Main daily Helsingin Sanomat (HS) reports that nine serious cases of Group A streptococci, also known as Strep A, have been treated at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) so far in July.
The disease is caused by a bacterium found in the throat and on the skin, where it can then spread through sneezing, kissing and skin contact. At its worst, the bacterial infection can cause blood poisoning and even death.
“There have been several serious cases, especially since the spring,” says Eeva Ruotsalainen, deputy chief physician of HUS’s epidemiology unit, in an interview with the broadsheet.
HS writes that in April there were 18 reported cases of Strep A, and in May there were 12. Since the start of the year, there have been 67 reported cases of serious Strep A infections.
Other serious forms of illness caused by the bacterium include meningitis or a general infection of the skin and soft tissue, which is referred to as the flesh-eating disease.
“In this case, there is a terrible pain in the limbs, but only slight redness on the skin. The situation is dangerous, because it can progress rapidly in the space of a few hours,” Ruotsalainen tells HS.
Cases of Strep A outbreaks in Finland began appearing in 2017, says Ruotsalainen, adding that, "however, it does seem that the number of outbreaks is slightly declining."
Watery illusions
Tabloid Ilta-Sanomat reports on a call to emergency services by the police that ended up being a false alarm in waters near the northern city of Oulu.
A police brigade on their way to another call noticed what they thought were people in danger at the Merikosken Kauneuspato dam on Wednesday. They contacted Oulu Search and Rescue, who went out to look for the people reportedly in danger.
“We searched for a while, but found nothing,” Jarno Soisalo, fire chief from the Oulu-Koillismaa rescue department told the tabloid.
Then, the reality about the 'people' became clear. They were obelisks of water that looked like human beings from further away.
The right heat
The international smoke sauna association (Kansainvälinen Savusaunaklubi) has chosen Kuopio’s Saana as the world’s best smoke sauna, writes Maaseudun Tulevaisuus, the agricultural newspaper.
The jury said that it decided to award the prize after testing 215 different smoke saunas, and examining 196 details of Saana’s smoke sauna, including its computer-controlled pellet-fired stove to keep it at the optimum heat throughout the day.
“Saana’s smoke sauna benches are just in the right spot in the upper part of the sauna which means the steam is pleasant and spreads evenly,” reported the jury.
The smoke sauna, which seats 15 people, is located on the waterfront of the eastern city of Kuopio and was designed by architect Reijo Mitrunen.