HELSINKI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Finland has passed 6,000, said the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Tuesday.
According to THL, as of Tuesday afternoon, Finland has confirmed 6,003 infections with COVID-19, of which the number of new confirmed cases was 19. The death toll reached 275, four more than on the previous day. According to a preliminary estimate, at least 4,300 people have recovered from the disease.
A total of 126,500 people have been tested in Finland so far. In relation to Finland's population, it suggests that the prevalence of 108 cases per 100,000 people. As the peak of the pandemic in the country has likely passed with declined numbers both in the confirmed cases and in hospitalized patients, the government has decided to gradually lift the anti-pandemic restrictions.
Primary and lower secondary schools in Finland will reopen on Thursday this week, after nearly two months of closure to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Nevertheless, Finnish Education Minister Li Andersson said on Tuesday that schools will be re-closed once infections appear in a school.
Besides, with the return of air traffic to normal in the near future, both the Finnish airports' authority Finavia and the national carrier Finnair announced mask rule for their employees and passengers on Tuesday.
Finavia requires all employees working with the public to wear face masks, and strongly recommends passengers use face masks while passing through airports. Finnair requires its staff and passengers to wear face masks compulsorily to protect from droplet infections. Enditem
