Finland
to tighten restrictions on public gatherings
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[August 24, 2020]
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland will tighten
restrictions on public gatherings from September, limiting them to 50
people unless further measures are in place, due to a recent rise in
COVID-19 cases, authorities said on Monday.
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Having allowed up to 500 people to gather during August, the new
limits will apply to both indoor and outdoor public meetings, the
state administrative agency said.
Public meetings of more than 50 people will only be allowed with
strict safety measures in place, such as maintaining good hygiene
and a distance of one to two metres between attendees, forcing
sports and cultural event organisers to rethink their arrangements
once again.
"It is absolutely necessary to tighten the restrictions because
Finland's epidemiological situation has changed in an unfavourable
direction and the confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen throughout
August," it said.
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Finland's 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per100,000 inhabitants
stood at 5.2 on Friday, among the lowestrates in Europe, according to European
Centre for DiseasePrevention and Control.
But the number of cases has been rising in recentweeks, with health authorities
counting a total of 7,871 casesand 334 deaths by Friday.
(Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
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