COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Denmark said on Friday it will extend support for theatres and sport clubs and other cultural activities impacted by coronavirus curbs on large gatherings until the end of October.

The Nordic country was among the first in Europe to ease lockdown measures after successfully stifling the outbreak, but a recent spike in infections has slowed the reopening process.

The government injected more than 300 billion Danish crowns ($48 billion) into the economy at the beginning of the crisis, including direct economic aid to businesses, state-guaranteed loans, and extended deadlines for tax payments.

Most of those packages will be phased out at the end of August as planned following an improvement in employment numbers, the government said.

However, under the new deal, businesses that were directly impacted by a continued limit on public gatherings of 500 people would get help compensation for fixed costs until Oct. 31, the government said.

($1 = 6.2501 Danish crowns)

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Copyright 2020 Thomson Reuters.