Public health experts say the rising number of coronavirus cases, lack of traceability in some areas, and a growing need for hospital care mean the second wave of the pandemic has been underway for a long time.
At a Thursday briefing THL’s Mika Salminen said the intensification of the virus which was feared during the spring is now happening, as Finland heads into the winter infection season when more people anyway get sick with viruses.
In the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District public health officials are unable to track the origins of about 80% of coronvirus infections, although hospital resources have not yet become overloaded.
However, Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health cautioned for the need to monitor the hospital situation. Infection clusters she says are still often found within circles of friends or in family groups.
“I would pay attention to the need for hospital and intensive care. The need for hospital care is growing, but not as fast as the number of infections” says Voipio-Pulkki.
“The second phase is underway, it has definitely been for some time” she adds.
Four Finnish regions - Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme and Ostrobothnia - are now classed as being in an ‘accelerated‘ phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
That means there’s between 10-25 confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 population in the previous two weeks. It also means that public health officials are still generally able to trace infection chains, and hospitals are able to provide care for everyone who needs it.
Ostrobothnia however is now considered in the more serious ‘spreading’ phase of the virus with 18-50 confirmed cases per 100,00 people in the last two weeks; the source of infection cases is unknown in about half of the cases; and growing pressure on hospital resources including intensive care beds in hospitals.
