According to tradition, Parliament opens its annual session on the first Tuesday in October, and the prime minister gives a speech on the state of the nation (DK). PM Mette Frederiksen used the occasion to emphasize that, although the country has undergone a resurgence of coronavirus infections, the epidemic is under control: “We have proved that we can both protect individual lives and at the same time be one of the economies that emerges the strongest from the pandemic.” She announced that the government has established a new warning system that will allow the authorities to adjust restrictions more easily.
This is the status: On Tuesday, October 7, there were 322 new cases of infection (DK), the lowest level since September 11, down from the peak of 652 on September 23. The number hospitalized has been rising slowly but steadily to 124, and the number of death now totals 633. The reproduction number has fallen below 1.0 for the first time since August. Testing has increased recently to about 50,000 per day. More than 23,000 are reported to have recovered from the infection.+
Even though the trend in infections is falling, a large majority of municipalities, 80 out of 98, still have an infection rate above 20 per 10,000 during the past week, the threshold for restricting travel to foreign countries. In the past week, the rate fell in 60 municipalities and rose in 30.
First MP infected
One person who missed the opening speech was Bjørn Brandenborg, the first member of Parliament to become infected (DK). Brandenborg is a Social Democrat and chair of the Tax Committee who was elected to Parliament in 2019. He took part in a committee meeting last Tuesday at which all participants observed social distancing and hand hygiene. He noticed symptoms the next morning, was tested immediately, and notified his contacts. There have been no reports of other MPs catching the infection since then.
The Minister of Justice has proposed increasing the fine for taking part in gatherings of more than 50 people in order to stop the so-called “pirate parties” (DK) that young people have been caught holding on weekends. The fine is currently DKK 2,500 (USD 400). It will be raised to DKK 4,000 (USD 630) for participants and DKK 10,000 (USD 1,600) for arrangers. The police have extended the closure of two areas in Copenhagen (DK) where young people have held parties and will continue monitoring several other popular hangouts.
No trick or treat this year
The Health Authority has put a damper on Halloween (DK). It recommends that children not go door to door and avoid large costume parties. It suggests that they invite a few close friends over and enjoy some candy, but it should be served in separate pieces and not eaten from a large bowl. Week 42, beginning on Monday, October 14, is the autumn school vacation, and the Health Authority also recommends recreational activities that do not involve large groups and close contact.
Statens Serum Institute, the infectious diseases agency, announced preliminary results from its antibody tests (DK). It invited 18,000 people to be tested. By August 15, around 6,000 had taken part, and 2.2 percent of them had been infected. The margin of error was fairly large, with a likely range from 1.8 percent to 2.6 percent. Extrapolated to the entire population, that would mean that 90,000 to 130,000 persons in Denmark have been infected. That is in contrast to the official number of confirmed cases on that date of 15,763. One reason the results are uncertain is that not everyone who is infected has antibodies. Although the results are tentative, the SSI believes an infection level of around 2 percent shows that efforts to control the epidemic have generally functioned well.
Update: Restrictions extended
Wednesday, 3pm CET: Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke announced that, despite the recent drop in infections, the restrictions in force will be extended until October 31.
