Do Norway’s latest Covid-19 infection numbers suggest improvement in fight against virus?
Latest data on Covid-19 infections in Norway could point to a ‘flattening’ of the country’s infection curve, but do not yet suggest a definite trend, a leading health official has said.
Espen Rostrup Nakstad, the assistant director of Norway's Directorate of Health, told newspaper VG that he was optimistic given current figures but causes for concern remain.
Tuesday saw 429 new cases of the coronavirus registered in Norway. That is 251 fewer than the daily average for the last week, which stands at 680, VG writes.
On Sunday, 555 new cases of the virus were registered. The number fell to 439 on Monday and then 429 on Tuesday.
In capital Oslo, 85 new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Tuesday. That is 75 fewer than the current weekly average, 160.
Nakstad told VG that although it is too early to say the figures represent a trend, he considers them a positive development.
“This means in all cases that we can take motivation and find pleasure in things that are going in the right direction,” he said.
The health directorate assistant director noted a difference in infection numbers locally, with some municipalities showing higher rates while others have close to no new cases.
READ ALSO: Bergen: Increased Covid-19 infection rates reported in Norwegian city
“There has now been a week of extra strict measures in Norway and if people carry on this way then we hope that with more control of outbreaks in many municipalities, these numbers will (also) be able to point downwards again,” he said to VG.
The Directorate of Health is currently concerned that infections could be brought into the country by people returning from Christmas breaks abroad or returning to the country for seasonal work. Many such people are testing positive for Covid-19 at the border, according to the newspaper.
Additionally, the authority says it wants control over persistent outbreaks in some areas in order to be certain the infections curve is truly headed downwards.
READ ALSO: Travel to Norway: 'Thousands skip mandatory testing' at Oslo Airport
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Espen Rostrup Nakstad, the assistant director of Norway's Directorate of Health, told newspaper VG that he was optimistic given current figures but causes for concern remain.
Tuesday saw 429 new cases of the coronavirus registered in Norway. That is 251 fewer than the daily average for the last week, which stands at 680, VG writes.
On Sunday, 555 new cases of the virus were registered. The number fell to 439 on Monday and then 429 on Tuesday.
In capital Oslo, 85 new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Tuesday. That is 75 fewer than the current weekly average, 160.
Nakstad told VG that although it is too early to say the figures represent a trend, he considers them a positive development.
“This means in all cases that we can take motivation and find pleasure in things that are going in the right direction,” he said.
The health directorate assistant director noted a difference in infection numbers locally, with some municipalities showing higher rates while others have close to no new cases.
READ ALSO: Bergen: Increased Covid-19 infection rates reported in Norwegian city
“There has now been a week of extra strict measures in Norway and if people carry on this way then we hope that with more control of outbreaks in many municipalities, these numbers will (also) be able to point downwards again,” he said to VG.
The Directorate of Health is currently concerned that infections could be brought into the country by people returning from Christmas breaks abroad or returning to the country for seasonal work. Many such people are testing positive for Covid-19 at the border, according to the newspaper.
Additionally, the authority says it wants control over persistent outbreaks in some areas in order to be certain the infections curve is truly headed downwards.
READ ALSO: Travel to Norway: 'Thousands skip mandatory testing' at Oslo Airport
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