As travel Norwegians eager to turn their noses south to soak up the sun, Europe is washing away a new wave of corona. The pressure of infection is great in many popular holiday countries.
In the middle of one of the busiest holiday months of the year, the Corona infection is spreading in Europe.
in the last weekly report From the European Union’s Infection Control Agency (ECDC), a number of European countries are colored dark red. The color indicates that the injury pressure is very high compared to other countries.
At the top of the peak of infection is the Greek island of Cyprus. 14,914 new cases were recorded here on Friday last week, according to numbers from worldometer up from 10,879 on Friday the previous week.
Holiday favorite France is vying with Cyprus for the top spot, according to new figures from Johns Hopkins University.
Contagion pressure is also high in tourist destinations such as Greece, Portugal, Malta and Italy, as well as countries such as Luxembourg and Austria, according to an ECDC report released on July 7. In almost all countries of Europe, the trend of infection is on the rise.
A new wave in the continent
A new wave of the pandemic is sweeping Europe this summer, chief medical officer Preben Avetsland at the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) tells NTB.
He notes that infections are increasing across the continent, not just in typical holiday countries.
There is a lot of infection in Norway as well, so there can be as high a risk of infection here as there are in destinations, says Aavitsland.
For Europe as a whole, infection rates have risen for a month in a row, the World Health Organization wrote in its latest weekly report. In Week 26, 2.4 million new cases were recorded – an increase of 15 percent over the previous week. At the same time, fewer coronary-related deaths have been reported.
Aavitsland warns to focus too much on infection rates.
It is difficult to read anything special from the infection figures in Norway and around Europe now. He adds that there are fewer tests, and many of them have such mild infections that they do not think about Corona and get tested.
Norway reached the top
In Norway, the wave of infection has reached a little further than it has been elsewhere in Europe, says the FHI Summit.
So far in July, 3,202 cases of infection have been recorded in Norway. Figures show that in June, a total of 13,879 cases were registered Messaging system for infectious diseases (MSIS).
– We think we’re on the cusp of the summer wave now.
Aavitsland advises Norwegians who are going on holiday in Europe to follow the local tips and rules.
– Some countries require bandages on public transportation, for example. Other than that, they can act as if they were at home, he says.
Italy and Spain are among the countries that have bandages on public transportation. Only France and Malta require a Corona Certificate upon entry.
The immune system “wonders”
According to Aavitsland, there are two main reasons why infections are now increasing on the continent:
* A new type has emerged, called BA.5, that is better at fooling parts of our immune system.
* Immunity weakens after most people have passed several months since a previous vaccination or infection.
Both reasons mean that more people can become infected even if they are well vaccinated and have had corona before. Fortunately, other parts of the immune system ensure that we are still well protected from serious illnesses, says Avetsland.
The virus variant now circulating, BA.5, is a descendant of BA.2, which gave the winter wave. Both are in the main group called omicron.
However, it doesn’t look like a summer wave will be as bad as a winter wave, according to Avetsland.
Hospital admissions seem to be getting fewer and shorter, and they also often lead to admissions to the intensive care unit, he says.
Only two countries are marked in dark red in ECDC’s latest overview of the number of new hospital admissions: Ireland and Malta. France, Greece and Norway are at the level below. For Norway, the trend is downward, while it is rising for other countries.
Recommend a new vaccine dose
However, the development of infection in Europe caused the reaction of the European Union.
On Monday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a recommendation to provide a new refreshing dose of coronary artery vaccine to everyone over the age of 60 and people in vulnerable groups.
The EMA and the European Union’s Infection Control Agency (ECDC) wrote in a press release that infection rates are increasing, and more people are being hospitalized and needing intensive treatment.
– This signals the beginning of a new and widespread wave of covid-19 virus across the European Union, says ECDC Director, Dr Andrea Ammon, in the press release.
EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides encourages everyone to receive the vaccination and to accept the booster dose as soon as possible.
– We have no time to waste, says Kyrakides.
“Coffee trailblazer. Certified pop culture lover. Infuriatingly humble gamer.”
