28. Apr 2022
In week 16 (18-24 April), a total of 4,390 people got in touch with a doctor due to upper respiratory viral infections. In total, 34.1% of those patients were children. This is a 30% increase on the figures for week 15.
The number of new influenza cases continued to increase but that growth is decelerating, reaching 16% this week. In total, 1,736 influenza A cases were confirmed by laboratory analyses last week, which is 11% more than the week before. The number of new cases increased at the greatest rate amongst the elderly (by 66.5%). In the 70-79 age group the number of new cases doubled.
The number of influenza-related hospitalisation cases increased by approximately 15%. The percentage increased in regard to hospitalisation cases for those in the 60+ age group, forming 30% of all individuals who required hospitalisation.
According to initial data from the Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre, twenty-nine patients needed hospitalisation last week due to the flu virus. Based on information which was provided to the Health Board, three individuals aged between 17-71 have required intensive care treatment. Two of those individuals were suffering from serious chronic diseases. No information is available on whether or not those individuals were vaccinated.
Based on updated information, a total of 224 patients have been hospitalised with influenza since the beginning of the season.
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 9,965 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
Influenza is also spreading widely in other EU member states, primarily in western and central Europe. Morbidity rates are at their highest - and are continuing to grow - in the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Luxembourg, Norway, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Serbia.
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.