One of the novelty cakes in the window of Ronttosrouva Bakery this week (Image: Lehtikuva)

AN ENTERPRISING HELSINKI BAKERY responded to a dramatic decline in orders this week by serving up something that is apparently in great demand; toilet paper. The staff at Ronttosrouva Bakery in Malmi began creating novelty cakes that look exactly like toilet roll, in a cheeky nod to the widespread panic buying of the product in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) says the government is constantly evaluating the necessity of measures introduced to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus. (Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva)

PRIME MINISTER Sanna Marin (SDP) stated to YLE on Wednesday that the lock-down of Uusimaa, the most populous region in Finland, is unlikely to be extended beyond the announced deadline of 19 April.

“I think that’s when it’ll also end. The disease situation is stabilising in different parts of the country, and I doubt this restriction will be extended,” she said on YLE's A-studio.

The new coronavirus has claimed lives in nursing homes in at least Espoo, Helsinki and Kiuruvesi, according to Helsingin Sanomat. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)

TWENTY-SIX ELDERLY PEOPLE have contracted and nine of them have died of the new coronavirus in nursing homes in Helsinki, reports Helsingin Sanomat.

The City of Helsinki confirmed late yesterday that infections have been detected in three city-owned facilities and three private facilities, assuring that it is doing its utmost to prevent the virus from spreading by isolating suspected carriers from other residents in a way that they feel as safe as possible.

The Finnish government limited travel in and out of Uusimaa, the most populous region of Finland, on 28 March in a bid to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus. (Jussi Nukari – Lehtikuva)

LASSE LEHTONEN, the director of diagnostic services at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), has questioned the government's readiness to lift the lockdown of Uusimaa, the most populous region of Finland, on 19 April.

“Maybe you should think about the issue carefully,” he stated on YLE’s Docventures on Wednesday.

Kirsi Varhila (left), the permanent state secretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and Tomi Lounema, the chief executive of the National Emergency Supply Agency, talked to members of the media in Helsinki on Wednesday, 8 April 2020. (Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva)

THE RESPIRATOR MASKS ordered from China by the National Emergency Supply Agency (HVK) to ensure the availability of protective equipment for social and health care staff combatting the coronavirus epidemic have proven sub-standard in terms of quality.

Tomi Lounema, the CEO of HVK, on Wednesday stated in a press conference that the respirator masks do not meet the standards for hospital use in Europe.

A shot looking over Mannerheimintie this afternoon (Image: Lehtikuva)

A COLLECTION OF IMAGES TAKEN ABOVE THE STREETS OF HELSINKI has highlighted the scale to which the COVID-19 virus has reshaped life in the Finnish capital.

Tomi Lounema, the CEO of the National Emergency Supply Agency (HVK), on Tuesday tweeted a photo of the first shipment of masks arriving at Helsinki Airport from China. The masks were later shown not to meet the standards for hospital use. (HVK)

THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY Supply Agency (HVK) has made a multimillion-euro agreement to purchase face masks from a company that has marketed them with a fake CE certificate, reports Helsingin Sanomat.

Tomi Lounema, the CEO of HVK, on Thursday stated in a press conference that the agency has made a five-million-euro purchase agreement with The Look Medical Care.

Firefighters tackle the remains of the blaze in central Porvoo this morning (Image: Lehtikuva)

A LARGE BLAZE RIPPED THROUGH an old building in the historic centre of Porvoo that had previously housed a music college. Authorities had received calls about a blaze on Porvoo's Raatihuoneenkatu, near Brunberg's old sweet factory, in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo (Greens) spoke at a press conference in Helsinki on Tuesday, 7 April 2020. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)

THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT decided in its extraordinary session this morning that the restrictions on cross-border travel will remain in place until 13 May, tells Maria Ohisalo (Greens), the Minister of the Interior.

Ohisalo on Tuesday said it is pivotal to safeguard not only elderly and other people vulnerable to the new coronavirus but also the critical care capacity, which is limited especially in northern parts of Finland.

the Espoo Parish Pastor prepares to give her sermon to an empty church (Image: Lehtikuva)

ESPOO CATHEDRAL HELD ITS ANNUAL MAUNDY THURSDAY service to an empty church today, instead choosing to broadcast the service via a live-stream to users in their homes. Social distancing measures necessitated by the spread of the COVID-19 virus has meant that churches are no longer accepting flocks. 

Jan Vapaavuori (NCP), the Mayor of Helsinki, says over a million nose and mouth masks are needed every week by social and health care professionals in the Finnish capital. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE RECENT OPENING of the national security of supply reserves has not mollified concerns about the availability of protective equipment for social and health care professionals in Finland, writes Helsingin Sanomat.

“The National Emergency Supply Agency will provide us with a small quantity of stuff, which won’t last long,” said Marina Erhola, the CEO of Päijät-Häme Joint Authority for Health and Wellbeing.

Slush 2019 was held at the Messukeskus exhibition center in Helsinki

In a press release published yesterday, Slush CEO Miika Huttunen announced that the main event of the yearly startup festival will not be held this year.

“We don’t know how the global coronavirus pandemic will evolve, what will happen over the next couple of weeks, let alone in November,” wrote Miikka Huttunen.  “While the annual main event here in Helsinki has always been our crown jewel, and the highlight of the year for our community, we have made the decision not to organise the Slush 2020 event.”

The coronavirus pandemic was the main focus of attention as the government convened for its framework session at the House of the Estates in Helsinki on Wednesday, 8 April. (Lauri Heikkinen – Office of the Finnish government)

THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT on Wednesday decided to set aside an additional 3.6 billion euros for benefits, subsidies and other forms of financial support necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Most of the financial support is to be directed at municipalities and businesses.

Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka (SDP) says any mobile solution for tracing coronavirus infections would have to be voluntary. (Mikko Stig – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER OF TRANSPORT and Communications Timo Harakka (SDP) has offered his thoughts on the possibility of utilising a mobile app to trace coronavirus infections in Finland.

Harakka on Monday explained in his blog that the objective is to utilise mobile phones and smartphones to identify people who have come into contact with a carrier before the carrier became aware of their infection and was ordered into quarantine.

Testing is key for relaxing and ultimately lifting the restrictions adopted to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus, reminds the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE FINNISH INSTITUTE for Health and Welfare (THL) revealed over the weekend that it is continuing to explore new solutions for tackling the coronavirus pandemic in Finland.

“We must have the readiness to revise our course based on new information. The situation picture and modellings are tools for foresight and assessing the effectiveness of measures. The country’s government makes the decisions,” tweeted Päivi Väyrynen, the head of communications at THL.