![]() The country has tested a higher proportion of inhabitants than any other country after medical research company deCode genetics started offering free screening among the general, non-symptomatic, non-quarantined population, states the Government of Iceland. Iceland has as of March 23rd, tested 9 768 individuals for COVID-19, which translates to 26 762 per million, compared with 6 343 in South Korea and 13 999 in Bahrein. The large scale testing by deCode Genetics among the general population will hopefully inform improved decision making throughout the current crisis, and more importantly, serve a useful purpose for how the world prepares for similar events in the future,” says Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister of Health. We have followed the policy of adhering to the best available advice of the medical community in Iceland. “Our number one priority is to limit the damage of the pandemic to the health of our citizens and to our social and economic infrastructure. We are optimistic that the combined efforts to test a large part of the population will provide insights that can contribute to the world’s response to this pandemic,” says Thorolfur Gudnason, Chief Epidemiologist. Our focus is to protect those must vulnerable from contracting the virus, while trying to ensure that the overall spread of the virus remains slow. About half of the diagnosed cases are from individuals who had been quarantined. “There are strong indications that our efforts to contain the spread of the virus have been effective. Provide insights that can contribute to the world’s response to this pandemi The screening tells us where the virus is and the sequencing how it differs between the places where it is and how it continues to mutate”, said Kári Stefánsson, CEO of deCode. Here at deCode people are working 24/7 to screen for and to sequence the virus. “It is amazing to see how the community is coming together as one to deal with this threat. The hospital is testing patients with distinct symptoms or individuals that are returning home from risk areas, and at deCODE everybody who wants can take a test for free. Update March 29th: As of March 25th, 11 727 individuals have been tested by deCODE or the University Hospital of Iceland and around 737 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Twelve individuals with COVID-19 were hospitalized. As of March 23rd, a total of 473 cases have been identified in Iceland since the first case on February 28th. The testing by deCode Genetics started Friday 13 March and the results of the first 5 571 diagnosed tests have yielded 48 positive samples (0.86%) indicating that the prevalence of the virus is modest among the general population. Iceland health authorities and deCode Genetics have undertaken comprehensive screening for the virus that causes COVID-19 among the Icelandic population.
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