Finland's coronavirus situation is still serious, even though the media has largely turned to other news topics, according to the Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services, Aki Lindén (SDP).
In a tweet on Tuesday evening, Lindén said that while the country's news headlines have increasingly focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well as municipal and nurses strike actions, coronavirus is continuing to spread in Finland.
He pointed out that 371 people had died from Covid-related illness in the past two weeks and that the country's hospitals were treating around 950 patients with the illness, 45 of whom requiring intensive care treatment.
Lindén urged people to get vaccinated, continue to wear face masks and to be careful.
On Tuesday, the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported there were 6,450 new lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus recorded in the country over a 24 hour period.
However, the actual figure is much higher, due to low numbers of tests currently being carried out.
Roughly half of Tuesday's cases were diagnosed in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District.
THL: Epidemic causing care delays
People are facing delays in accessing non-urgent treatment due to the continuing epidemic, according to an assessment by THL.
There are delays within dental care, non-urgent medical treatments, and providing basic services for the country's vulnerable population, according to the institute.
This backlog is also worsened by shortages of social and health care workers, and the situation has particularly affected younger people, vulnerable members of society as well as the elderly.
There are also delays in abilities to determine the care requirements of the elderly and the availability of home care services for the population has also been constrained, according to THL.
North Karelia's health care services strained
For example, the ongoing epidemic is hampering social and health care services in North Karelia, according to the region's chief physician, Jukka Heikkinen.
The virus' spread has also increased the amount of sick leave taken by social and health care staff in the region.
In addition to Covid, cases of influenza and norovirus are also spreading in North Karelia, according to Heikkinen.
He added that the threat of a large-scale spread of flu on top of the ongoing coronavirus situation is concerning and troublesome.