Coronavirus round-up: August 3-9

Last week, the number of new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosed in Estonia was 78, compared with 46 the week before and the highest weekly figure since late April. The majority of cases were in Tartu.
ERR News has rounded up the most important news and data about the coronavirus from the last week and put it in one place.
This round-up is released every Monday, because the results for Sunday of the previous week are released on Monday morning, only making it possible to analyze the previous week's results after the data has been reported.
You can find the following graphs below:
- The total number of new cases diagnosed by week;
- New cases by day for August 3-9;
- 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, which shows the data released each day in English, Russian and Estonian.
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 colored dots below. The data points are (mostly) dated with each Monday's date.
Overview
New cases by week: Last week 78 new cases of coronavirus were diagnosed in Estonia, rising from 46 the week before. The last time more than 70 cases were reported in a single week was at the end of April.
As with the previous week (July 27 - August 2), last week the majority of new cases were linked to the outbreak in Tartu which started in Vabank nightclub after a person with symptoms visited the club in mid-July. The infected individual passed the virus on to several others, who then passed it on to their close contacts. Cases were also diagnosed after people visited Naiiv bar, in the same city.
Last week, it was announced people had tested positive for coronavirus after visiting Möku, Shooters, Genialistide Klubi bars and a member of staff at La Dolce Vita restaurant, all in Tartu. On Sunday, one worker at Tartu University Hospital tested positive.
So far, 37 cases of infection are linked to the Vabank outbreak, while 18 cases are linked to Naiiv Night Club, and 15 cases to Shooters Night Club, the Health Board said on Monday (link in Estonian). Restrictions on selling alcohol have now been introduced in Tartu bars and nightclubs, where alcohol cannot be sold between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day, following a police order.
A worker at Hesburger in Viljandi also tested positive for COVID-19 and 11 workers on a ship docked in Sillamäe, Ida-Viru County all tested positive too. The majority of the seamen were registered as having no information in the population register.
There are now estimated to be 124 active cases in Estonia compared with 54 last Monday (July 27). The Health Board told ERR News on Friday the 14-day average infection rate per 100,000 inhabitants is currently 2.6, an increase from 1.2 the previous week.
Tartu County, which until August 5 had the fifth-highest number of coronavirus cases behind Harju, Saare, Ida-Viru and Pärnu countries, has now overtaken Pärnu County and is not far behind Ida-Viru County. On July 27, Tartu County had a total of 106 cases, Pärnu 146 and Ida-Viru 171. But as of August 10, Tartu has 168 cases and Pärnu 145. Ida-Viru has 180 but the number of new cases is not growing as fast there as in Tartu County. See more data here.
New cases by day for August 3-9: The majority of days had 10 or more new cases of coronavirus diagnosed last week. The highest number of cases was 22 which was recorded on August 4. The last time more than 20 cases were found on a single day was June 5, when 21 were recorded. The lowest number of new cases last week was five on August 8.
The week before (July 27 - August 3), most days had fewer than 10 cases.
New cases by county: Similarly to the previous week, Tartu County had the majority of new cases followed by Harju and Ida-Viru counties.
Tartu County had 37 new cases, an increase from 24 the previous week, which is the highest number of cases found in the county in a single week since the start of the outbreak in Estonia in March.
Harju County reported eight new cases, which is a slight decrease from 10 the week before. Several of these cases were related to the outbreak in Tartu. Ida-Viru County also saw a decrease from nine to three.
Two cases were also diagnosed each in residents of Jõgeva, Rapla and Lääne-Viru Counties One case was recorded each in Põlva, Viljandi, Võru and Saare counties. The last time a case was reported in Saare County, which was previously the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Estonia, was on May 26.
Click the colored dots below the graph to add and remove data from the graph.
New cases, deaths and hospital releases: Click the colored dots below the graph to add and remove data from the graph.
Three people were released from hospital last week compared to no people the previous two weeks. As of Sunday, eight people are being treated in hospital - an increase of three from the previous week - and one person is using a ventilator.
There were no deaths last week and the last time a COVID-19 related death was registered in Estonia was on June 2.
Positive and negative tests by week: There was big increase in testing last week, with over 6,000 tests being carried out. The total number was 6,334 which is the highest for the last seven weeks. As mentioned above, 78 new cases were recorded last week.
Deaths
The Health Board revised its figure for coronavirus related deaths from 69 to 63 at the start of August and ERR News has updated the graphs below with the new data which has been provided by the National Institute of Health Development (Tervise Arengu Instituut).
Deaths by age and gender: According to the old data, 32 men and 37 women have died due to COVID-19. The majority of deaths have been in people between 70-89 years old.
The new data shows 30 men and 33 women have died. The majority of deaths have still occured in the 70-89 year old age groups but most age categories have seen a decrease in deaths.
The data shows three people in the 50-59 age category died not four; in the 60-69 age category deaths reduced from seven to four; in the 70-79 category the number reduced from 19 to 18; the number fell from 29 to 28 in the 80-89 age group. The only category which stayed the same - at 10 - was the 90-99 group.
Over the age of 80, more women have died than men at 24 and 14, respectively. Acting head of the Health Board Mari-Anne Härma previously told ERR News the reason for this could be because women live longer than men in Estonia so there are more older women in these age categories.
But below the age of 70 more men have died than women. Despite fewer men dying in total, more men have been treated in intensive care due to COVID-19 than women, Härmer said in June.
By county: The new data shows Saare County still has the highest number of deaths but the total is now 26 and not 30. Ida-Viru, Pärnu and Harju counties have nine deaths each, falling from 10, 10 and 13 respectively. Tartu County's deaths fell from two to one. Võru County increased from two to three; Viljandi's from one to zero.
Data was also been provided for those without data in the population register and the total is four.
Coronavirus in Estonia highlights: August 3-9
- Police ban Tartu County bar, nightclub and restaurant alcohol sales
- Tartu mayor: Avoid indoor crowds or wear facemask if not possible
- Iceland, France, Netherlands, Poland, San Marino added to ministry quarantine list
- Reps: Foreign students who ignore quarantine will lose residence permit
- Authorities: No need to make face masks mandatory at present
- Prime minister: COVID-19 situation worse than in July
- Head of scientific council: We do not support nationwide restrictions
- Experts differ on whether Estonia in COVID-19 second wave
- Kiik: Talk of Re-establishing strict coronavirus restrictions premature
- Study: Tallinn Coronavirus prevalence ten times higher than thought
Previous round-ups can be seen here or by clicking the "coronavirus round-up" keyword at the bottom of this article.
Advice from the Health Board about how to stop the spread of COVID-19 is below:
How can the spread of coronavirus be stopped?
- The most efficient measure which can be applied to avoid being infected is keeping one's distance.
- In crowded places and especially indoors where it is not possible to maintain the required distance from other people, it is advisable to wear a mask.
- Closed, crowded spaces should be avoided if possible.
- The rules governing hand hygiene must be observed: hands must be washed frequently.
- Hands should be washed in soap and warm water. Alcohol-based hand sanitation products should be used in public places.
- When you sneeze or cough, please cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue. Immediately safely dispose of the used tissue and clean your hands. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (or part of your forearm), not your bare hand, to cover your mouth and nose.
- Anyone who becomes ill should stay at home, even if their symptoms are mild.
- People who develop any symptoms should suspect that they have coronavirus and contact their family physician.
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. Email: helen.wright@err.ee
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Editor: Helen Wright