03. Jun 2022
In week 21 (23-29 May), a total of 2,540 people got in touch with a doctor due to the presence of upper respiratory viral infections. In total, 40.1% of those patients were children. This is a 5% decrease on the figures for week 20.
The number of influenza cases is dropping. In total, 96 influenza ‘A’ cases were confirmed last week through laboratory analyses, which is 34% 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 also dropped a touch. According to initial data from the Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre, twenty-two patients needed hospitalisation last week due to the flu virus (compared to the twenty-four patients a week before). 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 approximately half of all individuals who have required hospitalisation.
Based on updated information, a total of 384 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. No information is available about their vaccination statuses.
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 those individuals had not been immunised against influenza.
A total of 11,793 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 still 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.