“The difference with previous waves of epidemics is that infections are very unevenly distributed among the population.”
The incidence of coronavirus infections in the last two weeks was 199 cases per 100,000 population, an increase of 57 over the previous two weeks. In the week ending November 14, a record number of 5,900 infections were found, and about 6 percent of all tests were positive.
It is encouraging that people are being tested more easily than before, which reduces the likelihood of undetected infections.
Developments have strained hospital resources throughout Finland. 137 of the 13 bedridden patients were admitted to special treatment and 31 to intensive care on 14 November. last week. Covid-19 patients have already been transferred from one hospital to another to secure access to resources.
– The coming weeks will show whether this is a random fluctuation or whether we are talking about a rising trend, Voipio-Pulkki said.
He added that the strain on intensive care is manageable despite the relatively long duration of hospital stays, with a capacity of 40-50 patients. The situation has also begun to strain the wards of health centers.
“It’s also risen relatively sharply,” he said. “It reflects the fact that when an elderly person gets coronavirus disease, even if it’s not too severe, his or her ability to function may deteriorate so much that he or she can no longer cope with his or her normal living environment.”
More than half of the hospital districts have defined themselves as community distribution areas.
Experts also reiterated that the burden of hospital resources is mainly due to unvaccinated adults, stressing that only 14 percent of patients 12 years of age and older, but about 70 percent of hospitalized patients, are unvaccinated.
“Without vaccination, the risk of needing hospital care is 19 times higher [and] The need for intensive care is up to 33 times higher, “he said Anna Katz, project manager at THL.
The increase in vaccination coverage has clearly slowed for both the first and second injections. Mia Kontio, Chief Expert, THL. However, the target of 80 per cent coverage for people over 12 years of age has been achieved in almost all hospital districts in Finland.
“Coverage is not good enough to stop the epidemic,” he recalled.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT