Finnish health authorities reported 98 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday to the Registry of Infectious Diseases. Of them, 55 are related to the largest groups of currently active infections, located in Central Finland and in the city of Lahti. In Hämeenlinna 250 people have been quarantined, according to authorities.
According to THL figures, 8,725 cases have been diagnosed in Finland so far and 339 deaths have been recorded. Currently the country has 10 hospitalized people, 3 of them admitted to intensive care.
Of the 98 new diagnosed cases, 41 are linked to an "already known chain of infection that originated in a restaurant in Lahti." 18 of these cases have been found in the city of Lahti and the remaining 23 in other locations in the Päijät-Häme region.
A total of 26 new infections have been diagnosed in the Central Finland region. Of them, 14 have been found in Äänekoski, 5 in Jyväskylä and 3 in Saarijärvi.
Almost all cases of infection in Äänekoski and Saarijärvi are related to a private event held at the beginning of September.
There are also 17 new cases in Pirkanmaa region, of which 6 in Tampere. In addition, more cases have been reported in the Mänttä-Vilppula service center for the elderly. There are 3 cases in Kanta-Häme.
Quarantines in Hämeenlinna
In the city of Hämeenlinna, the health authorities have quarantined the 35 residents of the Mainiokoti Larin Kyösti nursing home. The reason is that one of the residents tested positive for coronavirus. The authorities have prohibited visits to the center and all staff and residents will have to undergo tests.
Sally Järvelä, Chief Medical Officer of the Kanta-Häme hospital district, said in a statement that this is the first incident related to coronavirus exposure in a residential facility in the region. According to her, "it is clear that the situation is serious for both the patient and the elderly" who may have been exposed.
The person who tested positive attended a 10 a.m. service at Hämeenlinna Church on Sunday morning. Now authorities are asking other attendees to watch for coronavirus symptoms.
According to Järvelä, the situation in Hämeenlinna is "worsening rapidly" in the wake of a series of massive exposures that have left 250 people currently in quarantine.
The region has reported 11 positive cases in the last 7 days.
