Situation update on coronavirus

Coronavirus COVID-19 – Latest Updates

Updated on Mon, 2 November at 14:50.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is closely monitoring the development of the epidemic. The situational review page is updated on weekdays and the corona map daily. Hospital districts report deaths associated with the disease and the number of patients in hospital and intensive care three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Finland’s situation in brief

Reported cases in total: 16,400 (+490*)
- On Saturday 31 October, 203 new cases were reported.
- On Sunday 1 November, 178 new cases were reported.
- On Monday 2 November, 109 new cases were reported.
Tested samples in total over 1,541,100 (+28,700*)
* The change in the total number of cases reported to the register compared to last Friday (30 October) is 490 cases. All cases are new and are distributed over a period of two weeks. The number of samples tested also describes the change in the total number of tests compared to last Friday. Sample counts may be adjusted retroactively to a more specific figure. Also see below for information on Reporting of data.
A total of 359 (+1**) deaths associated with the disease have been reported.
The number of people in hospital care in Finland is 70 (+12**)
The number of people in intensive care in Finland is 13 (+3**)
** The information was updated on Monday 2 November and show the change compared to Friday 30 October.
In relation to Finland’s total population (5,543,233), the prevalence of cases is 296 cases per 100,000 people.
During the most recent fourteen-day monitoring period (17–30 October) 2,533 new cases were diagnosed. The incidence of new cases in relation to the population was 45.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
During the previous fourteen-day monitoring period (3–16 October), the corresponding figures were 2,972 new cases, with an incidence of 53.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Reporting delays can affect the numbers stated for the most recent monitoring period.
Virus testing currently has a capacity is about 20,000 tests per day.
An estimated 11,300 people have recovered, which is about 70% of reported cases. The estimate is based on the follow-up of the observed cases over a period of three weeks (21 days). A person is considered to have recovered, when they do not have any follow-up data related to the progress of the illness after 3 weeks have passed from diagnosis. The estimate is updated once a week on Wednesdays, the estimate was last updated on 28 October.

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Information by region

The regional incidence will be monitored in the situation review for 14-day monitoring periods. A comparison of 14 day monitoring periods will reflect changes in incidence and the status of the epidemic over a longer period of time.

Regional incidence has changed as follows during the last 14 days (17–30 October) compared to the previous 14-day monitoring period (3–16 October):

Incidence has increased in 11/21 regions compared to the previous 14 days.
The largest number of new cases have been recorded in the hospital districts of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, North Ostrobothnia, Pirkanmaa, Vaasa, Kymenlaakso, Central Finland, North Savo and Kanta-Häme.
In the other regions where new cases have been diagnosed, there have been fewer cases, under fifty new cases per region during the latest monitoring 14-day monitoring period.
Incidence decreased or remained the same in 10/21 hospital districts.
New cases were diagnosed in all regions during the most recent 14-day monitoring period.

For more information on the regional epidemic situation by hospital district:
Regional restrictions and recommendations

People hospitalised due to coronavirus and deaths associated with the disease

Catchment area	Inpatient care	In intensive care	Hospitalised, total number	Deaths (cumulative)
Helsinki University Hospital catchment area	33	6	39	287
Kuopio University Hospital catchment area	5	3	8	25
Oulu University Hospital catchment area	7	3	10	14
Tampere University Hospital catchment area	5	0	5	11
Turku University Hospital catchment area + Åland	7	1	8	22
Nationwide total	57	13	70	359

The table shows the number of patients that have been hospitalised due to COVID-19 and the number of deaths associated with the disease by catchment area. The figures are based on information reported by the hospital districts. The patient situation is reported by catchment area to ensure patient privacy. Turku University Hospital catchment area also includes data for Åland. Information has been updated on 2 November.

The graph shows the number of people in hospital care and intensive care in Finland.

The graph shows the number of people in hospital care and intensive care in Finland. The figures are based on information reported by the hospital districts. The information was updated on 2 November. More detailed information on the number of patients in hospital and intensive care by catchment area is presented in the table Person hospitalised due to coronavirus and deaths associated with the disease.

About intensive care

A national office for the coordination of intensive care headed by the Kuopio University Hospital (KUS) maintains the national situational picture on intensive care (in Finnish).
Monthly reports provide more information on intensive care capacity, treatment periods, age and gender distribution and on the previous health status of patients.
Situation update on intensive care on 28/10/2020 (Office coordinating intensive care, in Finnish)

Coronavirus-related deaths

Until Wednesday 28 October, the National Infectious Diseases Register has accumulated information on 356 fatalities and more detailed information is available on these. Of them, 49 percent were men and 51 percent were women. The median age of the deceased is 84.

The graph shows the age distribution of the deceased whose deaths were related to COVID-19.

The graph shows the age distribution of the deceased whose deaths were related to COVID-19. The protection of privacy has been taken into account in the breakdown of age groups. For example, if there are 1–4 cases, the number is reported in the statistic as <5, and is shown in the graph with a light grey of a standard size. No further information will be given on these cases. Data source Infectious Diseases Register. The information is updated once a week on Wednesdays. The information has been updated on 28 October.

More detailed information on where the deceased had been treated immediately prior to their death has been collected from hospital districts on all 359 individuals:
Of the deceased, 21 per cent were in specialised medical care, 36 per cent in primary health care units, 42 per cent in social welfare 24-hour units and 1 per cent at home or elsewhere.
The majority (over 95 percent) of the deceased persons for whom more detailed health information is available had one or more long-term illnesses.
The coronavirus epidemic has not increased total mortality in Finland. Deaths of working-age people are very rare, and no deaths of children and young people have been diagnosed in Finland.
The corona map has also information on deaths related to COVID-19 according to the date of death, and on the age distribution of the deceased.

Indicators on the effectiveness of Finland's hybrid strategy

The effectiveness of Finland's hybrid strategy in combating the coronavirus epidemic is monitored using epidemiological, medical, and functional indicators.
The monitoring report by the Situational Picture and Modelling Working Group appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is published once a week on the THL website:
- Monitoring of the coronavirus (in Finnish)
- Situation assessment report, 28 October 2020 (pdf, 1.4 MB, in Finnish)

The current status of the epidemic in other countries

We update the current status of the epidemic in other countries once a week on Wednesday. You can look at the global situation daily from the links below.
Globally, the incidence of new cases is currently highest on the American continents and in Europe and Russia. During the past month, especially Europe has reported an increase in cases.
In Europe, the largest number of new cases in relation to population have been reported in Belgium, Czech Republic, Luxemburg, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein and France.
In Finland's neighbouring areas, incidence rates have risen in nearly all countries, mostly in Lithuania, Russia, Latvia and Denmark.
A total of more than 189,000 cases of coronavirus and approximately 7,200 deaths associated with the disease have been reported in the Nordic countries.
Number of cases in different countries (WHO)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak (WHO)
Numbers of cases in European countries (WHO)
A summary of cases diagnosed in Europe on the ECDC website.
COVID-19 (ECDC)

The graph shows the incidence of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in the Nordic countries, Baltic states and Russia for the two previous 14-day monitoring periods.

The graph shows the incidence of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in the Nordic countries, Baltic states and Russia for the two previous 14-day monitoring periods. The direction and colour of the arrow indicate a decrease (Green) or an increase (Red) in incidence. If the incidence has remained the same, it is shown in the graph with a green arrowhead. The graph's cases have been listed according to their reporting date based on publicly available information the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The graph is updated once a week on Wednesdays for the situation update. Graph updated on 28 October.

Reporting of information

Hospital districts report the numbers for patients in hospital care and deaths associated with the disease.
New cases are reported to the National Infectious Diseases Register according to the date the sample was taken.
- The reported new cases can be spread over several days due to reporting delays. Delays can be related to, for example, the recording of samples and data transfer.
- The National Infectious Diseases Register automatically combines physician’s reports and laboratory reports concerning the same person into a single case. As data is combined, daily case numbers may change and become more specific,
- Information may also change regionally, if more background information is available on persons and the cases are then recorded in another area.
- All confirmed COVID-19 cases are reported to the National Infectious Diseases Register regardless of where the cases are treated.
- The National Infectious Diseases Register (NIDR) retrieves information on deaths from the Population Information System on all cases recorded in the NIDR. It is estimated that COVID-19 has been involved in the chain of events leading to the death, if a person with a positive COVID-19 test result has died within one month after the initial sample collection. The estimated total number of deaths associated with the disease recorded in the National Infectious Diseases Register may differ from the numbers reported by hospital districts.
Tested samples are reported according to their date of analysis.
- Laboratories report the number of tested samples to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare by hospital district. Data on sample numbers may also change when these are checked and specified retrospectively.