Govt mulls stricter measures as coronavirus spreads

The government is planning to take more restrictive measures including closing down late night restaurants in the wake of increasing spread of coronavirus, reported the national broadcaster Yle quoting government sources and the local media.

The cabinet is likely to take decision in this regard soon and the decision will be effective from this week.

A Finnish language daily, Helsingin Sanomat, which disclosed the issue first, reported that the new restriction to be effective from 26 November will impose ban on catering services after 10:00 PM and restaurants will close doors by 11:00 PM.

The opening time for restaurants will be 5:00 AM at the earliest, said the report.

Earlier, Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru told Yle on Friday that more restrictions on restaurants in Uusimaa were under way.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Monday called on local officials to impose stricter restrictions, warning that the imposition of a new state of emergency and/or a new closure of Uusimaa’s borders are not out of the question, added the Yle report.

The number of coronavirus deaths in Finland increased to 384, as nine more patients died at different hospitals in the country in the last three days since Friday afternoon, said the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Monday.

Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus infections in the country has increased to 21,936 as 1,189 more cases were diagnosed in the three days.