Number of coronavirus infection cases in Finland rises to 240

The number of coronavirus infection cases raised to 240 in Finland as 30 more cases were diagnosed at different parts of the country on Sunday, said National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Out of the new cases, 22 were diagnosed in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, two cases in the West Ostrobothnia Hospital District and one case in the Southwest Finland Hospital District, Central Ostrobothnia Hospital District, Päijät-Häme Hospital District, Pirkanmaa Hospital District and Kanta-Häme Hospital District each.

Hospital districts and local health authorities will continue to investigate the situation with the THL, said the THL in a bulletin.

Earlier, on Friday the THL urged the people to stay home, if they have mild symptoms and seek medical help only if the symptoms are severe.

If people have mild respiratory tract infection symptoms, such as rhinitis, cough, throat pain, muscle pain, or fever, they need to stay at home to rest and recuperate until the symptoms go away.

People are told to contact healthcare provider only, if the patient experiences severe symptoms such as shortness of breath or if the overall condition gets worse.

In that case, people should contact the healthcare provider by phone to prevent spreading the disease to others.

Meanwhile, the southern Finland hospital district said that it has changed its novel coronavirus testing strategy, reported National Broadcaster Yle.

HUS infectious diseases medical chief of staff Arto Järvinen told Yle that it no longer makes sense to track the number of diagnosed cases, because health authorities are no longer testing all patients presenting with symptoms.

"The testing strategy has changed. Many concerned health professionals are now being tested," said the Yle report quoting Järvinen as saying.