From Iceland — COVID Roundup: 44 Domestic Cases Over The Weekend

COVID Roundup: 44 Domestic Cases Over The Weekend

Published April 19, 2021

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
iira116 - Pixabay

Forty four new domestic cases of the coronavirus were detected over Friday, Saturday and Sunday according to the latest data from covid.is. 27 of those were detected yesterday alone, with all but two in quarantine at diagnosis.

This sudden jump in domestic infections has been traced to mostly to one Icelandic resident, who worked at a playschool, and who recently returned in Iceland but had broken quarantine. As such, contact tracing has sent a great many more into quarantine.

Chief epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason told reporters that other cases have arisen also involved a separate resident who was supposed to be in quarantine after returning to Iceland.

As such, Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir told reporters that supervision of those in quarantine must be increased.

The outbreak comes less than two weeks after Reykjavík District Court ruled that it was unlawful to compel arrivals to Iceland to stay in a special “quarantine hotel”, which necessitated the government having to relax border restrictions.

Three people are currently hospitalised with the virus. 386 people are currently in quarantine, with another 97 in isolation. The 14-day incidence of infection per 100,000 people is now 20.7, up from 12.5 last week, while incidence at border screening is now at 6.8, down from 7.1 last week.

29,686 people have so far been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus as of April 19th. Note that “fully vaccinated” means at least two weeks have passed since receiving both vaccinations. 40,796 vaccinations are underway. 70,482 people have received at least the first dose, while 100,168 have received both shots.

The schedule of which demographics are getting the vaccine and when can be found here.

More statistics and information can be found at covid.is or below.

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

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