Delta COVID-19 Variant's Spread In Estonia Up 25% Over Past Week - Health Authority

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published June 16, 2021 | 02:10 AM

HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th June, 2021) The spread of the Delta COVID-19 variant, first identified in India, has increased by 25% in the past week, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

"Over the past week, the Indian variant of Delta coronavirus was detected in 45 cases in Estonia. Of these, only four were imported, and the remaining 41 were local cases of infection. Over the week, the share of the Delta-coronavirus strain increased by 25%," the ministry said in a statement.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus was included in a list of so-called variants of concern issued by the World Health Organization last month.

It also noted that about 5,000 cases of the UK's virus strain have been detected in Estonia, marking a 10% drop in its share in a week. The South African Beta-coronavirus strain accounted for 67 infections, while the Brazilian Gamma strain was found in six cases.

To date, the country has reported a total of 130,599 COVID-19 cases, with a death toll standing at 1,266.