Wednesday 3 November 2021

The translated version of the coronavirus review for Lapland is published weekly.

You still need to take a coronavirus test even when experiencing the mildest of symptoms, if you have the risk of being infected with a severe case of the coronavirus disease, or if you may have been exposed to the coronavirus, or you are employed in the social and health sector.

Links pertaining to the current situation:
Lapland’s official instructions for travellers who suspect they may have caught the coronavirus  Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL): Travel and the coronavirus pandemic
Additional guidelines, current recommendations, and restrictions for hospital districts
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL): Progress with COVID-19 vaccinations

Lapland Hospital District

(information as of 3 November at 15:05)

The Lapland Hospital District is in the baseline phase of the epidemic.

The incidence rate based on the last two weeks (18–31 October) is 41.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.
The incidence rate based on one week (25–31 October) is 27.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.
This incidence rate also includes cases of patients who live outside the Lapland Hospital District area. For this reason, the figure can differ from that announced by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) that does not count those living outside of Lapland.  

Eight infections reported this week

During this week, eight (2) new cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed. Cases of infection have been detected in Rovaniemi and Kittilä, with many of these infections being with people who got infected outside the hospital district.

Last week (week no. 43, 25–31 October), a total of 32 new coronavirus infections were confirmed in the Lapland Hospital District. A total of 1,649 coronavirus tests were taken in the Lapland Hospital District last week, with 1,546 of these being rapid antigen tests. The proportion of positive test cases in relation to the total number of tests taken was 1.94 percent.

By 1 November, 75.7 percent of the total population of the Lapland Hospital District have received the first dose of the vaccine and 70.0 percent have received the second dose.
Of the total population of Finland, 75.4 percent have received the first dose of the vaccine and 69.4 percent have received the second dose.

List of exposure sites for the last two weeks (updated on Wednesday 3 November)

• Thursday 21 October Sinetän K-market, Rovaniemi at 8:00–8:30
• Thursday 21 October Lunch buffet restaurant Da Zhong Hua, Rovaniemi at 12:00–13:00
• Thursday 21 October Ranua Zoo, info building restaurant at 11:30–13:00
• Saturday 23 October Lidl Teollisuuskylä, Rovaniemi at 9:30–10:30
• Saturday 23 October Rantavitikan Sale, Rovaniemi at around 12:00–12:30
• Saturday 23 October Tehdasasu, Rovaniemi at around 13:00–13:45
• Saturday 23 October Minimani, Rovaniemi at 17:30–18:15
• Sunday 24 October Rovaniemi’s main church at 10:00–12:00
• Sunday 24 October Tokmanni Rovaniemi Eteläkeskus at 15:45–16:15
• Thursday 28 October K-Supermarket Kauppatori, Rovaniemi at 8:30–9:00
• Thursday 28 October Prisma, Rovaniemi at 19:15–19:45 
• Friday 29 October Prisma Rovaniemi at 9:30–10:30
• Friday 29 October Minimani Rovaniemi at 11:00–11:30
• Friday 29 October Rovaniemi Police Station passport and permit office at 11:00–11:30
• Night between Friday–Saturday 29–30 October Oliver’s Corner Irish Pub, Rovaniemi at 22:00–4:00 
• Saturday 30 October Sokos, Rovaniemi at 10:35–11:00
• Saturday 30 October Kotipizza Pohjolankatu, Rovaniemi at 18:30–19:45
• Saturday 30 October Scanburger (Koskikatu), Rovaniemi at 4:00–5:00
• Saturday 30 October Santa’s Pizza & Burger, Rovaniemi at 16:00–17:00 (new)
• Saturday 30 October Restaurant Comico, Rovaniemi at 16:00–18:00
• Saturday 30 October Rovaniemen Asemaravintola at around 19:30–20:00 (new)  
• Saturday 30 October Uitto Pub, Rovaniemi at 21:00–23:00
• Night between Saturday–Sunday 30–31 October Oliver’s Corner Irish Pub, Rovaniemi at 23:00–4:00
• Sunday 31 October Kotipizza Koskikatu, Rovaniemi at 4:00–5:00
• Sunday 31 October Prisma, Rovaniemi at 11:45–12:15
• Sunday 31 October Shell Rovaniemi Erottaja at around 15:00–16:00 (new)
• Sunday 31 October Prisma, Rovaniemi at 16:00–17:00
• Monday 1 November Ruokahuone Mariza, Rovaniemi at 10:00–14:00
• Tuesday 2 November Minimani Rovaniemi at 17:00–18:00 (new)

It is recommended that all visitors in those locations at the times mentioned monitor their own health and seek a COVID-19 test, even if experiencing the slightest of symptoms.

Number of positive coronavirus tests confirmed in the Lapland Hospital District by week

Week no. 42 (11–17 October): 16 cases
Week no. 43 (18–24 October): 32 cases
Week no. 44 (current week): Eight (8) cases (as of 3 November at 15:05)

The total number of cases confirmed in the Lapland Hospital District on the basis of coronavirus tests conducted at testing stations is 1,625. This figure also includes persons living outside the area.

Infection Control Unit

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Länsi-Pohja Hospital District

(information as of 3 November at 10:35)
The coronavirus review for the Länsi-Pohja Hospital District is mainly published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Länsi-Pohja Hospital District is currently in the acceleration phase of the epidemic.

The incidence rate continues to rise – there is a strong recommendation for remote working and an equally strong recommendation for using face masks being introduced

A total of 26 new cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the Länsi-Pohja Hospital District this week. The Länsi-Pohja Central Hospital currently has coronavirus patients in hospital care. There are currently no coronavirus patients in intensive care. There are no fully vaccinated patients in hospital care.

75% of last week’s 60 infections were successfully traced. Quarantine started last week for a total of 800 people.

The transition to the community transmission phase will be assessed next week – will the COVID-19 vaccination passport be introduced in Länsi-Pohja?

Today, the communicable diseases physicians in Meri-Lappi have convened a meeting to handle the epidemic situation in the region. The incidence rate has been constantly on the increase. The incidence rate for two weeks is 160 per 100,000 inhabitants and this figure represents the highest rate for the entire duration of the pandemic.

The transition to the community transmission phase and the introduction of restrictions will be assessed at the meeting of the Pandemic Working Group that will convene on 10 November 2021. Several infectious chains have emerged from bars and the area is assessing the need to introduce restaurant restrictions and the use of the COVID-19 vaccination passport.

A strong recommendation for remote working and an equally strong recommendation for using face masks will be implemented across the entire Länsi-Pohja area. The use of face masks is recommended for any close contact situations in the workplace and educational institutions, starting at the secondary school level. This form of protection is particularly important for people with inadequate vaccination protection.

Do not go to work or school if you are feeling ill, and even if you experience the mildest of symptoms you should avoid all contact with other people and seek a coronavirus test.

Quarantine practices for schoolchildren are being changed. The aim is to ensure that the education of children and young people experience as little school interruption as possible. In the future, the main focus on exposure situations will be on leisure time contact of primary and secondary school pupils. The aim is to avoid quarantine of entire classes and to focus only on high-risk situations at the discretion of the infectious disease physician. The change does not apply to any previously commenced quarantine.

The safe coronavirus vaccine is recommended for all people over 12 years of age. The vaccine does not completely prevent infection, but provides very effective protection against serious illness related to the COVID-19 infection.

Number of positive coronavirus tests confirmed in the Länsi-Pohja Hospital District by week

Week no. 42 (18–24 October): 44 cases
Week no. 43 (25–31 October): 60 cases
Week no. 44 (current week): 26 cases (as of 3 November at 10:35)

The total number of cases confirmed in the Länsi-Pohja Hospital District on the basis of coronavirus tests conducted at testing stations is 1,219.

Infection Control Unit

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