The Christmas and New Year period did not cause any significant rise in the number of Covid-19 infections, according to the weekly assessment of the epidemic published by the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health.
However, new cases are still reported in large numbers across the country. The number of people getting tested continues to be considerably lower than last autumn, which is a cause of concern for the Finnish health authorities.
According to the Ministry, the incidence and number of COVID-19 cases are still very high in many European countries and their neighbouring areas. The new virus variants may affect the development of the epidemic and "there is still a considerable risk that the situation could suddenly worsen across the country," the government highlights..
Measures are taken to stop the spread of the variants to Finland by increasing testing at the borders and by issuing regional restrictions and recommendations.
For the health authorities, now "it is more important than ever to detect all infections quickly, trace them and break the chains of transmission to stop the more transmissible variants of the virus from spreading."
So far, a total of 86 cases of the new variants discovered in the Great Britain and South Africa have been confirmed in Finland.
The majority of the new cases are still of domestic origin, but the proportion of infections originating abroad has risen in recent weeks.
Between 11 and 17 January, cases where the virus was contracted abroad accounted for 11% of all new cases. The further infections resulting from them accounted for 2% of all cases.
Last two-week period
The total number of new cases in the last two-week period (4–17 January) was 3,514, which was 112 cases more than in the preceding two-week period. The incidence of new cases was 63 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period it was 61.
One third of all new cases were reported among people already in quarantine. Between 11 and 17 January, nearly half of the new cases were reported in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa.
In the whole of Finland, the source of infection was traced in almost 60% of all new cases. Most of the new cases are still found in younger age groups and in working-age adults.
'Dramatic' decline in testing
The Ministry of Social Affairs and health refers in its monitoring report to a "dramatic decline in testing volumes."
"It became evident at the end of last year that people did not get tested to the same extent as before," the release says.
The rollout of vaccinations has started in all catchment areas for highly specialised medical care.
The need for hospital care has reduced slightly compared to the previous week: on 21 January, the number of people requiring hospital care was 148. Of them, 26 were inpatients in intensive care.
The average age of Covid-19 patients requiring hospital care has risen; the biggest age group in intensive care is now people aged 60–69.
On 21 January, THL reported 399 new infections and 6 more deaths. The total number of deaths related to the disease is 638.
