Today in Denmark: A round-up of the latest news on Friday
Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short round-up of the news in less than five minutes.
Temperatures to plummet with plenty of snow forecast in coming weeks
A prognosis published by meteorological institute DMI suggests we could be in for a very cold February.
Cold winds from northern Scandinavia and Eastern Europe could push temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero in coming weeks. Snow is also expected to fall again, so white landscapes seen across Denmark this week could stay around for a while.
High coronavirus alert level retained
Despite low current infection rates, authorities are retaining the current ‘level 5’ risk assessment level for coronavirus in all five of Denmark’s healthcare administrative regions.
“The continued growth of (more infectious variant) B117 and uncertainty about its development and effect on overall infection rates speaks in favour of retaining risk level 5,” a health authority note states according to news wire Ritzau.
The scale is used as an assessment of the level of strain on health authorities and prevalence of the virus throughout society. 5 is the highest level, 1 the lowest.
Start of 2021 sees highest number of bankrupt businesses in a decade
Although 2020 saw a low number of Danish companies go out of business despite the coronavirus pandemic, that trend has not continued into 2021, according to Ritzau.
225 companies filed for bankruptcy in January, a 20 percent increase compared to December and the highest number for January since 2010.
Last year, the total number of bankruptcies was the lowest since 2015.
Compensation packages given to business hit by the pandemic may have warded off some bankruptcies initially, but the impact may now be becoming more apparent, an analyst told the news agency.
Copenhagen Municipality green-lights construction on nature reserve
A part of the Amager Fælled nature area has lost its reserve status and can now be sold to investors, after a majority in the city’s municipal council voted in favour of development on Thursday.
The 219,000 square-kilometre area, known as Lærkesletten, can be sold to developers who wish to build homes on the land, broadcaster TV2 reports.
The sale raises money needed by the city to pay for the new Metro lines, which opened last year, and was part of a political deal agreed in 2017.
City councillors from the Social Democrats, Social Liberals, Liberals, Conservatives, Danish People’s Party and two independents voted in favour, while Red-Green Alliance, Alternative and Independent Green parties and one independent opposed.
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Temperatures to plummet with plenty of snow forecast in coming weeks
A prognosis published by meteorological institute DMI suggests we could be in for a very cold February.
Cold winds from northern Scandinavia and Eastern Europe could push temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero in coming weeks. Snow is also expected to fall again, so white landscapes seen across Denmark this week could stay around for a while.
High coronavirus alert level retained
Despite low current infection rates, authorities are retaining the current ‘level 5’ risk assessment level for coronavirus in all five of Denmark’s healthcare administrative regions.
“The continued growth of (more infectious variant) B117 and uncertainty about its development and effect on overall infection rates speaks in favour of retaining risk level 5,” a health authority note states according to news wire Ritzau.
The scale is used as an assessment of the level of strain on health authorities and prevalence of the virus throughout society. 5 is the highest level, 1 the lowest.
Start of 2021 sees highest number of bankrupt businesses in a decade
Although 2020 saw a low number of Danish companies go out of business despite the coronavirus pandemic, that trend has not continued into 2021, according to Ritzau.
225 companies filed for bankruptcy in January, a 20 percent increase compared to December and the highest number for January since 2010.
Last year, the total number of bankruptcies was the lowest since 2015.
Compensation packages given to business hit by the pandemic may have warded off some bankruptcies initially, but the impact may now be becoming more apparent, an analyst told the news agency.
Copenhagen Municipality green-lights construction on nature reserve
A part of the Amager Fælled nature area has lost its reserve status and can now be sold to investors, after a majority in the city’s municipal council voted in favour of development on Thursday.
The 219,000 square-kilometre area, known as Lærkesletten, can be sold to developers who wish to build homes on the land, broadcaster TV2 reports.
The sale raises money needed by the city to pay for the new Metro lines, which opened last year, and was part of a political deal agreed in 2017.
City councillors from the Social Democrats, Social Liberals, Liberals, Conservatives, Danish People’s Party and two independents voted in favour, while Red-Green Alliance, Alternative and Independent Green parties and one independent opposed.
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