By Xu Aiying and Lee Jihae

Finland on April 1 sent to Korea samples from suspected COVID-19 patients for testing.

AFP on March 31 said in the article "Finland to Fly Coronavirus Test Samples to South Korea" that Mehilainen, a health care provider that owns private clinics across the Scandinavian nation, will send 18,000 samples over the next two weeks for testing.

The first batch of 1,500 test swabs were "due to depart Helsinki aboard a charter flight" on the evening of April 1.

Mehilainen said guidance from the World Health Organization and examples worldwide show that boosting testing capacity is essential for resolving the COVID-19 crisis, adding that both Finland and the rest of Europe have no adequate venues for testing by request.

Mehilainen said Korea, whose extensive testing and quarantine program has drastically reduced the spread of the coronavirus, easily fulfills the company's testing requirements.

xuaiy@korea.kr