Nakstad on mutated virus in Bergen:

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On Wednesday night it emerged that two cases of the South African coronavirus mutation had been revealed in western Norway.

This is the first time the mutation has been discovered in Norway without being related to an import infection, and the first time it has been discovered in western Norway, according to NRK.

One of the infected people lives in Bergen. As of Wednesday night, the route of transmission was still unknown.

The infection subsides

– worrying

The deputy director of the Norwegian Health Directorate, Espen Rostrup Nakstad, tells Dagbladet that an unknown source of infection is not always synonymous with unknown groups of infection.

However, the likelihood of this happening is higher with the more infectious mutated variants.

– The discovery of the South African virus variant in Bergen is concerning if the source of the infection remains unknown and the infection has spread in several stages, Nakstad tells Dagbladet.

When Nakstad visited the Dagbladet TV studio Wednesday morning, he said that we only have two cases of the South African mutation, in addition to those that were detected in Helse Bergen on Wednesday. The first have been people who have been quarantined and have avoided further infection.

– This mutant has developed a bit more, and it is suspected that the vaccine works a little worse than against the British. We are a little more concerned about this one. But again, this is uncertain and the important thing is that we prevent the spread of all kinds of mutated viruses with the properties that make them so contagious, Nakstad said.

– More concerned about this variant

Does not exclude new measures

The Bergen municipality health council, Beate Husa, does not rule out the need to implement new measures. On Wednesday night, he tells Dagbladet that he hopes the spread of the infection is limited and that no serious action is necessary.

– But if we see that it is necessary, we will introduce measures after consulting with national authorities.

– Are you afraid of a major outbreak of the South African virus mutation?

– We’ve had very low infection rates in Bergen and we’ve had pretty good test numbers. In that sense, I hope it is not more serious than the fact that some people have acquired this. But of course, with a big city like Bergen with a lot of entry and exit, we have thought that it is very likely that we will reach a situation related to the mutated virus. Anything else would be very optimistic, Husa tells Dagbladet on Wednesday night.

Husa says that it is a challenge that they do not know the transmission route of the person.

– There are not many close contacts, but we have received advice from NIPH to go back in time and have a low threshold for identifying close contacts and possibly your close contacts. We are now working on mapping close contacts and doing a more thorough debriefing with a view to their activity.

New evaluation

The Health Council emphasizes that it is very important that they get a full infection detection, saying this has been going on since they were informed of the finding.

– Then on Thursday we will make an evaluation based on the situation and if it will be necessary to initiate other measures, says Husa.

– What kind of measures can be relevant?

– It depends on the situation and what we know and don’t know. The national health authorities have developed a good and comprehensive plan with proposed measures for different levels of risk. It is important for us that we analyze them in relation to the local situation and try to make the measures as specific as possible.

Here a mutant virus has been detected

Check all positive samples

As mentioned, two cases of the South African mutation have been identified. It is not known where in western Norway the other person resides.

Previously, the South African mutation had been detected a total of two times in Norway. It has happened in connection with the entry.

It was Bergens Tidende who first mentioned the new cases of the South African virus variant in Helse Bergen. In addition, four new cases of the British variant have been identified.

I have never experienced a similar infection

On Wednesday, Elling Ulvestad, head of the Department of Microbiology at Haukeland Hospital, told Dagbladet that the lab has so far focused on testing samples where there is a strong suspicion of mutations, but that starting at the end of the week they will test all the crown samples. for mutations.

– Then we will test all positive corona samples from all over Vestland County and in addition to Nord-Rogaland, he told Dagbladet.