Republic of Iceland has taken on an intensely scientific response to the COVID-19 pandemic , complete with extensive masking and in - depth sequence . The fight against the computer virus is still on-going , but it appears their approach has massively pay off .
As of January 18 at 14:00 GMT , Iceland had 5,970 confirmed infection , including 53 admissions to the intensive forethought units and 29 dying , according togovernment datum .
Their insights into the outbreak go much deeper , however . AFPreports that they have manage to sequence the genetic material of each positive viral infection with the help of deCODE genetic science , a Reykjavík - based biotech company . From the get - go , the nation bid seemingly healthy people to people try in a tender to considerably empathize asymptotic carriers and transmission . This has seen them screen over 250,000 sample , report for more than half of the island ’s total residents .
The riches of data has assist to clearly manoeuver the government ’s response to the eruption too . When there was a notable uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases in mid - September 2020 , authorities managed totrack the outbreak backto a single Irish pub in the capital Reykjavík . In response , all pub and bars were then quick closed for a short period across Reykjavík and other surrounding communities .
Iceland ’s screening has picked up 41 carriers ofthe “ UK variant,”or VOC 202012/01 , a recently notice strain of the virusthat ’s linked toa substantial increase in the rate of COVID-19 infection in the UK . Fortunately , thanks to their PCR testing at their airports , the cases were readily identified at the border and stopped before they could be bring in to their universe .
Other countries have plow with the pandemic more effectively in regards to the number of deaths and hospitalization . A stand - out exampleis New Zealand , which ascertain just 25 expiry out of their population of 5 million . In fact , 2020 ’s overall mortality rate in the rural area were actually down compare to premature years . However , Iceland has the advantage of having a relatively small and genetically homogeneous population . Together with fertile testing , this has created an in - depth case study of how COVID-19 might spread around a population .
“ In attempting to carefully map out the molecular epidemiology of COVID-19 in Iceland , we trust to provide the entire macrocosm with datum to use in the corporate global effort to subdue the spread of the disease , ” Kari Stefansson , CEO of deCODE genetics , tell in astatementin June 2020 .
Preliminary data from Iceland suggest that aroundhalf of people who tested positivefor COVID-19 in the country did not display any symptoms — an insight that was only made possible because they try out people who were symptom - free and ostensibly not infected . More finding were published in theNew England Journal of Medicine(NEJM ) in June 2020 , suggesting that children under 10 years honest-to-goodness and female had a lower incidence of infection than adolescents or adults and males . Another Icelandic field in theNEJMpromisingly showed that antibodies against SARS - CoV2 do not worsen within four months after becoming infected .
Now , it looks like Iceland has the outbreak comparatively under control , albeit not totally void . As of mid - January 2021 , the country currently has roughly 16 infection per 100,000 denizen , 19 people hospitalized with COVID-19 , and zero patient role in intensive tutelage .
