Number of viral infections at record heights

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Illustration: graafika: Silver Alt

Last week, the number of those affected by viral upper respiratory tract infections beat previous year’s record, reaching 6029 persons.

According to Lagle Suurorg, an experienced pediatrician and head of quality control in Tallinn Children’s Hospital, the infections of upper respiratory tract start with grownups, infections of kids gathering momentum after that.

«I’ve heard there are many schoolteachers quite sick right now,» said Ms Suurorg. «After that, it is the older children that fall ill, always followed by kindergarten kids and infants. Those don’t move about as much, that’s why.»

According to Health Board’s epidemiology advisor Kuulo Kutsar, the percentage of children increases as the time goes by. «At the start of the year, the kids’ share amounted to 14 percent, and then rising to 23 and last week up to 44 percent,» said Mr Kutsar.

The number of those identified by laboratory methods as being ill with viruses amounted to 46 last week, in Estonia. On the average, 450 persons out of 100 000 are affected, in Lääne County (Western Estonia) as much as 842. Tallinn, Harju County and Jõgeva County are also affected above average.

According to Mr Kutsar, the number of influenza cases is, at the moment, quite routine. No extraordinary or new virus strains are involved. «In other parts of Europe, influenza A and B type viruses are also being encountered,» said he.

As far back as in august, many Estonians were heard complaining, that the rainy summer with scarce sunshine gave them little chance to «recharge their batteries». Mr Kutsar agrees that if people fail to be restored and recharged in summer, their organism may indeed be weakened and more susceptible to viruses by winter.

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