Coronavirus spreading fast in armed forces

The coronavirus infection rate among the Finnish armed forces personnel increased significantly in February and now the infection number is more than 70, reported the national broadcaster Yle, quoting an expert.

The exposure to the virus is at least 10 times higher, said the report.

“The trend is alarming,” the Yle quoted Jaana Kuoppala, an epidemiologist working with the military, as saying.

The Finnish Defence Forces has more than 12,000 employees, and about 20,000 people perform military service each year.

Fifteen personnel were infected at the end of September last year in the Defence Forces, with an overall total of less than 400 cases of coronavirus recorded throughout the pandemic.

About one-third of the infections have been diagnosed among the staff, and two-thirds among conscripts.

Kuoppala said the situation in the military forces has changed due to virus variants in the same way it has in the Uusimaa region.

Most of the infections have been recorded in southern military units and divisions, added the report.