Denmark's coronavirus rate of infection has RISEN from 0.6 to 0.9 since schools re-opened

The rate of coronavirus infection in Denmark has increased since schools and kindergartens were re-opened, new figures have revealed.

Analysis by Denmark's infectious diseases agency the State Serum Institute (SSI) found the reproduction rate, known as 'R', rose since schools opened on April 15 as the virus lockdown was eased.

According to the data, the 'R rate' increased from 0.6 in mid-April to 0.9 as of yesterday.

That is still below the crucial level of 1.0, which means each infected person passes the disease on to one other person. Health officials say when this point is reached the virus can spread exponentially and overwhelm the medical system.

Teacher Marie Kaas-Larsen questioning her pupils in a classroom rearranged for social distancing at the Norrebro Park primary school in Copenhagen yesterday. Denmark was the first country in Europe to reopen its schools for the youngest pupils on April 15

Since the restrictions began to be relaxed, the 'R rate' has increased slightly in the past two weeks but remains below 1.0, the SSI said.

After reopening day care centres and schools for children in first to fifth grade, hairdressers and other small businesses followed on April 20 after the Nordic nation saw the number of infections and deaths decline.

Denmark was one of the first in Europe to shut down and the first country outside Asia to then ease its virus lockdown.

As of Thursday, Denmark had 452 coronavirus-related deaths, while the number of hospitalisations has fallen steadily during April. 

The State Serum Institute, which is responsible for preparedness against infectious diseases, said: 'There are no signs that the COVID-19 epidemic is accelerating.'

Queues outside and Ikea department store in Gentofte near Copenhagen in Denmark when they re-opened on Monday

These new figures were based on the reproduction rate on the back of the number of infected people who were admitted to hospital each day.

Christian Wejse, a scientist at the department of infectious diseases at Aarhus University, said: 'There are no signs what so ever that the partial reopening has caused a bigger spread of infection.

At least there is no indication that we are heading into another wave. That has been the concern, but I can't see that at all.'

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Wednesday that the spread of the virus was 'under control'.

Denmark's Prime Minister and Social Democrats Chairman Mette Frederiksen presenting her May Day speech live on Facebook, broadcast live from the Workers Museum in Copenhagen

Frederiksen also declared that 'the Danish strategy has succeeded' and that she would present a plan for the next steps in the reopening before May 10.

But Wejse added: 'We are by no means home safe, but we have a really good starting point now to get the number of infected further down.'

Denmark shut down schools, cafes, restaurants, bars, gyms and hair salons in mid-March, while also banning gatherings of more than 10 people.

The number of patients in hospital has also fallen from its peak, along with the tally of patients in intensive care.

Testing was widened on April 1 to include people showing mild symptoms, after previously only those with moderate and severe symptoms were screened.

Further testing in the Danish territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands has uncovered another 199 cases, but no deaths.