The swine influenza epidemic is declining - new cases are expected to emerge all through the winter

The peak of the influenza A(H1N1)v infections, i.e. swine influenza epidemic has been passed everywhere in Finland.  The numbers of influenza patients treated in health centres, hospitals and intensive care departments have dropped to the usual levels during the cold season.  Special arrangements in health care, such as influenza units, exceptional bed-ward arrangements and postponements of scheduled surgeries in order to ensure sufficient intensive care, have been dismantled by local decisions according to the situation.

Cases of influenza typically occur all through the cold season, the so-called influenza season, from November to April.  It is to be expected that a number of people will still contract swine influenza in the next few months.  The next wave of the epidemic will be essentially affected by how great a proportion of the population have protective immunity against swine influenza.   If the vaccination coverage of the population remains low, the next wave of the epidemic will most probably emerge during the cold season, by April or next autumn at the latest.