Number of COVID-19 cases on rise

The number of coronavirus infections increased alarmingly in the country, particularly among unvaccinated people in the last two weeks, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a joint press release on Thursday.

The incidence of new cases over the last two-week period (20 September–3 October) was 123 per 100,000 inhabitants. This is 15 per cent more than in the preceding two-week period when the incidence of cases was 107 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The weekly number of new COVID-19 cases has grown by over 800 compared to the previous week. The total number of new cases reported between 27 September and 3 October was thus 3,826 whereas a week before the number was 3,008.

On 6 October, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,089, which was 1072 on September 29.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 tests has continued to fall due to the new guidelines. The number of tests carried out between 27 September and 3 October was about 10 per cent lower than the week before.

Till 6 October, 84 per cent of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination in Finland, i.e. people who are 12 years of age or over, had received at least one vaccine dose and 72 per cent had received two doses.

According to the current estimate, it is possible to achieve 80 per cent vaccination coverage by the end of October, if the increase in the vaccine uptake does not slow down.

Over the last two-week period, unvaccinated people between the ages of 12 to 79 who have COVID-19 have received hospital care 14 times more often than those in the same age group who have been vaccinated twice. The burden on hospital care is increasing in several hospital districts.

Over the past six weeks, the weekly numbers of new COVID-19 patients in specialised healthcare have varied between 60 and 81. Last week, there were 69 new inpatients in specialised healthcare and 22 new inpatients in intensive care.

At the end of last week, the total number of inpatients in specialised healthcare was 105, with 33 of them being inpatients in intensive care. The figures for the week before were 56 inpatients in specialised healthcare and 25 inpatients in intensive care.

The risk of hospitalisation has been highest among unvaccinated people aged 50−79. The risk is 18 times higher for them than for those in the same age group who have been vaccinated twice.

A total of 74 per cent of those hospitalised in September due to COVID-19 were unvaccinated.