19. May 2022
In week 19 (9-15 May), a total of 2,689 people got in touch with a doctor due to the presence of upper respiratory viral infections. In total, 35.6% of those patients were children. This is a 3% decrease on the figures for week 18.
The number of influenza cases is dropping. In total, 223 influenza ‘A’ cases were confirmed by laboratory analyses last week, which is 32% less than the week before. The drop is partially related to an overall decrease in the number of new influenza cases, while also partially being due to changes in the testing strategy.
The number of influenza-related hospitalisation cases continued to grow, increasing by approximately 16.2%. Since week 17 (25 April to 1 May 2022), the majority of those individuals who were hospitalised were at least 65 years of age. The percentage of those in the 60+ age group who have been hospitalised forms 52% of all individuals who have required hospitalisation. According to initial data from the Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre, forty-seven patients needed hospitalisation last week due to the flu virus.
Based on updated information, a total of 338 patients have been hospitalised with serious influenza cases or influenza-related pneumonia since the beginning of the season. Based on information which was provided to the Health Board, three individuals aged between 17-71 have required intensive care treatment.
Three people have died this season from flu-related complications. All of those individuals were over the age of seventy, with serious co-morbidities, and had not been immunised against influenza.
A total of 11,551 cases of influenza have been confirmed in the laboratory since the beginning of the season. According to the Health Board, the influenza ‘A’ (H3) subtype is circulating in Estonia.
Morbidity in Europe
The number of new influenza cases is decreasing across the European region as a whole. Only Finland and the Netherlands reported a spread which was 30% higher than expected.
‘A’ and ‘B’ group influenza virus cases have both been registered. According to the Influenza Surveillance Network, it is the influenza ‘A’ (H3) viruses which are mainly circulating in the European region.