Finland plans to reintroduce a recommendation to work from home whenever possible just days after dropping it, due to a rise in Covid-19 cases, the minister in charge of managing the epidemic said on Wednesday.

Health authorities said earlier on Wednesday that 29 new cases had been recorded over 24 hours, raising the seven-day total to 98 from 52 in the previous seven days.

"The rise in infections gives reason to consider continuing remote working ...where it is possible," Minister of Social Affairs and Health Aino-Kaisa Pekonen wrote on Twitter, adding she had asked for official guidelines to be updated accordingly.

The recommendation in favour of remote working had ended at the end of July.

New infections remained very low throughout June and July, allowing Finns to enjoy their summer holiday season in relative security but prompting some to flout social distancing rules.

Finland's Covid-19 epidemic peaked in March and April but the quick introduction of containment measures including travel restrictions and the closure of schools and restaurants helped curb the number of infections.

Cases totalled 7,512, with 331 deaths, as of Wednesday.

Editorial

07 Aug, 2026

Terrorist havens

DESPITE the use of both carrots and sticks by the international community, the Afghan Taliban refuse to cut their...
07 Aug, 2026

Mineral wealth

GROWING American interest in Pakistan’s critical minerals is no longer speculative. According to US diplomats,...
07 Aug, 2026

Growth denied

THE Sindh government’s agreement with the World Bank to combine health, nutrition, sanitation, social protection...
06 Aug, 2026

Need for dialogue

THE interior minister’s comments at an Islamabad seminar last week have sparked many a conversation about the ...
06 Aug, 2026

Bad press

THE government’s move to impose restrictions on international media will not only alienate the foreign press, it...
06 Aug, 2026

Automobile concerns

PAKISTAN’S automobile industry is at a critical juncture. Sharp cuts in tariffs on the import of completely built...