Norway Steps Up Coronavirus Measures After First Untraced Cases
Norway Steps Up Coronavirus Measures After First Untraced Cases
(Bloomberg) -- Norwegian authorities recommended that all events of more than 500 people be canceled or postponed after the Nordic country reported its first untraced cases of coronavirus.
The Norwegian Health Directorate made its recommendation just as authorities reported a 44% jump in confirmed cases in the last day to 277. The majority have been infected abroad or can be traced to travelers, but for the first time, the source of some of the new cases has yet to be clarified, the head of the directorate, Bjorn Guldvog, said at a press conference Tuesday evening.
“We’ve entered a new phase,” he told reporters.
The recommendation to cancel or delay events ranges from movie theaters to sports events, but doesn’t affect schools or universities, Guldvog said. The directorate also urged employers to facilitate work from home when possible. The recommendations are valid from March 11 to the end of the month.
The ruling Conservative Party said on Tuesday it’s postponing its congress, which was due to be held March 27-29.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mikael Holter in Oslo at mholter2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tasneem Hanfi Brögger at tbrogger@bloomberg.net
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