COVID-19 patients in hospitals on rise

A total of 137 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to specialised healthcare between 8 and 14 November, while in the preceding five-week period, the number varied between 110 and 135, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a joint press release on Thursday.

Last week, 31 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care, while in the preceding week, the figure was 20.

At the end of last week, the total number of patients in specialised healthcare was 147, of whom 110 were in inpatient care and 37 in intensive care.

Between August and October, unvaccinated people were 19 times more likely to be admitted to specialised healthcare and 33 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care than vaccinated people.

On 17 November 2021, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,236.

The incidence of new COVID-19 cases between 1 and 14 November was 199 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period (18–31 October), the figure was 142 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Last week, about 5,900 new cases were reported in Finland, while in the preceding week, there were about 5,200 new cases.

About 95,200 COVID-19 tests were taken last week. The proportion of positive cases of all these samples was 6.2 per cent.

In mid-October, the weekly number of tests carried out was around 77,600, after which the number of tests has grown steadily. The proportion of positive cases of all samples taken in mid-October was 4.8 per cent, and even this figure has grown steadily since then.

Meanwhile, about 80.6 per cent of people aged 12 or over have been vaccinated twice.

On 17 November, 86.2 per cent of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination in Finland, i.e. people who are 12 years of age or over, had received at least their first vaccine dose.