The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet, even though the restrictions are being lifted. The strong mask recommendation and the remote working and remote conferencing recommendations will remain in force until at least the end of March.
The regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup of South Karelia met on 15 February 2022 and stated that the spreading of the Omicron variant is not slowing down but is gathering momentum in South Karelia. The increased number of patients puts a strain on specialised healthcare at the central hospital.
─ The spreading of the Omicron variant has not yet peaked in South Karelia: instead, the number of infections continues to increase. The epidemic situation is still intensive in the region, which puts a strain on specialised healthcare, says chief infectious diseases physician Pekka Suomalainen.
─ Unvaccinated people, in particular, are being admitted to hospital care. There are COVID-19 patients on specialised healthcare wards and in intensive care. In the past month, a total of 4,064 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases were diagnosed, of which 2,809 concerned persons aged 18 years or older.
Unvaccinated persons admitted to hospital care are younger than vaccinated patients
Between 11 January and 14 February 2022, 81 percent of persons with no COVID-19 vaccinations that were admitted to hospital care were admitted there due to a coronavirus infection; only 19 percent were admitted to hospital care for some other reason and tested to be COVID-19 positive. Of persons who have received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and were admitted to hospital care, 58 percent were admitted there due to a coronavirus infection and were roughly twenty years older (i.e., 75 years) than the unvaccinated patients. In addition to unvaccinated persons being younger than vaccinated persons who are admitted to the hospital, the latter often have an underlying condition that increases the risk of a COVID-19 infection.
─ The K4 ward of the central hospital has, for the time being, been able to treat all patients, says Pekka Suomalainen.
The number of new COVID-19 cases is still increasing in the region
─ The incidence rate of the coronavirus has been rising constantly, and this trend is expected to continue for at least this week. No signs of easing are currently visible. This week, the number of infections was 20 percent higher than in the previous week: during week 6, roughly 3,800 samples were taken, which is roughly 600 more than in week 5. Of all the tests taken, roughly 33 percent were positive, says the senior physician Sami Raasakka in his review.
─ The current 14-day incidence rate is 1,774.2 per 100,000 residents. The number of positive test results seems to be increasing every week. Some people take a home test first and have the result confirmed with an official PCR test. It is delightful, however, that the number of infections has remained at a lower level among the elder population.
─ The progress of vaccinations has slowed down significantly in recent weeks. A relatively large part of the population has been vaccinated and many have also caught the virus by now. However, it is hoped that people would still have themselves vaccinated, so that the situation would ease in the region.
The number of people who have been tested positive by means of a PCR test in South Karelia during the pandemic is currently over 9,100, of whom 5,000 were tested this year.
The situation assessment workgroup recommends that the remote working and remote conferencing recommendation be continued until the end of March due to the accelerating epidemic situation in the region.
A decision based on section 58(d) of the Communicable Diseases Act (requirements for the use of premises intended for customers and participants) will remain valid until Sunday 20 February 2022. The situation will be reviewed again, if the regional situation continues to be worrisome as regards the number of infections. However, the situation assessment workgroup recommends that the remote working and remote conferencing practices be extended until the end of March. Each workplace will, naturally, determine their own practices. The strong mask recommendation will also remain in force.
─ The pandemic is not over yet, even though the restrictions are being lifted. The strong mask recommendation and the remote working and remote conferencing recommendation will remain in force due to the regional situation at least until the end of March, reminds the chair of the situation assessment workgroup Tuula Karhula.
The next meeting of the regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup will be held on Tuesday 22 February 2022.
Additional information for the media:
Tuula Karhula, chair of the situation assessment workgroup, tel. +358 40 194 4936, [email protected]
The South Karelian COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup includes representatives of the South Karelia Social and Health Care District, the municipalities, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Regional State Administrative Agency, and the local ELY Centre. In addition to the number of and the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the severity of the epidemic situation depends, e.g., on the traceability of infection chains and whether the virus was acquired within or from outside the region. The epidemic situation can change rapidly locally or regionally, even when the national situation is stable. The local COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup meets every other week, unless more frequent meetings are required.
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