Iceland’s 648 confirmed cases of coronavirus seem to indicate that our country now has one of the highest infection rates per capita in the world. But what do confirmed numbers really tell us about the spread of the virus?
Only a few weeks ago, planes filled with passengers returning to Iceland from ski resorts in Italy and Austria continued to land. These aircraft brought with them an influx of people infected with coronavirus. In a matter of days, it was clear that coronavirus had well and truly arrived in Reykjavik. But while the number of cases in Iceland is alarming, these figures are also testament to a rigorous testing programme which is virtually unparalleled anywhere in the world.
For other countries, Iceland’s rising coronavirus tally should also come as a stark warning about just how widespread this illness really is. It demonstrates all too clearly that the reported spread of the virus elsewhere is not being accurately represented in the countries of origin.
In Iceland – a small country of 360,000 people with a strong healthcare system – coronavirus testing has been accompanied by population screening.
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