Here’s our evening round-up of the latest coronavirus news from Finland:
- Latest virus numbers
- Supply Agency management team members suspended
- Blood service calls for donations epidemic
- Government’s seasonal work scheme appeal
- Police threaten fines for teens after Pori mass gathering
Latest coronavirus numbers
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL reports there are now 3,064 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Finland - that’s up 90 from the previous day. There have also been 59 deaths from Covid-19, an increase of three from yesterday.
The majority of cases are still to be found in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, where travel restrictions to try and halt the spread of the virus are in place until the weekend.
THL says they have more detailed information on 37 of the patients who died - their median age is 81-years old, and 70% of the deaths are in men and 30% women.
Around the country on Monday there are 230 patients in hospital getting medical care for coronavirus, and 74 are in intensive care beds.
Supply Agency’s management team members suspended
Two members of the management team at the National Emergency Supply Agency NESA have been suspended from their positions while an investigation is carried out into the purchase of faulty medical face masks.
The Director of NESA already resigned on Friday after admitting that proper background checks weren’t carried out into the companies or individuals behind two multi-million euro contracts to supply medical-grade face masks from China.
The next cargo plane full of protective equipment is due to arrive in Helsinki from China on Tuesday. The masks on board meet Chinese standards to be used in hospitals and although they will be tested in a Finnish laboratory, there is special dispensation to use them anyway, even if they don’t measure up to EU safety standards. Read more at our story here.
Blood service calls for donations during epidemic
The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service Veripalvelu is reminding people that it still needs donations of blood even during the coronavirus crisis.
Finland needs hundreds of blood donors every day during normal times, and although there is less need for blood products like red blood cells, platelets and plasma because many routine surgeries have been postponed, Veripalvelu still wants donors to make appointments.
Anyone who had a confirmed coronavirus test will have to wait 14 days before they can donate blood and healthcare experts say it will not weaken your immune system to donate blood. However, appointments should be made in advance during the epidemic. Read more at our story here.
Government’s seasonal work scheme appeal
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is advertising on social media for more people to take on seasonal agricultural work and make up a shortfall of foreign workers who would normally do the jobs.
“The coronavirus has cut off entry of foreign seasonal workers for Finnish farms” says the Ministry’s new seasonwork.fi website.
“Finnish farms are currently facing a severe shortage of labour for spring and summer seasonal work. Every available pair of hands is needed, in order to secure domestic food on Finnish dinner tables.”
The scheme is targeting people who have been laid off without a summer job, students, retired people, immigrants, and unemployed people. Some of the jobs could be picking berries, planting seedlings or harvesting other crops.
Police threaten fines for teens after Pori mass gathering
Police in southwest Finland say they could impose fines on young people after three days of mass gatherings over the Easter weekend.
Officers in Pori had to intervene when up to 100 young people got together in two locations – despite coronavirus rules that ban groups of more than 10 people.
It happened at an ABC petrol station and at a Prisma in Mikkola, and Southwest Finland Police say there were some scuffles among the various groups which could have been fueled by ethnic rivalries, and called it “childish and stupid.”
In a statement, officers urged parents to keep especially the younger children away from these sort of events, and that older children could “spend their time in some more useful activity.” Read more.
