250 new coronavirus deaths reported in 2 weeks in Finland

The coronavirus death toll in the country has reached 2,012 till Wednesday as a total of 250 new deaths were reported in the last two weeks (19 January–2 February), said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a joint press release on Thursday.

The authorities, however, did not mention the number of total infections in the last week. In the previous week (17 January to 23 January) about 52,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Finland.

People over 70 years of age accounted for 82 per cent of the deaths in the last two weeks.

On 2 February, there were 343 inpatients in specialised healthcare, while on 26 January, the number was 350.

The total number of patients in intensive care was 38, compared to 48 in the week before.

Between 24 and 30 January, a total of 38 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care, while in the preceding two weeks, the number varied between 35 and 60.

An estimated 23 per cent of all COVID-19 patients on ordinary wards in specialised healthcare were admitted for some other reason than COVID-19. The percentage was 21 for intensive care.

Although there are many cases being reported among vaccinated people, vaccines continue to be very effective in preventing severe forms of the disease. It is recommended that particularly people aged 60 or over and those belonging to risk groups take a third vaccine dose.

By 2 February, 87.4 per cent of people in Finland who are 18 years of age or over had received at least one vaccine dose, 84.7 per cent at least two vaccine doses and 55.3 per cent three vaccine doses.