55,500 COVID infections diagnosed in 1 week, 138 deaths in 2 weeks

About 55,500 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Finland between 10 and 16 January, compared to more than 57,400 new cases in the previous week, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a joint press release on Thursday.

Meanwhile, on 19 January, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,762. In the last 14 days (6–19 January 2022), a total of 138 deaths were reported.

People over 70 years of age accounted for 87 per cent of the deaths.

The burden on inpatient specialised healthcare remains high. The burden on inpatient primary healthcare is also increasing rapidly.

In the last two calendar weeks (between 3 and 16 January 2022), the incidence of new cases was 2,030 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 1,190 in the preceding two-week period.

This means that the number of new infections has nearly doubled since the end of December.

On Wednesday, there were 360 inpatients in specialised healthcare, while on 12 January, the number was 372.

The total number of patients in intensive care was 64, compared to 61 in the week before.

Between 10 and 16 January, a total of 60 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care, while in the preceding four weeks, the number varied between 36 and 60 per week. It is estimated that 20 per cent of all COVID-19 inpatients in specialised healthcare were receiving hospital care mainly for some other reason. The percentage for patients in intensive care was 17.

On Wednesday, the total number of confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in all hospital district was 784. The cases were identified by sequencing. Omicron is becoming or has become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in most regions. There are still many cases being reported even among vaccinated people, but the number of vaccinated people receiving hospital care has not increased nearly as much.

Meanwhile, by 19 January, 86.5 per cent of people in Finland who are 18 years of age or over had received at least one vaccine dose, 83.6 per cent at least two vaccine doses and 44.7 per cent three vaccine doses.

The number of COVID-19 tests continues to be high, and positive test results have increased in number. Between 10 and 16 January, the number of tests performed was about 173,000, and 32 per cent of all these samples tested positive, compared to 29 per cent in the week before.

The whole of Finland continues to match the characteristics of a community transmission area.