Here’s our evening round-up of the latest coronavirus news from Finland:
- Latest numbers on the virus in Finland
- Communities speak out on Finnair service cuts after crisis
- HUS investigates radiation therapy treatment for Covid-19 patients
- 67 patients and staff infected, 12 patients dead in hospital outbreak
- Several schools hit with virus cases and isolation
- Restaurant looks for post-lockdown business boost on Netflix
Latest numbers on the virus in Finland
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare says there have now been 6,380 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Finland - up 33 from the day before. There have also been two new disease-related deaths bringing the number of fatalities up to 300.
Over the most recent rolling seven-day period ending 15th May, some 408 new cases of the virus were detected. In the previous seven-day period there were 652 new cases detected so the long term trend continues to fall.
Around the country there are 117 people in hospital being treated for coronavirus symptoms and 34 patients in intensive care. The number of patients is declining or has leveled off in all hospital regions.
Communities speak out on Finnair service cuts after crisis
Finnair says that domestic flights to some Finnish cities, which were canceled during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, will not be restored at least during the summer.
The national airline will not operate flights this summer from Helsinki to Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kajaani, Kemi or Kokkola, with speculation some domestic routes might be cut completely.
“Jyväskylä is one of the fastest growing cities in Finland. We have a lot of companies doing international business for which daily flight connections are vital. We also have two big international universities, University of Jyväskylä, and University of Applied Sciences of Jyväskylä, and for them it is also important that the city has a functioning flight connection” says Timo Koiviso, Jyväskylä’s mayor.
In Joensuu in Eastern Finland Development Manager Sami Laakkonen says that Finnair’s decision “hits our regional economy very hard.”
“Our region is strongly dependent on industry exports, and tourism will also grow in the near future due the fact that customers are more searching smaller nature and non-crowded destinations” he explains.
City officials are lobbying Finnair and the government to restore domestic connections as soon as possible. Read more here.
HUS investigates radiation therapy treatment for Covid-19 patients
Scientists at the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District HUS are launching a new study to see whether a very small dose of radiation directed at the lungs can affect the progress of severe coronavirus infections.
Before the era of antibiotics radiation therapy was used in the first half of the 20th century to treat pneumonia caused by bacteria and viruses.
“The idea is that by suppressing the inflammatory response, it is possible to influence the course of the disease” says Johanna Mattson, Chief Physician at the HUS Cancer Center.
Five patients will initially be part of the study which does carry a 1% risk that the patient could develop a cancerous tumour in the irradiated area within 10 to 20 years of the treatment. Read more here.
67 patients and staff infected, 12 patients dead in virus outbreak
A coronavirus cluster at Helsinki’s Suursuo Hospital infected 67 patients and staff in four wards, and left 12 patients dead since the end of April.
The first infections were detected in a convalescent ward at the north Helsinki hospital, and measures were taken to contain the outbreak including putting a stop to new admissions; isolating infected staff and patients; and testing the other staff and patients on wards where the virus occurred.
“We do everything we can to protect patients and employees from infections” says Chief Medical Officers Laura Pikkarainen.
“Visits have been banned since March. In the case of hospice patients this has understandably been deviated from and short visits by relatives in protective equipment are allowed” she adds.
Employees at the hospital wear protective equipment too in all situations when they’re dealing with patients. They also use masks which cover their nose and mouth when interacting with each other. Read more here.
Several schools hit with Covid-19 cases and quarantines
Schools in Helsinki, Porvoo and Sipoo have been hit with quarantines, self-isolation and a return to distance learning just two days after classes resumed - however there is no evidence that coronavirus infection chains are connected to the schools because of the length of time it takes for symptoms to show.
In Helsinki one student and two staff members were placed in home quarantine for two weeks after coronavirus exposure; while in Kannelmäki Primary School 14 students and four staff have been put in home quarantine.
In Sippo distance learning returns for many students because a number of teachers are self-isolating due to coronavirus. Pupils in 1st – 3rd grade at Soderkulla school will switch back to distance learning for at least this whole week, while pupils in 4th – 6th grade will have contact teaching in smaller groups at the school.
And classes continue as normal in Porvoo this week despite one student testing positive for coronavirus. A total of 17 students and four teachers who came in contact with the infected pupil have been placed under quarantine at home as a precaution. Over the weekend the school was deep-cleaned and students were reminded again about safety and hygiene instructions during the first lesson of the day on Monday. Read more here.
Restaurant looks for post-lockdown business boost on Netflix
A landmark Turku restaurant is hoping that an appearance on the new season of a hit Netflix show will give them a business boost when the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are eased.
Ruissalon Maininki features on the show ‘Restaurants on the Edge’ which brings together a chef, a restaurateur and an interior designer to revamp a business with a spectacular view, but which needs some help with style, marketing or food.
The show filmed at the Turku Yacht Club restaurant over Juhannus last year, and the episode was just made available recently.
“I think this coronavirus crisis might also influence the way that people want to go out to restaurants and eat. This is maybe even a win-win for us” says co-owner Marina Björkenheim-Jokinen.
Her husband Turo Jokinen hopes the publicity is beneficial beyond just their 100-year old restaurants.
“The show was really good for us of course, but also for Finland and especially Turku” he says. Read more here.
