The Finnish public health authority said Monday that the swine influenza epidemic had passed its peak in Finland.

Petri Ruutu of the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said the epidemic had definitely peaked, with signs of it beginning to subside.

He added that the number of confirmed swine flu cases had not risen over the past couple of weeks.

The THL said the number of swine flu patients admitted to hospital was falling.

All but one of the 12 people whose death has been linked to swine flu in Finland had been ill before contracting the virus.

Ville Valtonen, an infectious disease specialist at theHelsinki and Uusimaa hospital district (HUS) told the Finnish News Agency (STT) that 122 patients were receiving hospital care for swine flu in an around the capital, down from last week's peak of 148.

Hospitals in Kuopio and Pirkanmaa said the number of swine flu patients was falling there as well.

STT
Lehtikuva - Martti Kainulainen