Covid outbreak in Christian communities Norway
21-05-2021
Northern Europe
A church in Tromso. photo AFP, Olivier Morin
Northern Europe
A religious gathering in the northern-Norwegian village of Melhus has led to Covid infections in several neighbouring municipalities, Vårt Land reports.
The mayor of Melhus, Jorid Jagtøyen, confirmed that the common denominator of several dozen infections was the gathering in the Melhus church on May 8th. The municipal chief in Orkland, a neighbouring municipality, confirmed that all ten infected in a current outbreak trace back to the gathering in Melhus. In Melhus itself, there are seven or eight cases linked to the church.
It is unclear how many people attended the gathering, but according to a church trustee, it was well below 100. In Norway, 100 attendees are the maximum amount for indoor events.
Surprise
In the eastern village of Tynset, several religious events were also the source of infections. 35 Persons were infected, and 900 persons are in quarantine.
According to the chief physician of Tynset, Tor Halvor Bjørnstad-Tuveng, the events were in line with the rules. The municipal chief of Tynset is also surprised by the infections: “It may have been an unfortunate circumstance. That is what may have started it.”
Students
In the western part of Norway, at the Kongshaug Music High School on Lepsøy, all students have been quarantined after four confirmed cases of infection.
In an information letter to the parents, the principal says that the school may have been infected for a whole week, newspaper Norge iDag writes.
There are 129 students at the school, which is owned by the Norwegian Lutheran Mission Association and has students from all of Norway. Most of them live in boarding schools.
