Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Number of COVID-19 cases on the rise again in Finland after several weeks of stability

The latest COVID-19 figures for Finland show a clear upward trend in the number of new cases. This is following a long period of relative stability in the number of new cases. The numbers of cases have increased in several hospital districts. Some of the cases are related to known large-scale transmission chains.

The new virus variants may affect the development of the epidemic. Because of this, the situation is now monitored very closely. Since 14 December 2020, a total of 106 cases of the new variants have been confirmed in Finland.

New cases reported in large numbers across the country

Between 18 and 24 January, a total of 2,315 new cases were reported to the communicable diseases register, showing an increase of 568 cases from the previous week. Similarly, the incidence of new cases was 42 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the previous week it was 32. The number of people quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure is also rising again. Between 18 and 24 January, the number was more than 10,000.  

The total number of new cases in the last two-week period was 4,062, which was 486 cases more than in the preceding two-week period. The incidence of new cases was 73 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period it was 65.

During the period of 18 and 24 January, the majority of the new cases were of domestic origin. Cases where the virus was contracted abroad accounted for 6% of all new cases, and the further infections resulting from them accounted for 3% of all cases.

Slightly more than half of the new cases were reported in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. 

Currently, the estimated basic reproduction number is 0.75–0.95, with a 90 per cent probability.

People are getting tested more

In the whole of Finland, the number of people getting tested has been slightly higher again at the end of January when compared to late December and early January. Between 18 and 24 January, over 92,000 tests were conducted in the country.

In Finland as a whole, the source of infection was traced in over 60% of all new cases. Most of the new cases are still found in younger age groups and in working-age adults. The more the virus spreads in the population, the greater the risk of older people contracting it.

As the number of infections has increased, the number of patients requiring hospital care has also risen slightly. On 27 January, the total number of people requiring hospital care was 148. Of them, a total of 47 were inpatients in primary healthcare, 81 inpatients in specialised medical care and 20 inpatients in intensive care. 

On 27 January 2021, the total number of deaths related to the disease was 660.

The monitoring report on the epidemic published today and the previous reports are available on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. 

This week the monitoring report also includes an attachment providing information on the percentage of patients with confirmed COVID-19 in hospital care and their deaths by age.

• Monitoring coronavirus (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, in Finnish and Swedish)
• COVID-19 epidemic: regional situations, recommendations and restrictions (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
• Coronavirus in numbers (Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa)
• Action plan for implementing the hybrid strategy to curb the COVID-19 epidemic in January–May 2021 (Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2021:1), description sheet available in English
• Situation in intensive care: COVID-19 in intensive care on 20 January 2021, in Finnish (National coordinating office for intensive care)
• Progress with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), in Finnish and Swedish

Inquiries:

Taneli Puumalainen, Chief Physician, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, [email protected] (development of the epidemic) 
Kari Auranen, Senior Researcher, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, [email protected] (projection models) 
Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki, Strategic Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, [email protected] (situational picture and modelling group)