The Omicron variant is suspected to have erupted after a Christmas party in Norway

Norway re-introduced anti-Govt health restrictions in Oslo and its region on Thursday, following the outbreak of the Omigron variant, which could affect up to half of the 120 guests at the Christmas party, but all were vaccinated.

Read more: Live | Recent developments in the corona virus

Read more: Omicron is likely to become the majority in the coming months

If a new variant is found in all restaurants that have tested positive for COVID-19, it will be Omicron’s biggest explosion in Europe.

“The situation is worrying,” Norwegian Health Minister Ingvild Kerkol told a news conference after an emergency call.

A few minutes ago, the Oslo Municipality found that fifty of these conditions – “between 50 and 60” – were diagnosed in people with goiter after a Christmas meal, according to officials. Restaurant in the capital on November 26.

All 120 or more guests were vaccinated and all were self-tested before dinner organized by solar energy manufacturer Scatec.

Health officials said they expect other guests to have this variation as sorting work progresses.

“This indicates that the virus is highly contagious and that the vaccine does not protect against contamination. We hope and hope that the vaccine will protect against severe forms of the disease, but to what extent that is not clear, ”Ms Kerkol stressed.

According to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), the number of people affected by this variation was 79 on Thursday in the European Economic Area (EU and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, the Norwegian government has imposed new restrictions on Oslo and its territory since midnight.

Among other activities, wearing a mask – until then only recommended nationally – will be mandatory on public transportation, taxis, shopping centers and remote shops.

Telecommunications will become the norm as much as possible, the number of people at private indoor events will be limited to 100, and customers of bars and restaurants will have to register and sit down to serve wine.

These regional obligations are in line with national recommendations (distance, telecommunications, etc.) and new rules for travelers: from midnight onwards, all people entering Norway must be subjected to a Govt check within 24 hours of their arrival.

Although the source of concern is linked to such feasts, the most preferred traditional Christmas dishes for Norwegians, alcohol often flows freely and is not banned.

“I believe it is everyone’s responsibility to evaluate this in terms of rules that emphasize the importance of keeping your distance and the importance of controlling body proximity,” Prime Minister Jonas Kare Store told a news conference at the same time.

Faced with the appearance of the Omigran variant, Norway has already extended the isolation period to seven days for persons who have tested positive for this variant and increased the isolation period imposed on their relatives living under the same roof to ten days.

The Scandinavian nation, which has been noticing for some time the number of pollutants, hospitalizations and deaths due to goiter, reported the first four cases of the Omigran variant in its soil on Wednesday. It has nothing to do with the Christmas dinner hosted by Scatec.

The Omigron variant, first detected in South Africa, is likely to become the majority in Europe “within the next few months,” the ECDC said on Thursday.