This virus doesn’t recognize political affiliations or ethnicity…
Coronavirus latest: 626 confirmed cases in Finland, Finnair bars passengers with symptoms, ski centres close early, ex-President’s wife tests positive
This article includes the latest updates on the novel coronavirus outbreak in Finland.
- The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Finland stood at 626 as of Sunday afternoon (22.3)
- THL reported on Saturday (21.3) that one elderly individual had died of coronavirus in the HUS hospital district
- Nordic states are cooperating to fly stranded citizens home
- Ski centres move forward planned closures
- Former President Martti Ahtisaari’s wife Eeva tests positive for coronavirus
- Finnair says it won’t board passengers with Covid-19 symptoms
23.3 9:15
Monday’s newspaper press continues to be focused on the corornavirus situation, with articles including questions about what possible travel restrictions within the country could mean in practice, and an appeal from local government leaders in Lapland for the government to order bars and nightclubs to shut down.
22.3 18:10 Finnair to bar passengers with Covid-19 symptoms from flights
National airline Finnair said on Sunday that it will not board passengers with Covid-19 symptoms. Covid-19 is the disease caused by novel coronavirus.
The airline is also calling on all passengers returning to Finland to isolate themselves for two weeks.
22.3 17:10 Restaurants call for gov’t bailout
Sweeping restrictions introduced to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus have hit restaurants hard, according to the hospitality industry lobby group, MaRa.
CEO Timo Lappi described the situation as “alarming” and noted that as of Sunday morning restaurants reported a drop in income of between 80 and 90 percent. Some restaurants have already gone out of business, he added.
“The government provided assistance last Friday, but in many restaurants the cash registers are running low. [Owners’] capital has evaporated. They can’t even afford to borrow. We need direct [financial] support from the state that we don’t have to pay back,” Lappi urged.
22.3. 16:45 Gov’t turns to influencers for help
The Finnish government has reached out to social media influencers to help disseminate facts about what to do during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The administrations hopes that familiar faces on social media will help make official information easier to understand. It also aims to share guidelines and to curb the possibility of rumour-mongering on social platforms.
22.3 15:50 Ex-President’s spouse tests positive for coronavirus
Eeva Ahtisaari, the wife of former President Martti Ahtisaari, has tested positive for novel coronavirus, according to the Office of the President.
Ahtisaari, who is 82, is said to be doing well, as is her husband. Martti Ahtisaari, who was president from 1994 to 2000, was also reportedly in good shape and was not exhibiting any signs of infection.
22.3. klo 14:15 THL confirms 626 cornoavirus cases
Finland now has 626 lab-confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, according to a fresh update from the Finnish institute of health and welfare, THL. The institute said that 105 new cases were diagnosed on Sunday.
THL said that 43 patients were receiving hospital treatment, with 12 of them in intensive care.
