The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Tuesday said traces of the new coronavirus were found in its weekly wastewater studies in Helsinki and Turku, but not in Kuopio, Oulu or Tampere. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE FINNISH INSTITUTE for Health and Welfare (THL) has released the latest results of its weekly wastewater analyses in Helsinki, Kuopio, Oulu, Tampere and Turku.

THL on Tuesday reported that traces of the new coronavirus were detected in samples collected at water treatment facilities in Helsinki and Turku, but not those in Kuopio, Oulu or Tampere, between 24 and 25 May.

Almost 185,000 samples have been tested for the new coronavirus in Finland. (Jussi Nukari – Lehtikuva)

RECENT INCREASES in the number of coronavirus infections have re-kindled concerns about the epidemic situation in Finland.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has reported that the number of laboratory-confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 33 to 6,859 between Saturday and Sunday. The number was reported to have increased by 51 between Wednesday and Thursday and 64 between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Nordea expects the Finnish economy to contract by seven per cent in 2020 but rebound with a growth spurt of four per cent in 2021. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)

THE FINNISH ECONOMY, along with several other economies, is gradually starting to recover from the nosedive triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent, almost overnight change in consumer behaviour, views Nordea.

The Nordic financial services provider states in its latest forecast that the economy will contract by seven per cent this year but recoup some of the losses with a growth spurt of four per cent next year.

Minister of Finance Katri Kulmuni (left), Prime Minister Sanna Marin (centre) and Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo (right) shed light on the Finnish government’s fourth supplementary budget of the year in a press conference in Helsinki on Tuesday, 2 June 2020. (Antti Aimo-Koivisto – Lehtikuva)

THE GOVERNMENT of Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) has unveiled its fourth supplementary budget of the year, earmarking a total of 5.5 billion euros for various purposes.

Marin on Tuesday reminded that the social and economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on the livelihood and daily lives of people, the operating preconditions of businesses, and the development of the national economy.

Pekka Puustinen, a state undersecretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, spoke about the situation of Finnish nationals in al-Hol, Syria, in Helsinki on 11 December 2019. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

OFFICIALS at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs have confirmed that three Finnish mothers and nine children returned yesterday to Finland from al-Hawl, a detention camp set up for the women and children of the so-called Islamic State in Syria.

The women and children are currently in the care of social and health care officials and under the supervision of law enforcement officials.

The European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen spoke during a plenary session in the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, 27 May 2020. (Kenzo Tribouillard – AFP / Lehtikuva)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION on Wednesday published its highly anticipated proposal for a stimulus package designed to help member states to get back on their feet after the blow delivered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Two-thirds of the massive, 750-billion-euro recovery fund would be disbursed in direct financial support and one-third in loans.

People took in the warm weather while enjoying refreshments on the outdoor terrace of Ravintola Lasipalatsi in downtown Helsinki on Monday, 1 June 2020. (Antti Aimo-Koivisto – Lehtikuva)

OVER A HALF of Finns intend to travel outside their municipality of residence this summer at least as much as in previous years, finds a survey commissioned by Uutissuomalainen.

Over two-fifths (42%) of respondents revealed that they intend to travel as usual and 13 per cent that they intend to travel more than usual in their home country this summer. Nearly a quarter of respondents, by contrast, said they intend to make fewer trips and 10 per cent they intend to make no trips inside Finland.

Chairs and parasol-covered tables waited for customers outside Storyville in sunny downtown Helsinki on Friday, 29 May 2020. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE EASING of the restrictions adopted to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus will offer a number of pastime options to residents of Finland as of Monday, 1 June.

Bars, cafés and restaurants will be able to welcome eat-in customers for the first time in over two months as of today, as the country enters the second stage of restrictions under a bill approved by President Sauli Niinistö on Friday.

Around 433,100 people were registered as unemployed job seekers in Finland in April, representing an increase of 124,000 from the previous month and an increase of 203,400 from the previous year. (Mikko Stig – Lehtikuva)

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE could surge to a new record during the coronavirus-disrupted first half of 2020, predicts General Unemployment Fund (YTK).

YTK on Wednesday revealed that it has already paid more than 56 million euros in unemployment benefits for April – 12 million euros more than one year earlier – despite the fact that some of the applications received last month have yet been processed.

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä (Centre) has voiced his doubts about the feasibility of enforcing stricter restrictions in one region than another. (Antti Aimo-Koivisto – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS Mika Lintilä (Centre) explained on YLE TV1 on Monday why he chose to seemingly contradict his fellow cabinet members by questioning the need to recommend that people refrain also from domestic travel.

His departure has caused some vexation within the government, according to Uusi Suomi.

Mika Salminen, the head of health security at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), reacted during a joint presser of THL and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in Helsinki on Thursday, 28 May 2020. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

EPIDEMIOLOGISTS and other experts are currently racking their brains on what the results of antibody studies really tell about the coronavirus epidemic, says Mika Salminen, the head of health security at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Studies in Spain and Sweden suggest a smaller-than-expected share of the population – only 5–7 per cent – has developed antibodies against the virus, denting hopes that herd immunity would protect the countries from a second wave.

Snus tobacco products are regularly brought into Finland from Sweden (Image: Pixabay)

A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS IN SWEDEN has begun conducting research into the possibility that snus, the Swedish tobacco product that enjoys widespread popularity in Finland, may offer some protection from coronavirus infection. 

Martti Hetemäki, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, gestured at the release event of the second report of his so-called exit task force in Helsinki on Monday, 1 June 2020. (Antti Aimo-Koivisto – Lehtikuva)

A TASK FORCE led by Martti Hetemäki, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, has presented its second report outlining a way out of the social and economic crisis kindled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Hetemäki on Monday stated that, despite the risk of a second wave of infections, the government should begin preparing for aftercare and re-building without delay.

Minister of Finance Katri Kulmuni arriving for a plenary session in the Finnish Parliament on Tuesday, 26 May 2020. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER OF FINANCE Katri Kulmuni (Centre) says the European Commission’s proposal for a 750-billion-euro recovery fund contains a number of elements that should be investigated thoroughly.

“It is important that the crisis isn’t used as an excuse for distributing responsibility for countries’ own economic policies on everyone’s shoulders,” she stressed on YLE's A-studio on Wednesday.

A resident of the Isle of Wight poses with his smartphone showing the newly released NHS Coronavirus contact tracing app in Ryde on 8 May 2020. (AFP / Lehtikuva)

THE IDEA of adopting a national mobile app for supporting efforts to track down people who have come into close contact with a person infected with the new coronavirus has been discussed widely in recent weeks in Finland.

Some have suggested that the app could be launched as soon as in June.