As summer comes to a close, Denmark has witnessed an increase in COVID-19 infections, primarily driven by a new variant known as KP3. This variant has demonstrated an ability to effectively evade the immunity built up in many individuals. However, the latest data from the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), the Danish Serum Institute, indicates that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has decreased in week 30 compared to the previous week. According to SSI’s update on Wednesday, the number of hospitalizations has remained stable.
Tyra Grove Krause, the Chief Medical Officer at SSI, believes that the infection rates may have peaked in this summer wave. “It appears that the infection from this smaller summer wave has peaked and is on the decline,” she states. The KP3 variant has thrived due to decreasing immunity levels in the population.
Analysis of wastewater—an effective method for monitoring virus levels—indicates that the concentration of COVID-19 has remained at a “medium level” since week 28, but is now declining. This method detects the virus in the feces of infected individuals, providing a broader view of the infection pressure within the community.
Looking ahead, Tyra Grove Krause anticipates more waves of infection primarily driven by new variants. She points out that the winter months pose a higher risk for increased infections as people spend more time indoors, creating more favorable conditions for the virus to spread.
To mitigate the risks of future outbreaks, she encourages individuals in high-risk groups to get vaccinated before winter. This includes people over 80 years of age, pregnant women, and those with certain chronic diseases or a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 35.
Although the Danish Health Authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen) determined in March 2023 that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a generally hazardous disease, Tyra Grove Krause emphasizes the importance of continued prevention efforts against severe illness, akin to measures taken for other infectious diseases such as influenza.