2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway
[citation needed] Norway was notable among the Scandinavian countries for a high number of swine flu deaths—29 deaths as of 4 January 2010.
Only Svalbard (an archipelago midway between Norway and the North Pole) had no reported cases of swine flu[citation needed].
About 10 million doses of flu vaccine were ordered from the pharmaceutical industry when the World Health Organization declared a pandemic[citation needed].
The first vaccination campaign started in Bergen, on 22 October 2009, with several hundred people queuing up[citation needed].
On 25 April 2009, the Norwegian Institute for Public Health increased their level of alert after reports of a severe influenza in Mexico.
In this system, 201 selected general practices throughout the country report weekly the percentage of patients given a diagnosis of influenza.
On the basis of the last reported data, as of 4 November 2009, the Norwegian Public Health Institute concluded "the pandemic influenza virus is spreading epidemically in large parts of the country".
This meant that about 700,000 Norwegians would have fallen ill, and in this period, 700 to 3,000 more deaths than a regular influenza season were to be expected.
The worst-case scenario was reported to be that 50% of the population would fall ill within six months, and half of those would be confined to their beds.
In this case, 1.2 million Norwegians would have fallen ill in this period and an extra 5,000–13,000 deaths beyond the regular influenza season were expected.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) said on 5 January that it would be only a matter of time before the virus was transmitted within Norway, and that cases of travelers falling ill should be expected within the next few weeks.
[30][31] Regarding the order, Health Care Minister Bjarne Håkon Hanssen said The contract we are entering into will make it possible to secure vaccine for the population before a pandemic is declared.
Health personnel, as well as people with an increased risk of complications, were advised to receive early vaccinations[by whom?
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) updated their homepage with information about the swine flu outbreak in Norway every day at 10:00 (UTC).
[28] FHI believed that the northern hemisphere would not be greatly affected by the virus, with the exception of a few outbreaks in enclosed places (schools and other institutions, cruise ships), followed by a bigger epidemic in the fall or winter[citation needed].
On 9 May, two Norwegian students from Oslo and Telemark, were confirmed to be infected with swine flu after they came home from studying in Mexico.
On 19 May, a Norwegian woman from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine flu after coming home from the United States.
[28][33] On 20 May, a Norwegian man from Vest-Agder was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza after returning from a trip to the United States.
He showed obvious symptoms of influenza on the flight from the United States to Germany, and when he exited the plane, he was met by four doctors.
[35] On 29 May, a Norwegian woman from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza after returning from a trip to the United States.
[28] On 3 June, a Norwegian woman coming home from the United States was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza.
On 4 June, a Norwegian woman from Vest-Agder who recently had been to the United States was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza.
[28] On 9 June, two Norwegian men from Vest-Agder and Oslo who recently had been to the United States were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza.
[17] On 20 October, an alarming increase in absences caused by flu was reported at primary schools in Oslo and Bergen.
[18] On 22 October, the city of Bergen started widespread vaccination and a long queue of persons was reported.
