Flu cases up 39 percent in Estonia since start of January

The number of influenza cases has increased by 39 percent since the beginning of January, accompanied by a rise in the need for hospital care. The Health Board estimates that the virus has not yet reached its peak.
The post-holiday period, when people return to school and work, inevitably brings an increase in illnesses every year. This January, the number of flu cases grew by 39 percent in a single week, with 256 cases recorded.
"Right now, we are seeing that influenza is spreading across all counties and age groups. We can expect more intensive transmission in the coming weeks," said Kärt Sõber, head of the Health Board's infectious diseases department.
Sõber explained that influenza poses the greatest risk to young children aged 0-7 and older adults over the age of 60. "What concerns us is that the majority of hospitalizations involve elderly patients. We also see a troubling trend where people call their family doctor too late or not at all. Ambulances are often summoned only when the condition has already become very severe," she added.
An increasing number of patients are being hospitalized with influenza, either as a primary or secondary condition.
"In recent weeks, we've seen a 30 percent increase in hospitalizations each week," said Anna Sanko, an emergency doctor at West Tallinn Central Hospital. "Experience shows that people of all ages end up in the hospital, from the young to the elderly."
Urmo Kiitam, an emergency doctor at East Tallinn Central Hospital, noted that their hospital primarily treats patients for whom influenza is a secondary diagnosis. "These are mainly older people with pre-existing conditions, for whom the flu leads to more severe complications," he said.
Annual vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the flu.
"Vaccination is still possible even now," said Sõber. "The vaccine is free for children under seven and adults over 60."
The flu season typically lasts from September to May.
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Editor: Valner Väino, Marcus Turovski