The numbers of infected by coronavirus (koronavirus, in late) do not stop growing in Finland. The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported on Saturday 138 new cases, the largest increase in absolute numbers since the epidemic began.
According to the latest figures, Finland already has 1,163 patients diagnosed with Covid-19. The number of cases increased by 13.4% from Friday, when authorities had reported 1,025 infections.
Of those 1,163 cases, 785 (or 67.5%) have been detected in the Helsinki and Uusimaa area (the capital region). Outside of that area, there are 77 cases found in Pirkanmaa (Tampere and its surroundings) and 55 cases in Southwest Finland (Turku and its neighbouring municipalities).
Helsinki-Uusimaa is also, by far, the region that records more infections per 100,000 inhabitants, 46.6. In Tampere there are 14.5 infections per 100,000 inhabitants and in Turku the rate is 11.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Helsinki-Uusimaa is also the most populated area in Finland and the Parliament (Eduskunta) approved last night its isolation from the rest of the country, which will be carried out by the police and the army since Saturday at 00:00.
Hospitalizations and deaths
The Government aims now to prevent the spread of the virus from this region to the rest of the country, where the health system is much weaker, the average age of the population is higher and there are less intensive care facilities.
At the time of writing this article, the health authorities have not yet released updated data on hospitalizations and deaths.
On Friday, the country had 108 people hospitalized, 32 of them in intensive care. And the death toll until Friday was 7 people.
