Yesterday, laboratories confirmed 9 new coronavirus cases
By the morning of March 19, 267 people had been diagnosed with novel coronavirus in Estonia, which is 9 more than the day before. Since January 31, a total of 2020 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Estonia. Most patients with coronavirus have mild symptoms. A total of 8 people have been hospitalized, but nobody has needed intensive care because of the virus.
Today, the ability to perform COVID-19 tests in Estonia is in the laboratories of the Health Board, Tartu University Hospital, Synlab, North-Estonia Regional Hospital, Ida-Viru Central Hospital and Pärnu Hospital. The mentioned labs are able to analyse 500-600 samples per day.
The critically ill and risk groups are tested, including the elderly and people with chronic illness. Random sampling is reserved for people working in the frontier who might, if ill, infect patients in the risk groups while providing vital services.
In the coming days, an extended testing will begin in eight cities on the basis of a referral from a family doctor. The first drive-in sampling site will open in Tallinn, in the upcoming days, such sites will be opened in Tartu, Pärnu, Kuressaare, Viljandi, Narva, Paide and Kohtla-Järve. In case of illness, people have to call their personal doctor, who will assess the patient’s need for coronavirus testing, according to the Health Board protocol.
If the symptoms occur, call your family doctor or the family doctor’s helpline 1220 for further instructions and advice. Starting from March 16, the Emergency Response Center's Hotline 1247 was launched to help answer key questions about the coronavirus COVID-19. The phone operates 24/7 and is free of charge. Starting from yesterday, pastoral care and counselling is available through phone at hospitals and nursing homes.
In the event of severe breathing difficulties or shortness of breath, call 112.
The necessity of testing a patient is decided by a doctor and it is only done when there is a medical indication for it. In case of onset of symptoms, one should stay home and if possible, notify people with whom they have been in contact with during the previous days. In the case of mild symptoms – cough, low fever, stay home and focus on the symptomatic treatment with over-the-counter medicine.
More information can be found on the Health Board's website www.terviseamet.ee/en/covid19 and on the Health Board's Facebook page.
Answers to questions on the emergency situation can be found on the government's website www.valitsus.ee/en/emergency-situation-estonia
The Health Board will release the regional distribution of yesterday’s positive samples tonight.
Veel uudiseid samal teemal
A total of 202 influenza and 1,726 COVID-19 cases reported this week
In week fifteen, a total of 3,184 people fell ill with acute respiratory infections, of whom 38.4% were children. The overall incidence of acute respiratory viral diseases increased by 39%.
A total of 151 new influenza cases and 1,466 COVID-19 cases have been added this week
In week fourteen, a grand total of 2,297 people fell ill with acute respiratory infections. Overall, 36.4% of all of the new cases involved children. The number of new cases decreased by a third.