The Directorate of Health
Three years since the first COVID-19 diagnosis in Iceland
28th February 2023
Today, February 28, three years have passed since the first COVID-19 infection was diagnosed in Iceland. The first domestic infection was subsequently confirmed on March 6, 2020. A number of measures were taken to decrease infections and minimize the consequences of the pandemic in Iceland. All restrictions were then lifted at the end of February 2022, when the omicron variant wave (BA.1/BA.2) was at its peak. Subsequently infection rate decreased but a smaller wave of another omicron variant (BA.5) occurred in July 2022.
Numerous variants of omicron have emerged but none has caused a significant wave of infection since summer. In Iceland, about 100-120 people are being diagnosed per week, but most of the official COVID-19 tests are being taken in hospitals. About 56% of the country's population has been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the beginning. In addition, the majority of people over sixty have received a booster dose of vaccination. Deaths in Iceland due to COVID-19 from the beginning of the pandemic are 263 in total. See statistics on covid.is.
According to The World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is still a proclaimed pandemic and a threat to public health events of international concern (PHEIC). Nearly 7 million people have died because of COVID-19 since the beginning and tens of thousands are still diagnosed every day. In Europe, the situation is stable and the number of infections, hospital admissions, and deaths is generally low in comparison to recent years, although the situation varies by country.
In a weekly summary from the Chief Epidemiologist, on the Directorate of Health website, information can be found on the status of COVID-19 in Iceland as well as other respiratory infections circulating during flu season.
The Chief Epidemiologist