Live updates: Denmark sets record for coronavirus cases

HELSINKI — Denmark has recorded the highest number of daily coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic with 16,164 new infection cases in the past 24 hours.

The figure released by Danish health authorities on Monday broke the previous daily record set in the Scandinavian country only on Sunday when 14,844 new infections were documented.

Seven people infected with COVID-19 died in the past 24 hours. That put the total death toll in Denmark at 3,217, officials said.

The number of coronavirus infections in Denmark started to rise sharply in early December but by last week the pace seemed to have leveled off. But health officials said the number of infections started rising dramatically again over the past few days.

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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC:

— Omicron spreads global gloom over New Year’s celebrations

— Delta flight to Shanghai turned back because of COVID rules.

— Variant disrupts holiday travel but not shopping

— France sees over 100,000 daily infections for the first time

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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY:

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Health officials in Ivory Coast say the West African country has seen a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases

Authorities recorded a 26.5% positivity rate the day after Christmas. A statement from the Ivorian Ministry of Health said that figure had been 18.4% just the day before.

The new figures come at a time when many Ivorians travel from the major cities back to rural areas to see family over the holidays. As of last week, 5.7% of Ivorians were fully vaccinated....