Many of the recent coronavirus infections seen in the Pirkanmaa area, which is home to the city of Tampere, have been traced to local bars and restaurants, according to officials from Tampere University Hospital (TAYS).
The hospital's infectious disease unit's chief physician Jaana Syrjänen voiced concern over the spread of infection at the beginning of the week. One-quarter of new infections in the area seen during that period were traced to eateries and pubs.
On Twitter on Thursday TAYS posted a list of establishments where potential virus exposure events recently occurred. The list includes area restaurants and bars as well as the dates and times when the possible exposures took place.
The list (in Finnish) includes fast food restaurants, sit-down restaurants as well as pubs.
Pirkanmaa Hospital district reported 38 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, which was the biggest single-day count since 10 December. So far the region has recorded a total of 2,068 coronavirus cases since the outbreak began last winter.
10 people or less
Also on Thursday the area's Regional State Administrative Agency extended restrictions on gatherings of up to 10 people until 8 February across the Pirkanmaa Hospital district. The policy applies to both indoor and outdoor events and activities, including markets, concerts, theatre performances as well as sporting events with spectators.
The agency's legal authority does not extend to private events like family gatherings or services that operate on a continuous basis.
But the region's pandemic control body has recommended organisers of such private events should also be limited to 10 people. The group has issued a number of other recommendations to prevent the spread of coronavirus (in Finnish).
The group also recommended that public gatherings such as meetings of municipal councils are also not officially subject to the recommendations of the administrative agency, but the pandemic control group has urged such meetings to be conducted remotely.