Finland’s health authorities began releasing more details on Thursday and Friday about how many younger people have been seriously affected by Covid-19, as it emerged that the youngest to die was in their 30s and that almost half of patients requiring intensive care in the capital have been under 60.
The death toll as of Friday stands at 177, the institute for health and welfare (THL) said, with five new cases recorded since Thursday.
Of the 119 deaths for which age information is available, THL has previously only said that five were aged under 60. On Thursday, they released a more detailed breakdown, saying that the five deceased were spread across the age groups of 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59.
106 of the 119 deaths have been among people over 70, while the median age of those who have died is 84, THL said.
The agency did not specify how many of the five fell into each age range due to data protection concerns over the small numbers involved.
Meanwhile, Helsinki and Uusimaa health district (HUS) said on Friday that 47 of the 100 patients who have been in intensive care in the region since the start of the epidemic have been under 60.
11 of those have been aged between 20 and 39, HUS said.
On Friday, the official figure of those infected with the virus stood at 4,395, although the true number is likely to be higher as not all suspected cases have been tested.
THL said that “at least 2,000” people are recorded as having recovered from the virus.