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Today in Denmark: A round-up of the latest news on Monday

Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett - [email protected]
Today in Denmark: A round-up of the latest news on Monday
A very quiet scene outside a Copenhagen hotel in April this year. Photo: Søren Bidstrup/Ritzau Scanpix

Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short round-up of the news in less than five minutes.

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Latest on coronavirus mink mutation

Although Danish officials sounded a reassuring note at the end of last week and scientists called for calm until more evidence is available, Denmark is pressing ahead with the huge task of culling millions of fur farm mink – with all the consequences that means for those with livelihoods dependent on the industry.

READ ALSO: Denmark to cull millions of minks over mutated coronavirus

Negotiations over compensation for mink fur farmers are set to begin today in parliament, according to broadcaster DR.

Meanwhile, the National Police have said in a statement that the culled mink are to be buried. Authorities are working to find locations to bury the animals, the police said. In order to prevent infection escaping from the buried animals, they will be covered in a layer of lime.

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At this time, no further cases have been confirmed of the mutated coronavirus strain in people. At a briefing on Friday, Danish Health Authority director Søren Brostrøm said there would be “more knowledge about the extent of human transmission” in communities, specifically in North Jutland, once mass testing has been conducted in the next two weeks.

Further restrictions on movement in North Jutland

North Jutland, the region in which the mink outbreaks and mutated variant of coronavirus emerged, is already under Denmark’s by-far toughest restrictions on movement and social and economic activity, and they have now been tightened further.

From today, only schoolgoers may use bus routes which cross borders between the seven municipalites (Hjørring, Frederikshavn, Vesthimmerland, Brønderslev, Jammerbugt, Thisted and Læsø) encompassed by restrictions DR reports.

Only strictly necessary errands (for example those of nurses or police officers) are considered acceptable reasons for travelling between municipalities. Trains will not cross municipal borders, for example from Aalborg (which is in North Jutland but not in an affected municipality) and Frederikshavn (which is). Buses on local routes within the seven municipalities will still operate – but only schoolgoers will be allowed to stay on board when they change municipality.

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School children from the 5th to 8th grades and those in youth education will be attending classes digitally from home, further reducing the number of people using the buses.

The restrictions are in place until December 3rd.

UK clamps down on Danish arrivals

The UK has further tightened restrictions on travel from Denmark, citing the situation with the mink outbreak as its cause for doing so.

Ships, planes and trucks from Denmark can currently not enter the UK, while the country on Saturday banned entry to all non-resident foreigners coming from Denmark.

Danish hotels suffering

Denmark’s hospitality industry has been heavily impacted by the coronavirus crisis, and the effects appear also to have been evident during the summer and early autumn when the situation with the virus went through a less severe spell.

Overnight stays at hotels in Denmark in September were far under normal levels, according to Statistics Denmark. 40 percent fewer sales of overnight sales were recorded, with the majority of the shortfall attributable to missing foreign tourists. But the number of Danish guests was also 20 percent lower.

Danish vocabulary:

  • Overnatning: overnight stay
  • Kollektiv trafik: public transportation
  • At indkapsle: to encapsulate

 

 

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