Currently about one in ten Covid infections detected in the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district (HUS) are caused by the Omicron BA.2 subvariant.
However, while the more commonly known BA.1 variant is responsible for about 90 percent of cases in the capital region, that share is rapidly receding, according to the district's Director of Diagnostics, Lasse Lehtonen.
The incidence of subvariant cases, which was first detected in the HUS region last week, are becoming increasingly more prevalent.
"The BA.2 variant may be the main variant in the HUS area within one month," Lehtonen said.
The subvariant has spread rapidly in Denmark and Norway. In the vast majority of cases it causes very mild illness, especially in people who are fully vaccinated. However, it spreads faster and more easily than its predecessor.
The Omicron variant has caused a peak in infection rates. Public health authority THL registered nearly 20,000 cases over the past weekend.
According to Lehtonen, the rapid spread of the BA.2 subvariant is likely to prolong the current wave of infections somewhat longer than expected, but he does not think this will lead to an overburdening of healthcare services.
"At HUS, the situation has further improved compared to last week. There are now 10 Covid patients in intensive care units, which is more than half as much as in mid-January. Of course, the BA.2 variant could mean that the Covid IC units are not cleared as quickly as we would like," he added.