Number of COVID-19 infections on wane

The number of COVID-19 cases is decreasing in Finland, with most areas recording only a small number of new cases, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a joint press release on Thursday.

The incidence of COVID-19 cases is higher in some areas of southern Finland than in the rest of the country. However, the epidemic has also continued to slow down in densely populated areas.

Between 31 May and 6 June, a total of 716 new cases were reported to the communicable diseases register, which is nearly 200 cases fewer than in the preceding week when the figure was 888.

The incidence rate has almost halved within the last month. In the last two-week period (24 May–6 June), the incidence of new cases was 28 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period (3–16 May), it was 49.

In most of the areas, the epidemic is at a stable level. On 9 June 2021, the areas in the community transmission phase were the Hospital Districts of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), Päijät-Häme and Kanta-Häme and the areas in the acceleration phase were the Hospital Districts of Central Ostrobothnia and Southwest Finland.

People already in quarantine accounted for 25 per cent of all new cases between 31 May and 6 June.

The percentage of cases where the virus was contracted abroad has grown. Between 31 May and 6 June, they accounted for 16 per cent of all new cases and, in the preceding week, for 7.5 per cent of all new cases.

However, further infections resulting from them have been prevented well. These infections accounted for 1.5 per cent of all cases.

The source of infection was traced in 60 per cent of all new cases of domestic origin. About 3,500 people were placed in quarantine.

Currently, the estimated effective basic reproduction number is 0.55–0.7, with a 90 per cent probability. This means that the number is smaller than the week before when it was 0.75–0.95. The estimated reproduction number was slightly higher in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, standing at 0.65–0.85.

There has been a slight decrease in the number of COVID-19 tests. Between 31 May and 6 June, nearly 110,000 tests were taken, which is more than 10,000 tests fewer than in the preceding week.

The percentage of positive samples of all those tested was about the same as the week before, standing at 0.7 per cent. This small percentage of positive samples suggests that infections among the population continue to be detected effectively.

According to the hospital districts, a total of 58 people were receiving hospital care due to the COVID-19 disease on 9 June 2021. There were 12 inpatients in primary healthcare, 39 inpatients in specialised healthcare and 7 inpatients in intensive care. The numbers of patients have been continually falling within the last month, and the number of new periods in specialised healthcare is expected to continue falling over the next week.

In Finland, about 48 per cent of the population have received their first vaccine dose and 12 per cent their second dose. The vaccine provides good protection against COVID-19, but it does not remove the risk of contracting and transmitting the disease completely.