On Wednesday 29 April, the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported 166 more coronavirus (koronavirus, in Finnish) infections. With them, the total number of laboratory-diagnosed cases rose to 4,906.
The health agency also reported 7 new deaths associated with the disease, bringing the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Finland to 206.
Chronic diseases
The health agency has disclosed a few details regarding the age of 149 of the dead. The majority of the dead people (over 90%) had one or more chronic diseases. The most common of them were heart diseases and diabetes.
The median age of the deceased is 84. There are fewer than five deaths in each of the 30–39, 40–49 and 50–59 age groups, nine deaths in the 60–69 age group, 31 deaths in the 70–79 age group, 71 deaths in the 80–89 age group, and 33 deaths in the 90+ age group.
52% of the dead were men and 48% were women.
Of all (206) the deceased, 20% have been in specialised hospital care, 30% in a primary healthcare unit, 49% in a welfare unit and 1% at home or elsewhere.
New deaths in Helsinki and Oulu
Helsinki-Uusimaa remains the epicenter and region hardest hit by the epidemic. According to official figures, to date, 3,368 cases of Covid-19 have been found in the capital metropolitan area. Of them, 1,832 in the city of Helsinki.
Of the 7 deaths reported on Wednesday, 6 occurred in the Helsinki University Hospital catchment area (HYKS), where so far the vast majority of the deaths (165) have been recorded. Helsinki-Uusimaa is also the region with the highest incidence of infections: 199.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Another death reported on Wednesday occurred in the Oulu University Hospital catchment area (OYS), where so far 8 people have died of Covid-19.
In intensive care units
On Wednesday, the official number of patients hospitalized due to coronavirus was 208. And the number of people in intensive care units was 51.
In relation to the total Finnish population (5,543,233), the average incidence rate is 89 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
According to a preliminary estimate by THL, there are at least 2,800 people who may have already recovered from the disease.
To date, Finnish laboratories have taken samples from approximately 89,800 people.
