The daily number of infections in Finland remains above two hundred. On Friday, health authorities reported 235 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, adding to 296 on Thursday. The alarming increase in infections has prompted authorities in some hospital districts such as Vaasa and Hämeenlinna to tighten restrictions on public gatherings.
According to the health authorities, on Friday the largest increases in infections were registered in the hospital districts of Helsinki-Uusimaa (94) and Vaasa-Ostrobothnia (76). Together, these areas accounted for 72% of all new cases. Fortunately, there were no deaths on Friday.
To date, 11,580 coronavirus infections have been detected in the country, according to figures from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The death toll in Finland so far is 346.
On Friday there was an increase in people who need hospital care, whose number now rises to 37. The number of patients admitted to intensive care remained stable at 5.
Source: THL.
Restrictions on gatherings
The out-of-control situation of the virus in the Vaasa-Ostrobothnia region led the administrative authorities of Western Finland to ban all public events and gatherings of more than 10 people, both indoors and outdoors. The prohibition will come into effect on Monday, October 12, and affects all municipalities in the Vaasa hospital district. It will be in force until October 31.
A similar recommendation was issued by the authorities of the Kanta-Häme or Tavastia region (whose largest city is Hämeenlinna). From Monday until the end of October, meetings are limited to a maximum of 20 people.
The authorities have recently warned of the "alarming" increase in infections throughout the country. During the most recent fourteen-day monitoring period (23 September - 6 October), 2,035 new cases were diagnosed. On Friday, the incidence of new infections in relation to the population was 35.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
An estimated 8,500 people have recovered from the disease, which is about 75% of reported cases.
