Finland
Puumala hantavirus HFRS · Finland, nationwide · verified historical
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Summary
Record Puumala virus epidemic year in Finland with 3,259 laboratory-confirmed PUUV cases — the highest annual count ever registered in Finland and the highest annual PUUV total ever reported from Europe. The epidemic was driven by a peak in bank vole (Myodes glareolus) populations following abundant masting of seed-bearing trees. Cases were concentrated in eastern and central Finland (notably the Pieksämäki area) and presented as nephropathia epidemica, a typically milder form of HFRS. Reporting followed Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) notifiable-disease surveillance.
Why this matters
Largest documented annual Puumala virus epidemic in Europe to date, illustrating the multi-year vole-cycle pattern that drives Fennoscandian HFRS dynamics.
Sources
- T1 Nephropathia epidemica (Puumala virus) — surveillance Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) · 2026-05-07
- T1 High incidence of Puumala virus infection in Europe, 2007–2008 Eurosurveillance / ECDC · 2026-05-07