UK coronavirus variants spreading fast

The United Kingdom variants of coronavirus are spreading more rapidly in Finland in the recent period than was expected, said the private medical company Mehiläinen based on test results.

The cases of British coronavirus variants were about 19 per cent of the total coronavirus positive samples taken recently, rising from 12% in the previous sampling period, said Mehiläinen in a press release.

The company identified 15 variant samples in its latest batch, which were eight in the previous reference period.

“In the most recent reference period of about one week, the percentage of the virus variants is about 19%, which is a clear increase from the previous reference period,” said Mehiläinen Laboratory Director Kristina Hotakainen.

According to the countrywide monitoring, the coronavirus virus variants are spreading across Finland.

Sakari Jokiranta, a microbiologist at Mehiläinen’s partner Vita Laboratories, said there was a significant increase in the number of virus variants in the short term.

Jokiranta, however, said that the number of samples is limited but the examples across the world showed that the transformation of viruses is going on rapidly.

Mehiläinen took a total of 145 samples and out of them 23 were British coronavirus variants.