Ben Hamilton
March 29th, 2021

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Still there, but slowing down a bit (photo: Pixabay)

Svendborg, the centre of its namesake municipality, is the second biggest settlement on the island of Funen, but you’d be forgiven for not having heard of it.

Maersk was kind of founded there, and its surrounding area is the home of a fair number of stately homes, including Egeskov, Valdemar’s Castle and Hesselagergård.

The remote part of Denmark has also produced a number of obscure rappers, including the ethereally-named UFO.

Outbreak in northeast Svendborg 
But prepare yourself for a surge in its usage over the next week, as several cases of a mutated version of the coronavirus have been founded within its municipality.

The local authorities accordingly want everybody living in Svendborg Municipality to get tested as soon as possible.

It is unclear at present whether they are established mutations such as Brazilian or South African, or a new kind.

Testing urged
In the last week, the municipality has recorded 53 new infections, and it is believed the centre of the outbreak is the northeast of the area – in particular, the area around Byparken, Marslevvej Station, Byhavevej, Byskoven and Ørbækvej.

Mobile test centres are being dispatched to Skovbyhus (Byparken 44), where there is already a test centre.

There are concerns that four grades run a higher risk than others, and the parents of the vulnerable children have been contacted.

Mini outbreak in Nyborg 
Meanwhile, just up the Funen coast from Svendborg, the municipality of Nyborg is tackling a mini outbreak of what is believed to be the South African or Brazilian variant.

In particular, Grades 1-3 at Birkhovedskolen are thought to be at risk.

According to the official records, nine cases of the Brazilian mutation of the coronavirus have been registered in Denmark, but with possible outbreaks in Svendborg and Nyborg, it might be more.