Influenza cases on steep rising in Finland – and the end may not be near yet

In cases of influenza The quantities have been rising sharply in Finland in the last couple of weeks, but the peak of the epidemic may not yet be achieved. This is how the STT assessed the leading expert Niina Ikonen From the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Influenza is now abundant almost throughout Finland and all ages. According to THL hospitalization have increased, as is the case due to an influenza -like disease Visits to health centers.

Ikonen cannot evaluate when the peak of the influenza is achieved. The number of influenza findings reported in the THL Infectious Disease Register is still on the increase. However, the influenza findings reported in the infectious disease register represent only a small proportion of those in influenza and may have delays in the accumulation of information.

“It is very difficult to say whether we have reached the peak. There is now a very strong rise in infections, ”Ikonen says.

Infectious numbers are now almost the same as last year's influenza peak. On the other hand, there would still be a distance to the peak of influenza in the year.

Influenza wave It struck Finland this winter clearly later than the previous two years, when the top weeks of the epidemic took place at the turn of the year. However, the exceptionally late epidemic seen in the spring of 2022 is not yet the case.

“In fact, it seems that we have returned to the time where influenza epidemics usually occurred before the corona pandemia,” Ikonen says.

In addition to influenza, other viruses, such as RS virus and Korona, are currently circulating in Finland. However, in the light of THL statistics, influenza now appears to be a significant cause of respiratory symptoms.

Influenza disease can vary very much from person to person. For some, the disease occurs mild, but in a small number of patients with influenza leads to a more serious illustration and may even require hospitalization.

« Typically, influenza begins with a rapidly rising high fever and involves muscle pain, headaches and general malaise, » Ikonen says.

A healthy adult usually recovers from the disease within a week or two, but some may last longer. The patient should receive enough rest and plenty of fluids.

“The most important thing is to rest and improve yourself in peace before going to work or elsewhere,” Ikonen recalls.

Influenza vaccine is the best protection from influenza and its aftermath, such as ear infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, and myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disorder.

If the influenza vaccine has not yet been taken, Ikonen advises you to consider taking it even at this stage of the epidemic. However, it should be remembered that it will take a couple of weeks to create the protection provided by the vaccine.

« It is possible that the influenent's infections will continue to rise with the spring as the influenent's infections start to fall, » Ikonen points out.

The protection provided by the influenza vaccine takes about a year. For example, in the elderly, the protection provided by the vaccine fades faster than the working age.

Nationwide vaccination register by In mid -February, influenza vaccination coverage among those over 65 years of age was approximately 58 percent. The vaccination coverage of the entire population was 28 %.