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CONCERNED: Deputy Health Director Epsen Rostrup Nakstad is concerned about the size of the outbreak in Østfold Photo: Terje Pedersen
Deputy Health Director Espen Rostrup Nakstad is concerned about the scale of the outbreak in Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg. But that doesn’t appear to be the start of a new wave of infections.
– This is the largest outbreak we have had since we took control of the pandemic this spring, confirms Deputy Health Director Espen Rostrup Nakstad.
So far some 80 people in Sarpsborg and 142 in Fredrikstad have been confirmed to be infected in connection with a Muslim celebration at the end of August. Several of the nearby municipalities are also affected.
In total, more than 200 infection cases in Østfold municipalities are linked to the ongoing outbreak and more than 1,500 are in quarantine.
The mayor of Sarpsborg, Sindre Martinsen-Evje, writes in an SMS to VG that the municipality is considering reporting the matter. He does not want to rule out a reaction from the municipality.
– We are concerned about the magnitude of the outbreak and the tension that it represents for the municipalities, laboratories and close contacts as one of those involved.
Nakstad emphasizes that there is still a local outbreak where they currently have no reason to believe that there is much hidden spread of the infection that goes undetected.
– In other words, it does not appear to be the beginning of a new “wave of infection” as we saw in March and April, based on what we know today, says Nakstad.
MORE THAN 200 INFECTED: In total, more than 200 people are infected in the municipalities of Østfold. Photo: Gisle Oddstad
More outbreaks in the future
In addition to the outbreak at Østfold, Bergen has an ongoing outbreak mainly among students. A total of 192 students are infected, most of them belong to the Norwegian School of Management (NHH).
– What is the probability that we will see more outbreaks of this type in the coming weeks?
– We will probably see more local sprouts in the future. Last week, infection was detected in more than 60 municipalities, and six counties had increasing infection rates, but most of the cases were limited in scope with few people involved, Nakstad says.
It highlights that it is a great challenge to control the spread of the infection both in Bergen and in the affected municipalities of Østfold.
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No more contagious
Nasktad explains that the outbreak in the Østfold municipalities is an outbreak that has spread as fast as other outbreaks in which several people are infected at the same time.
– Has the virus become more contagious?
“As far as we know, the virus has not significantly changed its properties in terms of infectivity and disease-causing properties since it appeared in Asia around New Year’s time,” Nakstad says.
Despite the increase in infection in Norway in recent weeks, few people remain hospitalized. During the summer, very few have died from the coronavirus in Norway.
– What do you say about the epidemiological situation in Norway today?
– It shows that many of those infected are now younger people who do not get as sick as the elderly and that the dark numbers are lower now that we test many more than before. We will probably catch more sick people than before. This explains why hospitalization figures are currently stable and why covid-19 related deaths in Norway remain at approx. one case per week. But there is a delay of two to three weeks in these figures, she emphasizes.
