The latest sub-variants of corona will be spread in large parts of Europe, warns the European Communicable Diseases Agency (ECDC) on Monday. In Portugal, there are the sub-variants of omikron BA. 4 and BA. 5 which dominates, according to Reuters. – It is another sign that they will outcompete BA. 2 in a very few months in Europe, says assistant director of the Norwegian Directorate of Health Espen Nakstad. – It can take over as a variant in Norway within three months, Nakstad estimates. In the last month, 2586 cases of infection have been registered in Portugal per one million inhabitants. The corresponding figure for neighboring Spain is 309, while for Norway it is 72 per one million inhabitants. These figures do not include unregistered self-tests. The high level of infection in Portugal comes despite the fact that the country has the world’s highest vaccination rate, according to Our World in Data. Portugal is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of corona infections due to a sub-variant BA. 5 of the omicron variant of the virus. Photo: Pedro Nunes / Reuters Infection faster than before How to cope with a possible increase in infection in the autumn may depend on the vaccine doses. – That BA. 5 increases in prevalence, we must take as a sign that the variant is more contagious, but what significance it has for hospitalizations and deaths is uncertain. It depends on how well the vaccines protect against BA. 5 and how long the vaccine effect lasts in the population, says Nakstad. Currently, people with a weakened immune system are recommended to take a fourth dose of vaccine, and those over 80 have the opportunity to do so. Director of FHI Camilla Stoltenberg tells news that they are now considering recommending a fourth round of vaccinations to people, something they are inclined to do. Exactly when is still uncertain. According to Stoltenberg, there is no reason to believe that the risk of becoming seriously ill from infection from the new varieties is higher. – But they are more dangerous in the sense that it spreads much faster. Number of hospitalizations rising The latest weekly report from FHI shows that the number of hospitalizations with coronavirus in Norway is rising. Last week, 116 patients have so far been reported hospitalized with the coronavirus. Two weeks before this, the number was 78. Stoltenberg says that those who are now hospitalized are elderly, people underlying the disease, people who have not been vaccinated for a while and people who have not been vaccinated with all the doses. Less wave than in Portugal The British Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) writes in a status update that some data may indicate that the new variants can be transmitted even if you have been vaccinated or have been infected before. However, it is not certain. According to the Norwegian Directorate of Health, there are three factors in particular that determine what consequences BA may have for development in Norway. What properties does the sub-variant have How much contact does the population have with each other How well does the vaccine protect against the virus – In the longer term, the population’s immunity will also strengthen, because many have been vaccinated and been ill, and this will also make it difficult for BA. 5 to spread in Norway, says Nakstad. Director of FHI Camilla Stoltenberg tells news that they believe that they have previously been infected with omikron variant BA. 2 provides better protection against the two new variants. It was this variant that was dominant in the previous wave of infection. – So that we may not get as big a wave as Portugal. Should take out travel insurance More Norwegians will travel around Europe this summer. Photo: Kjartan Bjelland / FHI Chief Physician at FHI Preben Aavitsland makes clear encouragements to travelers. – Adults should take the recommended vaccine doses for their age group. Take out travel insurance and check any requirements for a corona certificate at the Re-open EU, says Aavitsland. The sub-variants also dominate in South Africa, and in the USA the number of cases infected with one of these variants has increased significantly in recent weeks. More die Portugal has the fifth highest death rate for covid-19 in the world. Both the number of hospitalized and the number of dead are now rising, but are far from previous peaks. While the country had less than 20 deaths per day in March and April, the number of deaths per day is now more than double. In Norway, the development has been the opposite. After having high death rates in March and April, there are now around 5 deaths from covid-19 per day.
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New omikron variants can become dominant within three months – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
