Most of the conscript men and women of the Karelian brigade have contracted an infection within a month, says chief of staff Mikko Westersund.
The disease epidemic of the Karelian brigade is easing in Kouvola’s Vekaranjärvi.
Chief of staff Mikko Westersund says that the number of sick people was still considerable in the second half of February.
Currently, approximately 2,800 conscript men and women are doing military service in the Karelian Brigade. Some of them will go home this week.
Mikko Westersund is not able to give the exact number of sick people, because the brigade only monitors the number by the number of those registered for the morning reception and the number of exemptions granted.
The readings received by the brigade’s management include not only illnesses but also various injuries.
Based on the number of people registered for the morning reception, the number of illnesses has decreased significantly in the last couple of weeks.
– It is perhaps still premature to say that the peak of the epidemic has been completely passed, Chief of Staff Mikko Westersund says.
Westersund estimates that most of the conscripts of the Karelian brigade have contracted an infection within a month. The diseases have been upper respiratory tract infections typical of the time.
No holidays have been cancelled
According to the Karelia brigade, based on the statistics, the disease situation is roughly the same as in previous years.
The sick have been treated at the Vekaranjärvi garrison health station. During the peak of the disease, servicemen and women have also been treated at Kouvola’s Ratamo main health center.
According to Chief of Staff Mikko Westersund, the garrison has not needed additional accommodation so far. The Karelian Brigade can, if necessary, use its own sports hall for health care needs, for example.
Nor have the vacations of conscript men and women had to be canceled so far during the beginning of the year.
