are from the Heidrun oil rig.

So far, five people have been confirmed to be infected with Heidrun, but that number is likely to increase, Lyngvær estimates.

– We are an emergency city for the Norwegian Sea, so we have handled similar situations before the pandemic and provide assistance to the best of our ability. All the people who come to us receive good medical care and follow-up. So far we have taken in 50 workers, some of whom are in solitary confinement.

It says that rapid tests have been used on the platform and that some of them are positive. Lyngvær adds that all Heidrun employees have been quarantined.

It was the second day of Christmas when it was learned that three people had been infected on the Heidrun oil rig.

To VG, Equinor communications consultant Morten Eek explained that it was a person who came ashore from the platform on Christmas Eve and had symptoms of covid-19 on Christmas Eve. The person was tested and tested positive on Christmas Day.

– Then we started testing everyone who has worked with this person, Eek said on December 26.

The next day, two more people were confirmed to be infected. Those infected are not Equinor employees, but work at a supplier that is engaged in drilling activities. They are responsible for drilling and therefore all drilling tasks on the rig have been completed.

“Production is going according to plan and is not affected by the outbreak,” Eek said.

Introduce new measures

The municipality has managed to trace the outbreak back to infection at a high school.

– The municipal superintendent closed all the steps of the corresponding line in the school and immediately quarantined everyone.

– We believe that this has helped to limit the infection, because they were already in quarantine. With the exception of nine people, who are close contacts through family or leisure activities, Lyngvær says.

He says the infection tracking team has been working hard over Christmas and is considering whether to introduce measures.

They haven’t found a basis for that yet, he says.

– We go out with a recommendation on the 2nd of Christmas to postpone the party and stay home, and people listen to our recommendations. Police reported on a second day of Christmas that it was extremely quiet, which was exactly what we wanted. We try to avoid introducing intervention measures as long as we can trace the infection, he explains.

Later Monday, the municipality states in a press release that it is introducing a number of new measures, including interrupting visits to nursing homes and the Storhaug health center.

– We have a strong understanding that this is demanding on both residents and families, but necessary as the situation in Kristiansund is now, says Mayor Kjell Neergaard.

See VG overview for local measurements.

– We are just a few days away from starting vaccination and we want to avoid infection in our institutions at all costs.

The decision was also made that only 20 people can meet at indoor events and 50 outdoors. It is also recommended to stop grassroots sports.

– We are in a confusing situation, we need the help of the inhabitants to reduce the infection. These are areas where the infection can spread rapidly to large groups, so we recommend stopping this now, says municipal chief physician Askill Sandvik.