Norway today reintroduced health restrictions against Covid in Oslo and its environs following the emergence of a suspected outbreak of the Omicron variant, which may have affected half of the nearly 120 guests at a Christmas dinner, even though they were all vaccinated.
If the new variant is detected in all the guests who tested positive for Covid-19, it will be by far the largest known Omicron outbreak in Europe.
“The situation is worrying,” Norwegian Health Minister Ingvild Kierkol told a news conference hours after the announcement.
Earlier, the City of Oslo confirmed that a case of the Omicron variant had been detected at this stage between fifty – “between 50 and 60”, according to authorities – people infected with Covid after a Christmas meal. in a restaurant in the capital on November 26.
A total of almost 120 guests had been vaccinated, however, and all had self-tested before dinner hosted by solar company Scatec.
Health officials said they were waiting for the variant to be found in other guests as the tracking process progressed.
“This shows that the virus infects very easily and that the vaccine does not protect well against infections. We hope and believe that the vaccine protects against serious forms of the disease, but we do not know to what extent,” Kierkol said.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the number of known cases of people infected with this variant in countries of the European Economic Area (European Union, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) was 79 today, Thursday .
– A variant that will soon be the majority of cases? –
To prevent the virus from spreading out of control, the Norwegian government has imposed new restrictions on Oslo and its environs, which take effect at midnight.
Among other measures, the use of a mask – so far only recommended at national level – will be mandatory on public transport, taxis, shopping malls and shops where it is impossible to keep a distance.
Teleworking will also become the norm where possible, the number of people will be limited to a maximum of 100 at private indoor events, bar and restaurant customers will have to register and alcohol will only be served seated .
These regional obligations are accompanied by national recommendations (distance keeping, teleworking …) and new rules for travelers: from midnight, everyone entering Norway will have to take a Covid test upon arrival or within the next 24 hours .
Although the hearth that is a source of concern is associated with such celebrations that include food, Christmas meals, a much-loved tradition among Norwegians where alcohol often flows abundantly, are not forbidden.
“I believe that it is up to each individual to evaluate it according to the given rules that emphasize the importance of maintaining distance and limiting physical proximity,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gar Stere in the same press conference.
Faced with the presence of the Omicron variant, Norway had already extended to seven days the isolation period for those positive in this variant and increased to ten days the quarantine period imposed on their relatives living below the same roof.
The Nordic country, which has long seen an increase in the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to Covid, announced on Wednesday the first four cases of the Omicron variant in its territory. None of them were related to the Christmas dinner organized by Scatec.
Today, the ECDC announced that the Omicron variant, first detected in the South African country, is likely to be the majority of cases in Europe in the “coming months”.
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