The number of stomach infections in Parliament has more than doubled in a day, with norovirus suspected as the culprit.
By lunchtime on Thursday, the number of infected individuals working in Parliament had risen to around 70, up from some 30 cases the previous day.
On Wednesday, news emerged that a stomach illness at Parliament had prompted a remote working order — though not for MPs.
By Thursday, however, several parliamentary committees had transitioned to remote work.
"A majority of those affected are employees, but we also have reports of a few members of parliament," Parliament's communications director, Rainer Hindsberg, told Yle.
While the source of the infection remains unclear, City of Helsinki health authorities suspect it to be norovirus.
The lunch cafeteria in the Parliament building annex, 'Little Parliament,' is a possible source of infection. However, health authorities found no cause for concern after inspecting the restaurant.
For now, the legislature's work remains largely unaffected by the outbreak.
"Above all, we want to ensure that legislative work is not disrupted," Hindsberg said.
Thursday's plenary session and question time will proceed as scheduled, but all guided tours of Parliament have been cancelled until Friday.
Norovirus symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pain, with fever and headaches also possible. The bug is particularly insidious because it can be transmitted from one person to another even before the carrier has any symptoms of illness.
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