What's going around in Finland?
Influenza: Low, COVID-19: Moderate, RSV: Low
Some. Mostly COVID-19, currently moderate in Finland. Influenza and RSV: low (as of 4 Oct 2026).
Data window: Week 40 · Sep 28 – Oct 4 · Source: ECDC (weekly) · Next update Fri, Oct 16
Current activity
Source: ECDC ERVISS, ECDC Data. Published weekly, about one week behind.
Frequently asked questions
How is overall respiratory-illness activity tracked in Finland?
THL integrates sentinel GP consultations, laboratory positivity, hospital and ICU admissions for severe acute respiratory infection, and virological characterisation at the National Reference Laboratory into a weekly respiratory-virus picture covering flu, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV. The same indicators feed ECDC ERVISS. On infectrisk.com we condense this picture into a qualitative low/moderate/high classification.
Did Finland experience a “tripledemic”?
“Tripledemic” is a media label for the simultaneous winter circulation of flu, COVID-19, and RSV that was widely discussed from the 2022–2023 season onward. Finland saw clear co-circulation of all three pathogens that winter, with notable pressure on paediatric wards from RSV-driven bronchiolitis. Co-circulation has recurred each winter since, though the relative intensity of each pathogen varies.
Why do respiratory illnesses peak in a Finnish winter?
Several factors converge in the Finnish winter. Long, cold, dark months concentrate social contact indoors, where heated air is dry and many respiratory viruses remain stable longer. Schools amplify transmission among children, and holiday gatherings accelerate spread. Immunity to seasonal strains is also typically at its lowest when exposure begins rising after a quiet summer.
How does THL decide that activity is “high”?
THL uses thresholds derived from historical reference data. Current indicators (sentinel consultations, laboratory positivity, hospitalisation signals) are compared against baselines from past non-epidemic weeks and against reference points from severe past seasons. When several indicators cross into elevated ranges at the same time, weekly bulletins flag activity as high. Finland's ERVISS contribution uses the same framework for cross-country comparison.
How does Finland compare to Sweden and Norway?
Finland's climate, school calendar, and indoor-contact patterns resemble Sweden's and Norway's, and the three countries' winter respiratory curves typically move broadly in step. Because all report into ECDC ERVISS on the same schedule and methodology, the relative timing and intensity of their peaks is easy to read in the European dashboards. Lead–lag differences are usually a matter of weeks, not months.