This article is over a month old and may contain outdated advice from the authorities regarding coronary heart disease.
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The last few weeks have Vesterålen struggled to gain control of a major outbreak.
Earlier today, Andøy municipality reported two new cases of infection.
One of these is linked to a doctor’s office at Andenes.
According to the municipality itself, one of the infected people visited the doctor’s office at Andenes on Monday 26 July and Friday 30 July.
– We must take into account that it may be the delta variant the infected have, since this variant is now the dominant in Norway, says infection control doctor Hedda Mørch in a press release.
Wanted to avoid such a situation
Andøy municipality is now asking everyone who visited the doctor’s office at Andenes on Monday 26 July and Friday 30 July to be aware of any symptoms.
– This also applies to those who have been vaccinated, says Mørch.
Infection control doctor Hedda Mørch.
Photo: Linnft / Andøy municipality
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Andøy municipality does not currently have a final number of close contacts. The route of infection is also unknown. Efforts are being made to identify where they have been infected.
– Is it a coincidence, or a routine failure, that coronary heart patients are admitted to a doctor’s office?
– We wish we caught it in advance and avoided it. It is coincidence that this did not happen, answers infection control doctor Hedda Mørch.
She further explains that she cannot go into detail due to the duty of confidentiality towards the patient.
– There have been routines throughout the pandemic for coronary heart disease patients to be examined in their own place. Not in the doctor’s office. Here, there has been no suspicion of coronary heart disease prior to the visit to the doctor’s office.
– So the person did not have symptoms?
– I can not answer that. It gets too detailed about that person.
Contact all patients
The two infected have been placed in home isolation and close contacts have been quarantined.
Hedda Mørch says that the infection tracking work is in full swing – and that they themselves contact everyone who has had a doctor’s appointment at the office.
– We contact all patients who have been on classes at the doctor’s office during the same time period. We also ask those who have visited the doctor’s office, but who have not had time to contact us and be aware of symptoms.
– Are you worried that this will spread further?
– Yes. We have an ongoing outbreak in Vesterålen, and now we also get positive tests in Andøy. We do not yet know the route of infection, and that is one of the things we must map out. I would encourage anyone with symptoms to get in touch as soon as possible.
One week ago, the municipal chief physician decided to ban visits to nursing homes and care homes in Andøy.
However, the decision expired at midnight.
– There is a risk of infection in the local community. Therefore, the municipal superior recommends visitors to be very careful. Postpone visits if possible, and come as few visits as possible, says municipal chief physician Astrid B. Holm.
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