School near Tampere closed after staff member tested positive for coronavirus
Finland added 8 new infections over the weekend. To date, 23 cases of Covid-19 have been detected in the country. Find in this article the list of cases by region.
Finland added 8 new cases of coronavirus (koronavirus, in Finnish) between Saturday and Sunday 7-8 March.
According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) four infections were detected on Saturday and other four on Sunday. The Helsinki and Tampere areas are the most affected by the epidemic.
Additionally, a school near Tampere will close this week as a precautionary measure to prevent infection.
The new cases
On Sunday, THL reported two new cases in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS).
According to HUS, the infected persons in Helsinki area are a retired woman who recently traveled to Northern Italy and a man of working age who had been in contact with another infected person. In both cases, patients are isolated at home and the authorities are tracing their contacts in order to prevent the spread of the disease
There was also a new case in the Pirkanmaa Hospital District, which is linked to another case previously diagnosed.
The fourth case reported on Sunday was found in the Northern Savonia Hospital District (Kuopio area), and according to the health authorities it is related to tourism in Northern Italy.
On Saturday other four Covid-19 infections were diagnosed: two cases in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District and two cases in the Pirkanmaa Hospital District.
Pitkäjärvi school will close
Health officials also informed on Sunday that Pitkäjärvi school, located in Kangasala (16 kilometres east of Tampere), where some 500 pupils study, will remain closed on Monday as a precautionary measure to prevent infection.
The decision came after a member of the school staff tested positive for Covid-19, as explained the Education Department in Kangasala.
According to health authorities, around 90 of the students and some members of the staff have been exposed to the disease.
Authorities also believe there are a dozen of students at Tampere University who have been exposed to the virus and have been quarantined. However, the university will open normally on Monday.
Hospital districts and local health authorities will continue to investigate the situation with the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).