“Alarming” infection increase in Finland
U.K. variant blamed for rising infection wave
A situation update from Finland’s Ministry of Health and the Finnish Health Institute paints a frightening picture of the latest COVID outbreak.
The update states despite coronavirus restrictions, there has been an “alarming” infections increase. Over the last week, Finland has seen the highest numbers of new corona cases of any week in the pandemic to date.
On March 1st Finland recorded 830 new infections, the highest of any day in the pandemic yet.
According to the update, “The significant deterioration of the situation urgently requires more drastic measures to curb the epidemic.”
The reinfection rate, sometimes called the contact number or R0, is currently 1.15-1.35. Anything over one means degrees of a virus outbreak.
The infection surge is being blamed on the rapidly spreading U.K. variant. Finland’s Health Institute has reported 1,284 confirmed variant infections as of Thursday. The majority, 1,213, are the English variant followed by 70 cases of South Africa virus variant and one case of the Brazilian P1 variant.
A Danish study by the Staten Serum Institut found the U.K. variant can be up to 72% more contagious than the original coronavirus strain. Other studies have also found the variant has a much higher risk of hospitalization.
In Finland, 16 hospital districts have seen increases in the 14 day incidence rate. Per the situation report “the epidemic situation has deteriorated rapidly” for hospitals in Helsinki, the Uusimaa Hospital District, Åland, and Hospital District of Southwest Finland.
Last week, the highest number of infections were found in working-age and young adults.
In Metro Helsinki strict restrictions have been put in place.
students in secondary school and up to and including colleges have been moved to distance learning. Exceptions exist for special needs students
All indoor and outdoor meetings and events are prohibited.
An assembly ban of no more than six people is in place.
Museums, cultural institutions, galleries, and youth facilities must close.
Working from home is highly encouraged. If not possible, social distancing and wearing a mask is mandated in the work place. Lunches and coffee breaks must also be staggered to ensure social distancing.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government is preparing to invoke provisions of the country’s Emergency Powers Act, giving the state authority to levy broad restrictions to try and curb the infection spread.
Testing this year in Finland has almost doubled. There were more than 137,000 COVID tests administered in week eight, numbers Denmark registers on any given weekday.
As of yesterday, more than 60% of the over-90 age group had received at least one vaccine dose, and about half of the 80-89 age group had been vaccinated at least once.
Finland will go back into a national COVID lockdown on March 8th.