Danish gov't urges people to cancel New Year's events

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Tuesday the extension of the current nationwide lockdown until Jan. 17, reported Xinhua.

"Let me say it very clearly," she told journalists. "The situation with infection rates and hospitalizations is more serious now than it was in the spring."

Shopping centers, schools, restaurants and bars are currently closed across most of Denmark until Jan. 3, but with the country on Monday registering a record 30 deaths due to coronavirus, some or all of these restrictions are likely to be extended.

All public employees who do not deliver critical services are required to work from home and the prime minister called on all private companies to also move to remote work.

"As soon as we can lift the restrictions, we will do it," added Frederiksen.

As COVID-19 infection rates continue to rise in the country, Frederiksen called upon Danes to revise their plans for the New Year celebrations and see only members of their own household or possibly a few acquaintances from the closest circle of friends.

"The health authorities recommend that we limit New Year's Eve this year," she said.

Denmark's Statens Serum Institut (SSI) reported on Tuesday 2,621 new COVID-19 infections and a further 22 deaths in the past 24 hours.

To date, the country has registered 158,447 COVID-19 cases and 1,226 deaths, according to the SSI.

"The vaccine has lit a light of hope, but we know that there are still some tough months ahead of us," said the prime minister.