But there is headway being made on the cure for this deadly virus. Just last night Fox’s Tucker Carlson reported that Dr.Jacob Glanville discovering antibodies that render the virus unable to infect healthy cells.
Coronavirus latest: Over 1,600 cases in Finland, jobless benefits for entrepreneurs
This article includes the latest updates on the novel coronavirus outbreak in Finland.
- 1,615 infections confirmed as of Friday morning (3.4), up by nearly 100 from the day before
- THL reports 20 fatalities, with 180 patients in hospital, of whom 72 in intensive care (as of Friday afternoon 3.4)
- Hospitals supplied with expired face masks
- Education minister aims to ensure pupils attend online classes
- Finland expands tight protocols to passengers arriving by sea
- Unemployment benefit to cover entrepreneurs
3.4 18:47 Second-largest media group furloughs 2,000
The media group Keskisuomalainen announced on Friday afternoon that it will temporarily lay off about 2,000 employees for up to three months each. At this point, the company plans to implement the furloughs between now and July.
Keskisuomalainen is Finland’s second-largest commercial media group. It publishes 16 daily newspapers including Savon Sanomat, Keski-Uusimaa and the Jyväskylä daily that bears its name, as well as more than 50 local papers and digital news media outlets.
3.4 15:54 Kesko announces 2,000 furloughs due to coronavirus
Retailing group Kesko is planning temporary layoffs of around 2,000 of its employees in coming months, due to reductions in workload caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak, the company announced in a release issued Friday.
The firm said a total of 2,500 Kesko employees in its business and support operations would be affected by various temporary arrangements and that the maximum duration of the planned furloughs would be 90 days. Some of the temporary layoffs will be part-time, according to the company.
The firm said similar adjustments were to be made in its operations in Sweden, Norway, Poland and the Baltic countries. Kesko employs around 12,000 people in Finland and a similar number abroad.
3.4 15:42 Death toll up to 20
The number of people who have died from coronavirus-related complications in Finland has doubled in less than a week. On Friday afternoon the national health agency THL said the death toll had reached 20, up from nine on Friday 28 March.
It said that 1,615 cases have been confirmed by laboratory tests, up by 97 from a day earlier. The number of tests carried out rose by around 1 ,100 since Thursday to a total of some 26,500.
The THL says it only knows the age of 16 of those who have died. They range between 56 and 101, with a median age of 84.
A total of 180 patients are in hospital, 72 of them in intensive care.
3.4 11:55 Finland to slash maximum interest on payday loans
Finland has announced it will halve the maximum interest firms can charge on short-term loans to ten percent, and ban them from marketing by SMS.
“Around 400,000 Finns have bad credit records,” said justice minister Anna-Maja Henriksson at a press conference in Helsinki.
“In this situation it is probable that the number will rise. That’s why it is necessary to further reduce the maximum interest rate firms can charge on loans. It is important to preserve the chance to take small loans, so we are halving the maximum interest rate on payday loans.”
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