The Norwegian Directorate of Health sees the peak of the summer wave with corona – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country

– The activities go as normal. We have a number of excursions and gatherings from Monday to Sunday, and there is life and movement here. We are incredibly happy about that, says deputy leader Nikolett Laura Tarcsa at Diakonhjemmet care. The last two years have, as for large parts of society, been difficult for the nursing home Diakonhjemmet. Although the residents there are now sacrificing few thoughts about the pandemic that not long ago had everyone’s attention, Norway is now on top of a big wave of infection. – Right now we may have reached the top of a big summer wave with covid-19, says assistant health director Espen Nakstad. Deputy leader Nikolett Laura Tarcsa at Diakonhjemmet care is happy to have a wide range of activities for the residents. Photo: Håkon Marius Brustad / news The wave of infection flattens out It is the more infectious BA. The 5 variant that has driven the last wave of infection. Nakstad believes that people spending more time out in the fresh air will help reverse the trend. – We see from the figures now that it is fortunately starting to flatten out, and hope that the rest of the summer will be a little calmer, not least for the hospitals in Norway which have had quite a few patients now. Last week, there were around 300 coronary-related admissions to Norwegian hospitals. – Fortunately, there are not many who need intensive care. It is approx. 10 new admissions to intensive care units per week now, says Nakstad. – Quite a few died At the same time, “quite a few” have died in recent weeks, says Nakstad. – Unfortunately, we have seen quite a few deaths in recent weeks. Over 60 deaths per week now up to week 26. But we also hope that those numbers will calm down as the wave of infections hopefully flattens out. The deaths are so-called covid-19-associated. In other words, there are people who have had the virus in their bodies when they have died, Nakstad explains. The majority are nursing home patients, but there are also some who do not live in nursing homes, he says. – It is clear that these are high numbers if we see the pandemic as a whole, but it really only reflects that there has been a lot of infection this summer. When very many 100,000 people are infected, there are also more deaths. Responds to little bandage use – I almost do not know what to say, but it has been strenuous. Now I think it is very good, there is little talk about it at least. Bjørn Sundby has lived at Diakonhjemmet care for almost two years. His entire tenure has been marked by the corona pandemic. At Diakonhjemmet care, they are happy to be able to sit closer together and carry out their usual activities. To the left Eivind Sethov and Bjørn Sundby. Photo: Marit Sirum-Eikre / news Some of the residents at Diakonhjemmet react to outsiders moving around the home without a mask on. – I think there is too little use of face masks here. Because people from all categories of people come in here, from districts around, says Eivind Sethov. Berit Antonsen agrees. She tries to avoid getting the disease. – I hope I do not get it, it is not something I want, she says. Berit Antonsen thinks there is too little bandage use among visitors to Diakonhjemmet. Photo: Håkon Marius Brustad / news Sethov thinks some measures have been taken to stay: – I think we will live with the vaccine as long as there is breath in me, at least. Nakstad: – The autumn will be exciting Nakstad also does not think we have seen the whole end of the pandemic. – The autumn will be exciting in terms of whether we get even more virus variants that we do not know today, and we must probably expect that over the autumn and winter we will have an increase in infection again with covid-19, he says. He says that now that you have learned to live with the virus, there are two things that are important: – It is to follow the recommendation for vaccination, and most people have done so. Now it is those over 75 who are recommended to take a refresher dose. The second is to stay home when you are sick, which is advice we have given throughout the pandemic. The two things together give a very good effect.



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