Health institute: Six Norwegian counties registered spike in corona cases last week

The spread of the coronavirus is still relatively low in Norway, but there was an increase in the number of corona cases last week in six counties.

The increase in cases was registered in Møre and Romsdal, Innlandet, Vestfold and Telemark, Trøndelag, Troms and Finnmark, and Nordland counties, while the counties of Oslo, Viken, Vestland, Rogaland, and Agder reported fewer cases than in week 39, the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) reported in its weekly report for week 40.

Oslo, Vestland, and Rogaland had the highest number of infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks, with 90.7, 34.6 and 24.2, respectively.

According to the report, Oslo also accounted for around 40% of all the reported cases in the said time period.

“The National Institute of Public Health is following the increased infection rates in Oslo. 

“The situation there has been stable over the last two weeks. 

“It is too early to conclude anything about the effect of the measures in Oslo,” department director Line Vold at FHI said.

Lower R-number

Last week, FHI registered 22 outbreaks and incidents that have been followed up by the institute. 

The outbreaks have been linked to workplaces, private events, restaurants, schools, kindergartens, and various health services.

Based on mathematical models, FHI now estimates that the so-called R-number (the basic reproduction number) to be 1.0. 

That is somewhat lower than in the previous weekly report, where the R number was calculated at 1.1.

In its weekly report, FHI writes that the reproduction figures show that the national epidemic is in a stable, possibly slightly increasing phase. 

The probability that the R-number is higher than 1 is 46%, and the number of admitted patients is expected to increase slightly in the coming weeks.

FHI emphasized that there is some uncertainty associated with its projection.

Decrease in number of tests

A total of 782 cases of infection were reported in week 40, compared to 786 cases of infection in week 39, which, on average, amounts to 29.4 infections per 100,000 inhabitants for the last two weeks.

There has been a decrease in the number of corona tests last week compared to the week before. 

However, far more are being tested than this spring, and a number of people have now been tested several times.

“The extensive testing and infection tracking mean that we detect several cases with a mild course. 

“The infection in recent weeks has primarily occurred in younger people with a low risk of a serious course. 

“Monitoring data show a low incidence of serious outcomes,” Vold noted.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today