The past week saw approximately 6,800 new cases of infection with the COVID-19 virus, indicating a 25 percent drop in cases. The reproduction number (R) has remained below 0.8, said Hanna Sepp, head of the Health Board's Department of Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Epidemic Control.

According to Sepp, morbidity over the past 14 days has been on a downward trend across all Estonian counties, with the biggest decrease recorded in Ida-Viru County.

"Morbidity decreased across all age groups, with bigger decreases noted in the 55-59 and 15-19 age groups," Sepp said, adding that the decrease in morbidity has slowed among those over the age of 60.

Nearly 240 people were hospitalized last week, and the number of hospitalizations dropped by nearly 30 percent. A total of nearly 300 people currently require hospitalization. The ten-day average of hospitalizations for the treatment of severe COVID-19 decreased by one third.

Last week, the Estonian government decided to repeal the nationwide public mask mandate.

"The Health Board continues to recommend wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces as well as on public transport, especially for those that belong to risk groups; COVID continues to spread and remains contagious," Sepp said, adding that an average of more than 900 people per day are diagnosed with COVID and an average of nearly 30 people per day are hospitalized with severe COVID.

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