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FULL COVER: There were many who wanted to test themselves when the Spelhaugen test station in Fyllingdalen reopened last week. Photo: Eirik Brekke, Bergens Tidende
Now three percent of those who tested positive for a coronal test. This indicates more infection than FHI and the Norwegian Health Directorate like to see.
In mid-October (week 42), 1 percent tested positive. The following week, it rose to 1.72.
The latest figure, for week 44, is 3 percent, according to Line Vold, FHI’s department head. That is almost double in a week.
The proportion of people who test positive provides an overview of the amount of infection we have in society.
– When we see that the proportion of positives increases, at the same time that we have a rapidly increasing trend in cases of infection and a certain increase in hospital admissions, it is a worrying situation in general, Vold tells VG.
- Brand: There were far fewer that tested in March and April, in part because the testability was much lower. Around 100,000 Norwegians are now tested weekly.
Some explanations
When many tests are done and the proportion of positives increases, it may be because there are many infected people being detected for the first time through extensive testing, that is, there are more people walking around the infection without knowing it (dark numbers).
Another reason may be that the tests are more specific, for example we have increased the close contact tests and there we hope to find some positives.
– We want a high number of tests and a fairly low positive percentage because it indicates that we test extensively and therefore can detect outbreaks early, says Vold.
Nakstad – Increase Hidden Infection
Health Deputy Director Espen Nakstad does not like the increase in the proportion of positives:
– It worries me. Because it indicates that it is not just the result of greater testing capacity, but that there is more infection in society, he tells VG, adding:
– When we also detect less than half of the cases of infection, we can imagine that the number of hidden infections increases as well.
- Did you know In March / April, FHI assumes that about 10 percent of infection cases were detected. This fall, they have discovered about half and the ratio seems to be declining a bit lately.
It must be below 5 percent
When Norway considers travel advice, the proportion of positive tests is also one of the criteria: in addition to the infection being less than 20 per 100,000 in the last 14 days, the proportion of positive tests must be less than 5 percent.
– I would like to keep it low and preferably below 5 here in Norway too, because it says something about us testing extensively and hopefully well.
FOLLOW CAREFULLY: The Vold line at FHI will keep the ratio positive to less than five percent. Photo: Jil Yngland
There is also a somewhat higher proportion of the infection that is now undetected. At the same time, Vold emphasizes that another factor that can color the picture is that Norway has had a lot of evidence of close contacts of infected people due to many outbreaks in the country recently.
A total of 1,310,643 people in Norway have undergone a corona test. It constitutes 24 percent of the population.
The proportion of positives is also increasing in Oslo. There, the number has long been stable at 3 percent, but has risen to 4, according to a letter from infection control doctor Frode Hagen in Oslo to the Health Service, which VG has had access to.
– It fits with the image we have of the situation, he says.
– Must reverse trend
One by one, European countries are shutting down to stop the rapid rise in infection: Britain, Germany, and France have shut down the country. Denmark has also seen drastic figures in the last two weeks and has now introduced new measures.
The violence is concerned about development and hopes that Norway will succeed in reversing the trend with the measures we have now:
– If development continues, we will end up with high infection rates and the consequent increase in hospitalizations and deaths. Due to the exponential growth, there will be a rapid development of the situation. That is why we must reverse the trend.
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