Increase in tick-borne encephalitis cases in Finland
17.05.2021
In 2020, 91 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were reported in Finland, which is an increase of almost one third on 2019, when 69 cases were reported.
Cases increased especially in the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district where 46 cases of tick-borne encephalitis were recorded. Per capita, the highest the number of cases were in the Åland Islands. According to the statistics of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the number of cases has been steadily increasing.
Tick-borne encephalitis is caused by a virus spread by ticks, for which a vaccine has been developed. The TBE vaccine is included in the national immunisation programme for people aged 3 years or over who live and stay for long periods of time in the risk areas defined annually by the THL. Read more >