Denmark Omicron Covid-19 cases up 484 to exceed 1,200 in total
The total number of Covid-19 cases in Denmark caused by the Omicron variant is now 1,280.
The figure, reported by national agency State Serum Institute (SSI), is an increase of 484 compared to Thursday.
Denmark registered a total of 6,599 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday. 472 people are currently admitted to hospital with the virus, 12 more than on Thursday.
“The number of Omicron cases has increased sharply since yesterday so things are unfortunately moving fast with transmission at the moment,” SSI director Henrik Ullum said.
“I would therefore again like to strongly encourage everyone who has been invited to be vaccinated to book a test without delay,” Ullum added in a press statement.
Danish health authorities are now able to use PCR tests to confirm the Omicron variant is at play, rather than needing to gene sequence test samples.
Earlier this week, new restrictions were introduced with health authorities stating that Omicron was now being spread in the community, meaning cases are no longer traceable to travel.
BioNTech and Pfizer warned on Wednesday that two doses of its coronavirus vaccine protect less against the Omicron variant, but stressed it was "still effective" after a third jab.
Omicron has caused global concern over signs that it can transmit faster than previous strains and fears that its multiple mutations could help it evade immune defences provided by vaccines.
In preliminary results published on Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech said their vaccine "is still effective in preventing Covid-19, also against Omicron, if it has been administered three times".
Scientists from the World Health Organization and the United States government told news wire AFP this week the Omicron variant appeared to be no worse than other coronavirus strains but said more research was still necessary.
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The figure, reported by national agency State Serum Institute (SSI), is an increase of 484 compared to Thursday.
Denmark registered a total of 6,599 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday. 472 people are currently admitted to hospital with the virus, 12 more than on Thursday.
“The number of Omicron cases has increased sharply since yesterday so things are unfortunately moving fast with transmission at the moment,” SSI director Henrik Ullum said.
“I would therefore again like to strongly encourage everyone who has been invited to be vaccinated to book a test without delay,” Ullum added in a press statement.
Danish health authorities are now able to use PCR tests to confirm the Omicron variant is at play, rather than needing to gene sequence test samples.
Earlier this week, new restrictions were introduced with health authorities stating that Omicron was now being spread in the community, meaning cases are no longer traceable to travel.
BioNTech and Pfizer warned on Wednesday that two doses of its coronavirus vaccine protect less against the Omicron variant, but stressed it was "still effective" after a third jab.
Omicron has caused global concern over signs that it can transmit faster than previous strains and fears that its multiple mutations could help it evade immune defences provided by vaccines.
In preliminary results published on Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech said their vaccine "is still effective in preventing Covid-19, also against Omicron, if it has been administered three times".
Scientists from the World Health Organization and the United States government told news wire AFP this week the Omicron variant appeared to be no worse than other coronavirus strains but said more research was still necessary.
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