Image: Jyrki Lyytikkä / Yle

The Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district (HUS) in southern Finland reported 22 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus by mid-morning on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections reported in the region to 127.

The total number of diagnoses nationwide was said to be 241, with altogether 30 new cases reported on Sunday.

HUS infectious diseases medical chief of staff Asko Järvinen said that it no longer makes sense to track the number of diagnosed cases, because health authorities are no longer testing all patients presenting with symptoms.

"The testing strategy has changed. Many concerned health professionals are now being tested," Järvinen added.

He noted for example, that people returning from trips abroad will not necessarily be tested, let alone all of the people suffering flu symptoms.

"If all the people with the flu went to health centres to be tested, we would no longer have any primary health care," the medical chief commented.

THL: Testing now round the clock

The Finnish institute for health and welfare, THL, said that the number of confirmed cases reported on Sunday was 30.

It listed 22 cases in the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district (HUS), and nine others in Länsi-Pohja, Southwest Finland, Central Ostrobothnia, Päijät-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Kanta-Häme. One additional case came from a hospital district that the authority had not yet confirmed.

The THL said that because testing for the virus was now being conducted round the clock, there might be a delay in the number of confirmed cases identified.

Edit: Updated at 12.00 with total number of confirmed novel coronavirus infections nationwide.

Edit: Updated at 13.15 with total number of new cases reported in Finland on Sunday, and revised number of new cases in the HUS region.

Edit: Updated at 17.55 to reflect THL's most recent count of total cases at 241.

Edit: Updated at 20.11 to correct Asko Järvinen's name.