Sarpsborg goes for checkup after corona infection – VG

Sarpsborg Mayor Sindre Martinsen-Evje (Labor Party) says the municipality will inform a religious community in the city after a religious event, lasting several days, at the Al-Ghadir Østfold Islamic Center caused a major outbreak of infection. for crown in both Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad.

– We will send a report to the police, and it is they who must make an assessment and investigate, says Martinsen-Evje to VG.

During a press conference on Monday, the mayor said that “the large number of infections between the participants and their families and other close contacts, shows that these events caused the contagion.”

As there were many people gathered for several days and a long time, the municipality believes there is reason to suspect a violation of infection control regulations. This is the reason why the crisis management of the municipality wants to inform.

– Unacceptable with provocation

According to the mayor, the gatherings were held in illegal places. A request for a change of use had been submitted, but according to Martinsen-Evje the request was poor.

At the same time, he commends the religious community for cooperating well with the municipality in its infection detection work.

– I want to thank the director for always helping us in this work. We must remember that the principal, his family, other members of the board, and all affected families are now suffering. It hurts me that there are children, youth and adults who are infected and can feel guilt and pain. We must remember that they have taken responsibility.

– In recent days, there has been a growing degree of incitement against the Muslim community and this is completely unacceptable. We are all inhabitants of Sarpsborg and now is when we must unite, adds Martinsen-Evje.

He doesn’t like this.

– We have seen a lot of stigma and we are concerned about unrest. They are minorities, sarpies and our children and youth, and I don’t want any of that. We need to support that environment now. We will live together when this is over too, our goal is to shut down the infection from the inside until it shuts down. So far we have control, he tells VG.

Four new cases of infection on Monday

The number of infected people in Sarpsborg has increased considerably after the religious event.

– From September 1 to today, we have received 81 new corona cases. Before we had 109. Yesterday was a record number for us, with 25 new infected. It is very demanding when we have so many infected in one day. So far today we have four new ones, said municipal doctor Karianne J. Bergman during the press conference.

About 1,100 people are in quarantine at the municipal institutions in Sarpsborg at the moment, it reports.

Bergman describes the outbreak as “under control.”

– There is no reason to cancel planned events, he adds, as long as you take precautions and follow infection control rules.

– Why don’t you close?

– We have an overview of the infection route and cases can be traced. As long as we don’t see cases without a known source of infection, we see no reason to close.
It is a reminder. We never know who is infected and the most important thing we do is follow the infection control rules, Bergman tells VG.

Around 2,500 quarantined

The religious event in Østfold, which lasted for several days, has caused a massive outbreak of corona infection.

On Monday morning, a total of 2,500 people in Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg were quarantined, divided into 1,300 in Fredrikstad and 1,200 in Sarpsborg.

– It is a disturbing development, but as long as our infection trackers can find the route of infection and it is within an environment, we can maintain a certain overview. It is important, it means that we do not get out of control, the mayor has previously told VG.