Coronavirus round-up: May 18-24

Last week the number of new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosed in Estonia was 41, a decrease of two compared with the previous week. The number of deaths and of patients released from hospital also fell.
ERR News has rounded up the most important news and data about the coronavirus from the last week and put it in one place. We've also gone through the data and showed how the COVID-19 disease is spreading each week rather than day-by-day.
This round-up is released every Monday, because the results for Sunday of the previous week are released on Monday morning, which makes it possible only to analyse the previous week's results after the data has been reported.
You can find the following graphs below:
- New cases by day for May 18-24;
- The total number of new cases diagnosed by week;
- New cases by county by week;
- New cases compared with deaths and hospital releases;
- Total number of positive and negative tests by week;
- Deaths by age group;
- Deaths by county.
The data has been taken from the Health Board (Terviseamet), and we downloaded it from koroonakaart.ee, which shows the data released each day.
Our Coronavirus in Estonia: All you need to know guide also provides an overview of total cases by county, the daily rate of new cases, and includes a breakdown of all the restrictions so far. We update this page daily.
In the graphs below you can add or take away data from the graphs by clicking the coloured dots below. The data points are (mostly) dated with each Monday's date.
Overview
New cases by week: Last week 41 new cases were diagnosed, which is a decrease from the previous week when 43 new cases were reported across the country. This is the third week in a row when there have been fewer than 50 new recorded cases of coronavirus in Estonia.
New cases by day for May 18-24: On six days, the number of new cases diagnosed was under eight, which is similar to the figure reported each day for the last three to four weeks. However, on Friday (May 22), 14 new cases were diagnosed which is the largest amount on any single day since April 29 when 23 positive cases were recorded and the second-highest number of new cases during that time was nine on May 17.
Five of Friday's 14 cases were recorded among patients and staff members at a care home in Lihula in Lääne County (link in Estonian). Additionally, one case was diagnosed in an individual who had returned from Finland, and another in someone who had been in contact with an individual who had returned from Finland.
The lowest number of new cases diagnosed last week was on Sunday, May 24.
(Editor's note: Last week we reported 10 new cases were reported on May 17, this has been reduced to nine by the Health Board/ Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (THIK) after the data was rechecked.)
Last week, there was one death; the previous week there had been three.
New cases by county: The majority of new cases of coronavirus diagnosed last week were in Harju County, Estonia's most populous region. A total of 27 cases were reported there, and 16 of those were in Tallinn. This is an increase from the previous week, when 19 were diagnosed across the county.
Pärnu County reported the second-highest number of new cases with seven, a decrease from eight the week before. Ida-Viru and Võru counties reported one new case each. Several cases were also reported in Lääne County, or were without information in the population register.
Tartu and Saare counties reported no new cases. For Saare County, per capita the worst hit region in March and April, this is the first time this has happened since the start of the crisis in early March.
New cases compared with deaths and hospital releases: Last week 28 people were released from hospital, which is twice the amount of the previous week, when 14 people were discharged. Deaths fell from three to one. As noted above, new cases decreased.
To see the data more clearly click the dots below the graph.
Positive and negative tests by week: The total number of tests is approximately the same as the week before at 6,376. Positive cases of COVID-19 were 41.
Deaths
By gender and age: After double-checking our data with the Health Board, a spokesperson on Thursday confirmed a total of 34 women, and 30 men, had died, up until that date, after contracting coronavirus in Estonia. Our figures by age were corrected from thee to four deaths in the 50-59 category and from 18 to 17 in the 70-79 category.
Additionally, a 77-year-old woman died in Harju County on Sunday, so the number of women who have died is now 35. In total 65 people have died after contracting the virus.
By county: One death was registered in Harju County.
Coronavirus in Estonia: Highlights May 18 - 24
- Prime minister addresses nation as coronavirus emergency situation ends.
- Government specifies next steps in relaxing coronavirus restrictions.
- Registered unemployment passes 50,000.
- Popov: Easing of coronavirus restrictions need not be feared.
- Poland reopens borders for passenger transit to Estonia.
- Health Board chief: For us, emergency continues at least to June.
- Lux Express restarts links between all three Baltic capitals.
- Police: Emergency situation rules broken 6,000 times.
- Patients can no longer file own sick leave certificates.
- Crisis helpline 1247 to remain in use after emergency situation ends.
- Survey: Estonian residents satisfied with handling of coronavirus crisis.
- Gallery: President tours Saaremaa, Muhu and Hiiumaa.
Note to readers
This is the first time any of us at ERR News have covered a crisis of this scale before. It's a learning curve for all of us. If we've made any mistakes let us know. Feedback is welcome, as are suggestions for data we can show or stories we can tell. We're already trying to put together more specific data for deaths. Email: [email protected]
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Editor: Helen Wright