Influenza cases rise as COVID-19 infections decline in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Although COVID-19 infections have markedly declined across Denmark, influenza cases have risen, said the country's Statens Serum Institut (SSI) on Thursday.

"Late in the flu season, there has been a flare-up of influenza here. The number of influenza cases detected is now higher than in previous seasons," said Rebecca Legarth, a ward doctor from the SSI.

The SSI predicted in its weekly report that the number of flu cases will continue to rise "for at least a few more weeks."

Meanwhile, the report reveals a decline in COVID-19-related deaths.

"Another new variant of Omicron, BA. 2, is highly contagious and has maintained infection chains here in March," Henrik Nielsen, professor and chief physician at the Department of Infectious Diseases at Aalborg University Hospital, told Danish news agency Ritzau.

However, he added that the situation is still moving in the right direction in order for the pandemic to be overcome.