In total, during the seven-day period, 3,001 patients were referred to doctors for upper respiratory tract infections, which is the same level as the previous week, but the number of influenza-like cases began to increase and the proportion of people affected by the flu increased by 18 percent.

The usual flu season figures observed in earlier years have not been exceeded, the Health Board said. The average morbidity per 100,000 population was 227.5. Viral infections were higher than the Estonian average in Tallinn and Harju County, Tartu County, and Lääne County.

Influenza is on the rise and there has been laboratory confirmation of influenza A virus and influenza B 11 virus last week.  Based on last week's data, the intensity of the morbidity remains low, but the spread of influenza is widespread.

Influenza-related illnesses have been reported in Tallinn, Harju County, Narva, Järva County, Jõgeva County, Lääne-Viru County, Pärnu County, Põlva County, Tartu County, Valga County, Viljandi County, and Võru County.

The Health Board said if symptoms are mild and the patient is not at risk, no medical diagnosis or treatment is necessary and the person can be ill at home rather than taken to hospital. 

Contact should be avoided with loved ones and those with the virus should stay at home until body temperature returns to normal and symptoms disappear. 

Family doctors should be contacted by phone or e-mail. 

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