Coronavirus infection rate on the rise

The number and incidence of new coronavirus cases are increasing in Finland, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a press release on Thursday.

Last week, the majority of the new cases were reported in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. Currently, there are so many new cases that the epidemiological situation can worsen rapidly across the country.

From nine to 15 November, a total of 1,534 new cases were confirmed in Finland, i.e., 122 cases more than that in the previous week. The incidence of new cases was 28 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the previous week it was 26.

The total number of new cases in the last two-week period (2–15 November) was 2,946, while in the preceding two-week period it was 2,690. The incidence of new cases was 53 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period it was 49.

In the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, the numbers of cases have increased by about one hundred cases per week since the week beginning 19 October. Between nine and 15 November, a total of 986 cases were confirmed in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa.

The majority of the new cases continue to be of domestic origin. Cases where the virus was contracted abroad accounted for about six per cent of all new cases.

More than half of the traced infections (55 per cent) were contracted from people living in the same household. The proportion of workplaces has risen compared to that in the previous period. Between nine and 15 November, one out of every five infections was caught at work. About six per cent of the cases were contracted at educational institutions and cases. And recreational activities where the virus had spread through accounted for about five per cent of the cases.

Although the majority of cases are reported among younger age groups and working-age adults, the number of cases among older age groups has increased slightly when compared to the figures of the previous weeks.

People over 60 years of age now account for more than 12 per cent of the new cases. The percentage of people over 70 years of age has accelerated at an alarming rate. During the period of 9–15 November, people over 70 years of age accounted for six per cent of the cases, whereas over the past month the rate has been around 3–4 per cent.

People over 70 years of age have an elevated risk of developing a more serious form of the COVID-19 disease so it is essential to protect them from contracting the virus.