At its worst, over 1,100 patients with covid-19 were in need of medical care in the region. That number has slowly but surely fallen for a long time, and is now down to less than 100 patients. But this week, for the first time, it has turned around again, from 72 to 88 patients, according to the latest status report from the region.
The figures are small and what they are due to is not yet known, says chief physician Elda Sparrelid.
- We are at relatively low levels, which means that only a few patients up or down change the curve.
However, it is crucial that people continue to follow the Public Health Authorities' recommendations regarding symptoms, distance and hygiene to keep the spread of infection down, she says.
- We do not know if it is because you are tired or maybe not as careful to follow the recommendations as you were in the spring.
But we must follow this so that it does not start to increase again, says Elda Sparrelid.
Could this mean that the decline has begun to level off?
- Yes, it can be. It is difficult to believe that with the current spread of infection, even if it is much lower than before, you will reach zero. It stops somewhere, it may be where we are but it is too early to say.