On Tuesday 5 May, the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported 85 more coronavirus (koronavirus, in Finnish) infections. With them, the total number of laboratory-diagnosed cases rose to 5,412.
The health agency also reported 6 more deaths associated with the disease, bringing the total number of fatalities in Finland to 246.
The region of Helsinki-Uusimaa remains the epicenter and hardest hit area by the epidemic. According to official figures, to date, 3,787 cases of Covid-19 have been found in the capital metropolitan area. Of them, 2,018 in the city of Helsinki.
However, health authorities admit the actual number of cases may be much higher, since people with mild symptoms are not generally tested.
New deaths all in Helsinki area
To date the Helsinki University hospital special catchment area (HYKS) reported 202 fatalities (82.1% of the country's total). This means four out of every five deaths caused by coronavirus have occurred in the Helsinki hospital area.
All the 6 deaths reported on Tuesday occurred in the capital region.
Helsinki-Uusimaa is also the region with the highest incidence of infections: there are already 224.6 diagnosed cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
For the whole country, the average incidence rate is less than half that in Helsinki: 98 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to THL.
Source: THL.
In intensive care units
On Tuesday, the official number of patients hospitalized due to coronavirus was 195. And the number of people in intensive care units was 48 (one less than the previous day).
According to a preliminary estimate by THL, there are at least 3,500 people who may have already recovered from the disease.
To date, Finnish laboratories have taken samples from approximately 106,300 people.
