FHI: 6% of the population in Norway has been infected with the coronavirus

Although Norway has recovered well from the pandemic compared with other countries, some groups have been particularly affected, the FHI stated on Monday.

“There are many indications that the negative consequences of closed schools during the pandemic have not been evenly distributed and have particularly affected some already vulnerable groups of children and young people,” the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) wrote in its summary of the corona pandemic.

So far, there does not appear to have been a serious deterioration in mental health in the population, but the pandemic may have hit some groups harder.

“This applies to those who already have mental illnesses, those who have experienced losing their jobs, young people, people living alone, and students.”

FHI: 6% of the population infected

“Oslo and Viken have accounted for 61% of all reported cases so far, and they had a significant burden compared to the rest of the country,” the FHI added.

To date, it is estimated that around 332,000 Norwegians, or 6% of the population, have been infected with the coronavirus. Foreign-born people accounted for around 40% of all hospital admissions from March 2020 to February 2021.

Positive consequences

The pandemic has also had some positive consequences that may have an effect on public health in the long run, according to the FHI.

The institute points to a decrease in influenza, fewer people requesting emergency care for cardiovascular disease, and more children being born at the beginning of the year than in the corresponding period in 2020.

According to the report, it is too early to determine how large the health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic will be in the long run.

Better equipped for the future

FHI chief Camilla Stoltenberg believes that Norway is now better equipped for future pandemics and other health crises than before the coronavirus.

“One of the most important lessons after the pandemic, which is important for dealing with future outbreaks, is to map the reasons why the pandemic affected the population differently,” she noted.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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