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Denmark's Prime Minister has announced that the country will close all kindergartens, schools and universities for two weeks to slow the spread of coronavirus.

All public sector employees who do not perform critical functions will also be sent home on paid leave, The Local reports. 

"This will have huge consequences, but the alternative would be far worse," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference announcing the tough new measures on Wednesday evening, according to the Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

"Under normal circumstances, a government would not present such far-reaching measures without having all the solutions ready for the many Danes concerned, but we are in an extraordinary situation."

The dramatic decision came after the Danish Patient Safety Authority reported 442 new cases of coronavirus on on Wednesday evening, bringing the number of people in quarantine to 1,303.

At the press conference Frederiksen advised everyone in Denmark who is in a position to work from home to do so. The government has also banned all indoor events with 100 or more participants.

Søren Brostrøm, director of the The Danish Health Authority, said that he expected the number of cases to increase rapidly in the coming days and weeks.

"We will see more and more people being infected in the coming time," he said. "An epidemic normally extends to between twelve and sixteen weeks".