COPENHAGEN, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Danish government decided to tighten COVID-19 restrictions in 38 of the country's 98 municipalities, including the capital Copenhagen, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference on Monday.
The new restrictions, which start on Wednesday, will last until Jan. 3, 2021.
In the areas affected by the virus, all restaurants, bars, cinemas and theaters will have to close down. However, takeaway services can remain open.
Schoolchildren from fifth grade upwards will also be sent home from Wednesday. All public employees who are not in critical roles must work from home.
The affected municipalities will also see the closure of all indoor cultural institutions, colleges, libraries, zoos, swimming pools, gyms, amusement parks, clubs and associations.
The stricter restrictions apply to the greater metropolitan area of Copenhagen and a number of surrounding municipalities, including Aarhus and Odense.
The nationwide restrictions already in force since Monday, such as the ban on gatherings of more than ten people, will be extended until Feb. 28.
At the press conference, Minister for Health and Elderly Affairs Magnus Heunicke said that Denmark had hit a new peak of 2,046 registered daily infections in the past 24 hours.
"We are entering a new phase of the epidemic, where we know that there may be new pressure on the hospital system," said the minister, adding that "I know very well that there are many of you who can no longer bear it, but the epidemic is not giving up."
To date, Denmark has reported 92,649 COVID-19 cases and 894 deaths, according to the Statens Serum Institut, a government-funded public health and research institute under the Danish Ministry of Health. Enditem
