Finland to Send COVID-19 Samples to Korea (Comprehensive)

Finnish Major Corporation Conducts Direct Employee Testing
Over 18,000 Specimens Transported by Charter Flight

On the 30th of last month, Helsinki Central Station was empty due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Cho Hyun-ui] Amid the surge in demand for Korean-made diagnostic kits due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Finland has decided to send patient specimens to Korea. This is interpreted as an intention to have diagnostic tests conducted in Korea due to limited testing capacity locally.

According to Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat and others on the 30th of last month (local time), 12 major companies including Finland's largest distribution group Kesko, food company Fazer, and environmental technology firm Ensto plan to send about 18,000 employee specimens to Korea through the local private hospital Mehil?inen Hospital. Since Finland's testing capacity is insufficient, it was judged that directly requesting specimen analysis in Korea would be faster.

The first batch of tests will be sent to Korea on the afternoon of the 1st via a Finnair charter flight departing from Helsinki Vantaa International Airport. Testing will be conducted on 1,500 specimens at a time over two weeks, totaling 18,000 tests. This accounts for about 86% of the total tests conducted so far in Finland (approximately 21,000). The testing cost is 249 euros (about 334,800 KRW), which is about 50 euros (about 67,200 KRW) more expensive than local testing costs.

Since the first confirmed case at the end of January, Finland has recorded 1,418 confirmed cases. Among them, 17 have died and 10 have been declared recovered. Accordingly, the Finnish government has imposed movement restrictions on major southern regions including Helsinki since the 27th of last month.

Finland's case demonstrates that Korea's diagnostic testing technology is globally recognized. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 81 countries have requested quarantine supplies including diagnostic kits from Korea. Including the private sector, the number exceeds 100. Domestically, molecular diagnostic methods are used to confirm COVID-19 infection. This method amplifies specimens for confirmation and is known to have the highest accuracy to date.

According to FIND, an international diagnostic technology evaluation organization, 168 places have commercialized COVID-19 molecular diagnostic testing methods so far. Diagnostic kits from Korean companies approved domestically, such as CoGen Biotech, Seegene, and Solgent, are exported to 47 countries worldwide. Although some kits have not yet received domestic approval, some have been approved for export using immunodiagnostic methods, and if the ongoing review for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency approval is disclosed, overseas demand is expected to increase further.

More than 20,000 diagnostic kits have been produced so far, enough for testing over 730,000 people in total. Among these, supplies for 640,000 people have been distributed to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, local health and environment research institutes, and private medical institutions, with an additional stock for 100,000 people still held by manufacturers. There is sufficient capacity for both domestic supply and exports.

A representative from the Korea Bio Association's In Vitro Diagnostic Companies Council explained, "Because the outbreak occurred domestically earlier than overseas, performance verification was easier, and with the rapid response of key raw material suppliers and accumulated technology, proactive kit development was possible," adding, "The in vitro diagnostic business requires rapid investment and commercialization, making it more suitable for small and medium-sized or venture companies rather than large corporations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.