Norwegians must wait for the next relaxation of coronavirus restrictions amid a rise in new cases, officials say, while health data from the United Kingdom and South Korea also points to a surge in new infections.
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The Norwegian government said the next easing will be postponed until at least the end of July or beginning of August on the recommendation of the health authorities.
There is a risk that the Delta virus variant that first appeared in India could trigger a fourth wave of infection among non-vaccinated or single-vaccinated people as well as among vulnerable groups, Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a press conference in Oslo.
So far, almost two-thirds of all Norwegian adults have received the first dose of the vaccine and almost 37 per cent have been fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the UK reported 27,334 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, meaning the rise in cases between June 29 and July 5 stood at about 53 per cent compared with the previous seven days.
A further nine people were reported as having died within 28 days of a positive test for the virus.
A total of 45.35 million people had received a first dose of a vaccine against coronavirus by July 4 and 33.73 million people had received a second dose.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised on Monday to end all of England's coronavirus regulations at the next stage of the road map, expected on July 19.
South Korea reported 711 new cases of the coronavirus as infections continued to grow in the greater capital area.
It was the third straight day of more than 700 cases and the highest daily jump for a Monday since early January when the country was enduring its worst wave of the pandemic.
Usually a smaller number of cases are reported at the start of the week, due to reduced testing on weekends, and the country's caseload may grow faster over the next few days.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said about 550 of the new cases came from the populated Seoul metropolitan area, where officials delayed a planned easing of distancing measures to cope with a rise in transmissions.
Cases were also reported in most of the major cities and towns across the country, including Busan, Daejeon and the North and South Gyeongsang provinces.
with AP, DPA
Australian Associated Press