Helsinki (dpa) - Specially trained sniffer dogs have been deployed at Helsinki Airport as part of efforts to faster trace potential cases of coronavirus as Finnish health experts on Thursday warned of a mounting caseload.

The first four of a total of 10 animals were deployed at the airport earlier this week after preliminary tests by veterinarians at Helsinki University suggested dogs could detect the virus with almost 100-per-cent certainty.

"As far as we know no other airport has attempted to use canine scent detection on such a large scale against [coronavirus]," airport director Ulla Lettijeff said in a statement.

The move comes as the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Thursday said there were "signs of an accelerating coronavirus epidemic" in the country.

Finland has recorded 798 new cases in the past two weeks, twice that of the preceding fortnight, THL said, bringing the total to around 9,300 cases and 343 related deaths.

The sniffer dog technique could have major consequences for tracing the virus worldwide.

Trained animals are reportedly able to identify the virus before symptoms present and from a far smaller sample than that provided in swab tests.

A dog needs 10 to 100 molecules to identify the virus, whereas test equipment requires 18 million molecules.

Travellers entering Helsinki airport will be able to volunteer for the test, which involves touching the skin with a wipe that is then dropped into a cup and given to the dog.

If the dog signals a positive result, the passenger is directed to a health information station.

The Finnish government meanwhile said that it from Monday would reintroduce travel restrictions for several countries including Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden due to rising case rates.

Finland recently raised its quarantine threshold to 25 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants over two week period.

Its previous limit was eight cases per 100,000 inhabitants before incoming travellers from those areas would need to self-isolate for 14 days.

Restrictions also apply to France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Greece and Hungary.

Work-related travel from neighbouring Estonia and Sweden would however still be permitted without quarantine recommendations.

Finnish residents and travellers arriving from a country with higher infection rates could be exempt from voluntary quarantine if they apply for a coronavirus test on arrival and take a second test after at least 72 hours.

Finland eased travel restrictions for many European countries from mid-July.

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