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Dozens of staff diagnosed with Covid-19 at Helsinki hospital since March

Most of the roughly 800 staff at Laakso Hospital have been tested for the disease - including those without symptoms.

Kuvassa on Laakson koronaterveysasema.
Laakso Hospital's temporary coronavirus clinic. Image: Antti Aimo-Koivisto / Lehtikuva
  • Yle News

Sixty-nine workers at Helsinki's Laakso Hospital have been diagnosed with Covid-19 infections since 19 March, the city's Mayor Jan Vapaavuori announced on Tuesday.

He said around half of the confirmed cases at the hospital were diagnosed in individuals who work at three wards which cares for Covid-19 patients.

Meanwhile, the remainder work in other wards, he said on a city internet video feed early Tuesday evening.

However, no staff at the hospital's temporary coronavirus health clinic have tested positive for the respiratory tract ailment, he said.

About one-third of those who tested positive have since recovered.

Entire staff being tested

A total of around 800 people work at Laakso Hospital and now, as a preventative measure, the entire staff is being tested for Covid-19, including those who do not show symptoms of the disease, he said.

So far, around 500 staff have been tested and individuals who test positive are being put in a two-week quarantine.

Vapaavuori emphasised that hospital staff members who come to work need to be healthy and said that workers will be given a medical check as they start their shifts.