Denmark's leading health authority fears that the nation's hospitals are in danger of being overwhelmed, given a steep increase in the number of people with Covid-19 and as winter approaches.
There is a significant risk that hospitals will be overloaded in autumn and winter, the health administration Sundhedsstyrelsen said on Friday.
The number of cases of Covid-19 will gradually increase in the coming months, meaning more people will be admitted to hospitals, the authority said.
As a large proportion of the population is already vaccinated against Covid-19, the situation is significantly different compared to last year, the authority said.
However, people are returning to their usual social activities, raising the danger of infection.
The spread of Covid-19, flu and other infectious diseases may place an overwhelming burden on the health-care system in December and January, said Soren Brostrom, chief of the health authority.
Restrictions lifted
Denmark lifted its last restrictions to stem the virus' spread on 10 September, a move the government said was possible thanks to the fact that many people were vaccinated and the pandemic was under control.
The number of new infections has risen significantly in recent weeks, however, with a record number of new cases within a day announced on Thursday by the SSI health institute.
SSI director Henrik Ullum called on Friday for the return of the coronavirus pass, according to TV2 broadcaster.
Danes used the document for several months to prove they had been vaccinated, recovered or tested in order to enter restaurants or go to museums, for example.
Brostrom also recommended reintroducing the pass on Thursday evening.
