Norway: Covid-19, the wave of infections. In Oslo, Masses can no longer be celebrated but churches will stay open

In Oslo, Masses can no longer be celebrated but churches will stay open. In the rest of the country, people have to book a place to go to Mass by giving their name, surname and telephone number, so as to make contacts traceable, because the second wave of the pandemic is felt in Norway too. The main clusters are in Oslo, Bergen and Drammen; another forty minor clusters or so are being monitored. According to the weekly survey that the Norwegian Public Health Institute issues every Wednesday, last week’s cases were 3,891, which is a 24% rise (in the two previous ones, between October and November, the rise had been 80%, with over 6 thousand new infections a week). The number of cases has grown in all age groups, but the most substantial rise (+75%) was in the 13 to 19 age group. 81 Covid patients were taken to hospital (50% more than in the previous week and the highest number since April), 12 of whom in intensive care; six people died. Also according to the Institute’s figures, 37% of the infected people were immigrants, as were 54% of the hospitalised patients (immigrants account for 15% of Norway’s population). The government laid down bans and recommendations on a regional basis. Secondary schools and universities have been told to get ready to close down wherever the numbers of infections are higher.
Valentina Bombelli