Norwegian pandemic register established and operational at record speed.
On Tuesday 31st March, hospitals began registering for the Norwegian Pandemic Register to monitor the progress of all patients with confirmed Covid-19 in Norwegian hospitals.
Published 2/27/2026
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- The register will provide us with a better overview of patients admitted to hospital with covid-19. We will gather data that can be used to improve treatment and follow-up, as well as to find out how patients fare afterwards, says Minister of Health and Care Bent Høie in a press release from the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
The Centre for Clinical Documentation and Evaluation (SKDE) in Health North has, together with other professional environments, assisted in getting the Norwegian Pandemic Register operational.
Operational at record speed
The register has been established through an expansion of the current Norwegian Intensive Register, which already included the registration of covid-19 patients receiving intensive treatment as of 11 March. The register is now being expanded to include all patients admitted to Norwegian hospitals with confirmed coronavirus infection.
- I would like to commend the decisiveness shown by the head of the Intensive Register. Together with relevant professional environments, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the register has become operational at record speed, says Høie.
The Norwegian Pandemic Register is an important tool for gaining an overview of all hospital admissions due to the coronavirus. Reports from the pandemic register can be used by the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in their daily updates and analyses. The register will also provide valuable knowledge about the disease covid-19 that can be used to improve patient treatment through analysis and research.
- Will contribute to building knowledge
The Norwegian Pandemic Register collects information about all patients in specialist healthcare with covid-19. The register will contain information about possible causes of coronavirus infection, whether the patient is particularly exposed to infection through their work, length of hospital stay, previous and current health status, findings upon admission, treatment measures, and survival.
It is possible to opt out if one does not wish for their information to be included in the Norwegian Pandemic Register. Those who are registered can request access to the information stored, as well as correction and deletion.
- I hope that those admitted to hospital for covid-19 will participate and contribute to building knowledge about the disease. This can help us understand the disease better and improve treatment. The information collected is based on a reporting form from the World Health Organisation. This will allow for international comparisons in research on covid-19, says Bent Høie.
About the Norwegian Pandemic Register
The Norwegian Pandemic Register was established and became operational on 31 March 2020. Its purpose is to ensure coordinated and efficient reporting of patients with diseases resulting from the coronavirus in Norwegian hospitals.
The Norwegian Pandemic Register is a regulatory-based register based on the right to opt out. The register is part of the Norwegian Intensive and Pandemic Register and is regulated by the regulations on medical quality registers, the Health Register Act, and the General Data Protection Regulation. The registered individual has the right to object to the processing of their information and can opt out at any time so that any information in the register is deleted.
On the Norwegian Pandemic Register's website, you will find information for patients and staff who are to register in the register.