Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday 

Record number of daily Covid-19 infections for the second time this month 

On Tuesday, 2,552 people tested positive for coronavirus in Norway, the highest number of daily recorded cases throughout the pandemic so far. The record was last set on November 9th. 

The 2,552 infections were 246 more than the same day last week. Over the last week, an average of 1,760 Covid-19 infections have been registered daily. The same average the week before was 1,467. 

READ ALSO: Is Norway likely to bring back Covid restrictions this Christmas?

The number of people currently in hospital with the virus is 218, seven less than the day before. Of these, 52 are in intensive care, and 33 are on respirators.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

One in three satisfied with new PM

Just over a third of people in Norway are satisfied that the new prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, is doing a good job, according to a recent poll by newspaper VG.

A smidge over ten percent said they thought he was doing a bad job, just under 20 percent weren’t sure, and 36 percent thought he was doing neither good nor bad. 

The PM said the results were expected, given he is just four weeks into the job. 

“One in three is satisfied, one in ten is dissatisfied, while very many do not know completely, and it is perhaps not so strange after four weeks with a new government,” he told the newspaper. 

Suspected outbreak of bird flu in west Norway 

Following an outbreak of bird flu at a farm in Klepp, Rogaland, west Norway, which saw 7,500 chickens culled last week, it is believed the disease has spread to a second farm. 

Up to 7,500 laying hens will be destroyed due to the suspected outbreak, public broadcaster NRK reported. 

A large outbreak of bird flu in Rogaland could have considerable consequences as 30 percent of all chicken and egg production in Norway takes place there. 

It is believed that the bird flu can be traced to wild birds due to the farms bordering a nature reserve. 

Norway miss out on 2022 World Cup 

Steven Bergwijn and Memphis Depay bagged late goals to send Holland to the World Cup as the winners of qualification group G, while Norway will miss out entirely following the loss. 

The Norwegian team were without star striker Erling Braut Haaland who was unavailable through injury for the match in the Netherlands. 

The loss means Norway’s Leeds born star man, who has established themselves as one of the games leading goalscorers, won’t have the opportunity to feature at a world cup until at least 2026.