COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Denmark will reintroduce a health pass because of a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday (Nov 8), less than two months after scrapping controls.

The Epidemic Commission has recommended the government classify the coronavirus as a "socially threatening disease" and reimpose the pass, Ms Frederiksen told journalists.

"The government will follow this recommendation."

Ms Frederiksen acknowledged that the return of the pass would make life more difficult for those who were not vaccinated, but added: "That's how I think it should be."

In Denmark, with a population of 5.8 million, 85.9 per cent of people over the age of 12 have been fully vaccinated.

But at the end of last week, the authorities warned about the risk of hospitals being overwhelmed because of Covid-19, flu and other infectious diseases.

"The health authorities were expecting more people to be infected (by Covid-19) and hospitalised, but things have gone faster than expected," added Ms Frederiksen.

The number of new coronavirus cases was higher than 2,000 again on Monday, for the fifth day running. Medical staff are treating 26 people in intensive care.

The health pass will be reintroduced in bars, restaurants and night clubs.

"You can live with the corona-pass," said Ms Frederiksen. "It gives you peace of mind when you go to the cinema or to a concert," she added.

Denmark was a pioneer of the health pass last spring, when the number of new cases was four times lower than it is now.

So far in Denmark, 2,745 people have died of the coronavirus.