MSAH and THL informs
Number of COVID-19 patients in hospital care continues to rise — 74 per cent of people aged 12 or over have been vaccinated twice

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

14.10.2021 10.00 | Published in English on 14.10.2021 at 15.34

Press release 301

On 13 October, 85 per cent of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination in Finland, i.e. people who are 12 years of age or over, had received at least one vaccine dose and 74 per cent two vaccine doses. According to the current estimate, it is still possible to achieve 80 per cent vaccination coverage by the end of October, if the increase in the vaccine uptake does not slow down.

Between 4 and 10 October, there were a total of 109 new COVID-19 inpatients in specialised healthcare. Over the past four weeks, the weekly number of new COVID-19 inpatients in specialised healthcare has gone up from 60 to 109. Last week, there were 22 new inpatients in intensive care, which is the same as the week before.

The decrease in testing which we have seen over the past several weeks has now slowed down. To curb the epidemic, the most important thing now is to work towards achieving the highest possible level of vaccination coverage and to promote health security practices at the local and regional levels. The regional epidemiological situation may also require that guidance by information be provided comprehensively in regions or municipalities and recommendations or restrictions that are more stringent than the national guidelines be issued.

On 10 October, the total number of inpatients in specialised healthcare was 124, with 29 of them being inpatients in intensive care. Over the past two weeks, the number of inpatients has grown particularly in other wards in specialised healthcare. To reduce the need for hospital care, the vaccine uptake would have to increase and the number of new cases fall substantially. On 13 October 2021, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,111.

The risk of being hospitalised to receive specialised healthcare is significantly higher for unvaccinated people than for those who have been vaccinated twice. Over the last two-week period, unvaccinated people between the ages of 12 to 79 who have COVID-19 have received specialised healthcare 19 times more often than those in the same age group who have been vaccinated twice. The risk of being hospitalised to receive specialised healthcare has been highest among unvaccinated people aged 50−79. The risk is 24 times higher for them than for those in the same age group who have been vaccinated twice.

The incidence of new COVID-19 cases over the last two-week period was 140 per 100,000 inhabitants. This is over 30 per cent more than in the preceding two-week period when the incidence of cases was 105 per 100,000 inhabitants. However, the weekly number of new COVID-19 cases has remained almost the same for the past two weeks.

By analysing wastewater, it is possible to monitor changes in the incidence of COVID-19 almost throughout Finland. During the most recent monitoring period, the virus was detected in lower amounts at most sampling sites when compared to the amounts detected in the previous weeks.

The amended guidelines on testing have affected the number of conducted COVID-19 tests. The number of tests conducted between 4 and 10 October was only about 1,900 fewer than the week before. Lower testing volumes, targeting of testing and possible undetected cases of COVID-19 in the population have been reflected as an increase in the percentage of positive cases in recent weeks. The proportion of positive cases of all samples taken between 4 and 10 October was 5 per cent. The figure is about the same as the week before when it was 4.9 per cent.

The epidemiological situation is monitored weekly. The monitoring report of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare is published on the Institute’s webpage ‘Monitoring reports on the hybrid strategy’ on Thursday afternoons.

Inquiries:

Mia Kontio, Chief Specialist, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, firstname.lastname@thl.fi
Pasi Pohjola, Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, firstname.lastname@gov.fi
Mika Salminen, Director, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, firstname.lastname@thl.fi
Otto Helve, Chief Physician, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, firstname.lastname@thl.fi

MSAH and THL informs Number of COVID-19 patients in hospital care continues to rise — 74 per cent of people aged 12 or over have been vaccinated twice

Inquiries:

MSAH and THL informs
Number of COVID-19 patients in hospital care continues to rise — 74 per cent of people aged 12 or over have been vaccinated twice