Hundreds exposed to Covid-19 in amusement park and restaurants
Linnanmäki is now trying to contact those who had booked a ticket for 26 July. Finnish health authorities will issue a recommendation this week to wear face masks in some public places.
Authorities released several alerts on Monday regarding what may be the germ for possible coronavirus outbreaks related to summer leisure activities. The country's capital Helsinki and the coastal city of Vaasa are the affected places.
Especially worrying is the latest alert launched by the city of Helsinki, as it affects a place as crowded as Linnanmäki amusement park, the authorities of the capital city said in a press release.
The exposure to the disease happened a week ago.
According to the scant information released, on Sunday 26 July a group of people who were in the amusement park between 15:00 to 18:00 put hundreds of other visitors at risk of the infection.
The authorities of the capital city did not say how large the group was.
Linnanmäki is now trying to contact those who had booked a ticket for that day through its reservation system.
People who visited the amusement park during the above mentioned period are "advised to monitor their condition and apply for the (Covid-19) test quickly" if they develop symptoms such as fever, cough, headache, nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, loss of sense of taste or smell.
“Healthy entertainment in Linnanmäki is of paramount importance to us. We apologize for the additional concern caused to our customers, ” says Pia Adlivankin, CEO of Linnanmäki in the release issued by the city of Helsinki.
Incomprehensibly, no information on these events has been published on the amusement park website.
Restaurants in Vaasa
Authorities in Vaasa (on the western coast of Finland) also released a coronavirus alert on Monday, after detecting the case of an infected person who has been visiting various public places in the city.
The coastal city has published on its website a warning note with instructions for those who may have been in the same restaurants where the infected person was.
According to the statement, a coronavirus infection was diagnosed in a person who visited the Babilon pizzeria on Thursday 27 July in the evening, between 19:00 and 21:00.
The next day, Friday 28 July, that same person who gave a positive visited at least two other food outlets in the city: in the afternoon had lunch on the terrace of the Faros restaurant, between 14:00 and 17:00 and in the evening was dining at the Amarillo restaurant, between 19:00 and 21:00.
Public authorities asked people who have visited these places on the dates and times indicated to "contact their health center to organize a coronavirus test" if they develop symptoms of a respiratory infection.
Masks recommendation
On the other hand, the Finnish health authorities have said that "soon" this week they will issue a recommendation to the population to wear face masks in some public places.
As reported by several Finnish media, the CEO of the National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) Markku Tervahauta said that the recommendation to wear a mask will be addressed particularly to users of public transport and in public events where safety distances cannot be kept.
On Monday, August 3, THL reported 34 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of diagnosed cases to 7,466. There have been no Covid-19 deaths over the weekend, so the total death toll remains at 329.
The number of people receiving hospital care in Finland is currently 9. According to THL, there are no patients admitted to intensive care.