The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Tuesday classified all of Italy as an epidemic zone.
This means that anyone who suffers from a sudden respiratory infection within 14 days of arriving from anywhere in Italy should contact the nearest health centre by telephone, says Taneli Puumalainen, head of the infectious diseases unit at THL.
Of the seven confirmed cases of the new Covid-19 infection in Finland, all but one have been linked to Milan, the largest city in northern Italy. The only exception was the first case detected in the country, diagnosed in a Chinese tourist in Finnish Lapland in January. So far all cases have been mild.
The THL noted last week that most of Northern Italy's ski resorts are not located in the affected areas, and said "there is no increased risk of infection for those travelling via Milan airport".
Puumalainen pointed out that the announcement was primarily aimed at healthcare professionals and officials. He said the agency is advising them to operate with a low threshold of caution in regard to the illness and therefore decided to declare all of Italy as a risk area.
The THL has also designated mainland China, Iran and South Korea as epidemic areas.
Foreign Ministry: Avoid Northern Italy
Also on Tuesday, the Finnish Foreign Ministry upgraded its travellers' advisory for Italy. It is now urging Finns to avoid any unnecessary trips to four regions of Northern Italy: Lombardy (which includes Milan), Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont (Piemonte) and Veneto due to the heightened risk of contracting the disease. It also advises particular caution when travelling anywhere in Italy.
More than 2,000 cases of the Covid-19 illness have been confirmed in Italy, more than anywhere besides China and South Korea. As of Monday, 52 people had died of the new disease in the country.
