29 more cases of new coronavirus variant found in Finland

The number of infections with the new coronavirus variant in the country has risen to 49, as 29 new cases have been diagnosed, said the National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) on Monday.

Out of the 29 new cases, 18 were diagnosed among the people who arrived in Finland from different countries after December 20, 2020.

The infected people travelled to Finland from the United Kingdom, Ghana, Sweden, South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Turkey, and Estonia.

Eight people, however, were infected from close contact with previously infected people, while the infections of three people are still under investigation.

Out of the new cases 47 were the new modified virus detected in the UK while two were the variant detected in South Africa.

At least 55 people have been quarantined following possible exposure of the infections.

Earlier, On 8 January, Finland decided to suspend all flights to and from Ireland and South Africa, in addition to the UK from 11 January to 18 January, following the emergence of a highly infectious variant of coronavirus.

On 21 December, Finland decided to suspend all flights to and from the United Kingdom for two weeks until 4 January and later, on 2 January, extended the suspension until 11 January following the emergence of a highly infectious variant of coronavirus.

Finland on 7 January decided to test all incoming passengers at Helsinki Airport from 8 January in the backdrop of an increasing trend in the coronavirus outbreak.

In a risk assessment published on 29 December 2020, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said the new COVID-19 variant detected in the UK is transmitted significantly more rapidly than the earlier strains of the virus.